J C Petersen

PETERSEN

Posted By: County Coordinator (email)
Date: 4/15/2010 at 13:18:25

J C Petersen is a well known clothing merchant of Boone, where he is conducting busines under the name of J C Petersen Company. Under his guidance the business has grown to gratifying proportions and is regarded as one of the leading commercial enterprises of the city. Mr Petersen is a native of Germany, born April 9, 1868, and is a son of Marcus and Anna (Hub) Petersen, who were also natives of the same country. The father still lives in Germany, but the mother is decease. In their family were four children: J C of his review, Anna, Mathena, and Marcus.
J C Petersen spent the first sixteen years of his life in his native land and during that period attended its pubic schools. At length, bidding adieu to friends and native country, he sailed from Hamburg to New York in October 1884 and after a brief stay in the eastern metropolis made his way westward to Iowa. In this state he turned his attention to farming and while thus employed attended school in the winter seasons for three months, thus supplementing the knowledge that he had gained in the fatherland and acquiring a grater freedom in the use of the English language. On the expiration of that period he came to Boone and has sice been identified with its commercial interests. He first accepted a clerkship in a clothing store, in which he remained until 1893. During that period he carefully saved his earings until his industry and econmy had bourhgt him a sufficient sum to ebale him to engage in business on his own account. He then organized the firm of Pertersen & Samson and the business was countined in that connection until July 11, 1897, when the junior partner died The senior member of the firm then carried on the business under his own name until 1902, when he formed a stock company known as the J C Petersen Company, admitting three emplyes, F O Schmidt, Emanuel Guther and Andrew Anderson, to a partnership and thus rewawrdig them for their faithful and loyal serivce.They have a large and well appointed store, carry an attractive line of clothing and men's furnishings and as the years have gone by they have increased their business as the result of their honorable methods their enterpirsing spirit and their close application. The brick building occupied by the J C Petersen Company is the property of the senior member of the firm, who owns other real estate in the city, which constitutes the tangible evidecne of his life of well directed energy and thrift. He also conducts a similar store in Fort Dodge.
On May 5, 1889. Mr Petersen was united in marriage to Miss Anna Ick, a native of Germany, and they have become parents of six children, Mary, Anna, Marcus, Albert, Harry and Christ. In his political views Mr Petersen is a democrat, but has never sought nor desired political office. He has served, however, as a member of the school board, and the cause of education finds in his a stalwart friend. He belongs to the Masonic fraternity, hold membership with the Improved Oder of Red Men and his religious faith is evidenced in his membership in the German Lutheran church. To all these organizations he is most loyal and it is a well known fact that Mr Petersen is very faithful to a trust reposed in him whether of public or a private nature. He deserves much credit for what he has accomplished, for he came to American empty-handed when a youth of sixteen and had worked his way steadily upward to his present position of affluence. His business methods are such as neither seek nor require disguise, and in every relation of life he has commanded the good will and confidence of his fellow men.

1914 Boone County History Book