E Peter Dalander

DALANDER

Posted By: County Coordinator (email)
Date: 5/10/2010 at 11:05:21

E Peter Dalander is a native of Madrid and comes of an old pioneer family of Boone county which settled here in 1846 on land where Madrid now stands. Mr Dalander has worthily carried forward the family traditions and stands high in the estimation of his fellow citizens. Since 1903 he has served as postmaster, discharging his duties to the greatest satisfaction of the patrons of the office.
Mr Dalander was born July 10, 1864, and has always been a resident of Madrid. His grandmother, Anna Dalander, secured the first deed to land in Boone county and the instrument is now preserved int eh archives of the Madrid Historical Society. His parents were Eric and Eva E (Swanson) Dalander, both natives of Sweden, the former born in 1814 and the latter in 1836. The father died in Madrid, January 29, 1893. He emigrated to America in 1846 and immediately located upon a farm which is now the site of Madrid. The mother came with her foster parents to America is 1846 and the family also located in Boone county.
In the Dalander family were the following children, all born and reared in Douglas township: John a son of the father’s first marriage, residing in Kansas, Mrs Anna M Nelson of Madrid, Mrs Clara Jacobson, deceased, Mrs A M Sundberg of Madrid, S A also of that city, Dr C A Dalander, who was born July 11, 1869, and died in Des Moines, April 12, 1906, Z W born January 20, 1872 residing in Madrid, Minnie M Born January 19, 1876, residing with her mother, Lara who died in infancy, and E Peter of this review.
The father entered land and at first followed farming, but later engaged in the milling business in Madrid, operating the fist steam mill in that part of the country. Subsequently the family returned to the farm and the subject of this review three remained with his parents until he was twenty-one years of age. He received his earlier education in the public schools, rounding out his fundamental knowledge with a two years’ academic course. After leaving the homestead he clerked in a drug store for some time and then conducted a similar establishment of his own for ten years, being very successful along that line. In 1903 he was appointed postmaster of Madrid and he has since held that position. He makes an excellent public servant and is popular with all who have transactions with his office.
Mr Dalander, 1n 1892, married Miss Alma L Anderson, who was born in Douglas township, June 4, 1866. There she was reared and she ahs remained a resident of Douglas township ever since. Her father, John Anderson, came to the township in the same party win which Mr Dalander’s parents arrived. He at first worked in Des Moines in order to secure sufficient capital to purchase a farm. For his second wife he married Carolina Nelson. Both were born in Sweden and died in Madrid. The father was a very successful farmer and stood high among his fellow citizens. He was supervisor of Boone county for a number of years and for twenty years served as assessor of Douglas township. By a former marriage he had five children and by the second union there were eight. All the thirteen children of Mr Anderson were reared in Douglas township.
Mrs Dalander received in addition to a common school education, musical training in Kansas, continuing her studies along that line in Shenandoah, Iowa. She is a proficient artist and well acquainted with musical lore. Mr and Mrs Dalander have four children, three daughters and a son: Martin S, who was born May 15, 1894, and after graduating from the Madrid high school took one year’s work in the Midwestern Academy of Music, being at resent in attendance at the Capital City Commercial College of Des Moines, Edna E born in April 1898, who is attending high school in Madrid, Helen, born in August 1903, and Ruth born August 27, 1908.
Mr Dalander is an adherent of the republican party and has ever been loyal to the standards and principles of that organization. He is deeply interested in the cause of education and for fifteen years has done valuable service as a member of the local school board. Both he and his wife belong to the Swedish Lutheran church of Madrid, to which they give their material and moral support. Mr Dalander is as well informed man who forms valuable opinions on all matters of public importance. His support is eagerly sought and he is ever ready to promote worthy enterprises of any kind. As a citizen he is of great value to Madrid and Boone county, considering no exertion on his part too great in order to promote progress. As an official he is courteous, affable, approachable and obliging.

1914 Boone County History Book