Knudsen, Peter Christian (1867-1937

KNUDSEN, PHILLIPSON, NELSON, JENSEN, HOEGH

Posted By: Ken Akers (email)
Date: 1/7/2016 at 21:29:27

History of Audubon County, Iowa, 1915, pages 701- 702
PETER KNUDSEN.
Peter Knudsen, who purchased and now owns the fine farm of one
hundred and twenty acres in Oakfield township, which his father before him
owned, was born on January 28, 1866, in Denmark, the son of Knud C.
and Caroline (Phillipson) Knudsen. A farmer in his native land until he
came to America in 1874, Knud C. Knudsen located in Cass county, Iowa,
and there worked as a section hand on the railroad for one year, after which
he moved to Audubon county and located in Oakfield township. One year
later he purchased a farm of eighty acres and subsequently added forty
acres to the original tract. He farmed this land until his death in 1906.
His wife, the mother of Peter Knudsen, died in 1910. Knud C. and Caro-
line Knudsen were the parents of four children: Chris, Peter, Mary and
Caroline.
Eight years old when his parents brought him to America, Peter Knud-
sen received all of his educational training at the schools of Oakfield town-
ship, and after leaving school was engaged with his father in farming until
the latter's death in 1906. When the estate was settled, Peter Knudsen pur-
chased the farm, and since 1906 has invested about five thousand dollars in
buildings, fences, drains and various processes to improve the fertility of the
soil. He raises on an average of forty acres of corn and thirty acres of
small grain every year. He also feeds out about seventy head of hogs. The
high prices paid for hogs for the last few years has made it profitable to
raise as many as possible.
On April 24, 1888, when Peter Knudsen was twenty-two years old, he
was married to Minnie Nelson, the daughter of Martin Nelson. Mr. and
Mrs. Knudsen have had eight children: Lillie. Henry. Christ, Esther, Anna,
Theodore, Arthur and Marie. Lillie married Chris Jensen and has two
children, Arthur and Harry. Henry married a Miss Hoegh and has two
children, Ethel and Harry. The remainder of the family are unmarried and
live at home with their parents.
The Knudsen family are prominent members of the Danish Lutheran
church, in which Peter Knudsen is a trustee. He is also a school director
in Oakfield township and is identified with the Republican party.
For his enterprise and industry, Peter Knudsen has established a com-
fortable home in Oakfield township, and he and his wife are rearing a large
family of children to honorable and useful lives. This is their greatest con-
tribution to the happiness of the neighborhood where they live and where
they have always been popular. Like so many of his fellow countrymen
who have made commendable successes of farming in the new country, Peter
Knudsen has become an enthusiastic and patriotic American, one who
admires our institutions and appreciates the opportunities our country offers.