J. Peter Jepsen
J. Peter Jepsen, who is engaged in general farming and stock-raising on a two hundred acre farm in Otter Creek township, is a native of Germany, his natal day being the 7th of July, 1868.
His parents, Thomas and Christina (Petersen) Jepsen, spent their entire lives in the land of their nativity and there his two brothers, the only surviving members of the family with the exception of himself, reside. Six children were born unto Mr. and Mrs. Jepsen, but the two youngest, Claus and Carsten, and Margareta, the third child and only daughter, have now passed away, leaving the two eldest sons, Hans and Thomas, and J. Peter. who is the fourth in order of birth, the only surviving members of the family.
J. Peter Jepsen remained a subject of Germany until he had passed the twenty-eighth anniversary of his birth, at which time his general dissatisfaction with conditions as he knew them there, and the confident hope and belief that broader and greater advantages were to be found in America, prompted him to take passage for the United States. He arrived here in 1894 and almost immediately made his way westward locating in Crawford county, Iowa, where he obtained employment on a farm and for ten years he continued in this occupation. Here the characteristics of his nationality-perseverance, energy and thrift-served to make it possible for him to acquire during that period the money essential to begin farming for himself, and he rented two hundred acres of land and engaged in general farming and stock-raising. For more than ten years now he has continued to reside there, following the same pursuits, which have proven to be sufficiently lucrative to enable him to become the owner of one-half section of land in North Dakota. He is known as one of the successful and capable agriculturists of his township and is realizing profitable returns from both his stock and farm products.
On the 28th of February, 1900, Mr. Jepsen was united in marriage to Miss Lizzie Naeve, a daughter of William and Mary (Schneider) Naeve. Mr. and Mrs. Naeve had five children, of whom Mrs. Jepsen is the eldest, the others being as follows: Katie and Emil, both deceased; Freda, at home; and Willie, an adopted son.
Three children have been born unto Mr. and Mrs. Jepsen: Walter, who is ten years of age; Harley, now in his eighth year; and Alice, who has passed her second birthday.
The family always attend the services of the Lutheran church, of which Mr. and Mrs. Jepsen are communicants. Ever since naturalization conferred upon him the full tights of a citizen of the United States Mr. Jepsen has taken an active interest in all political issues and questions of vital concern to the public. He supports the candidates and measures of the democratic party and his party fealty has been rewarded by his election to the office of assessor, while he is at present serving as clerk of his township, in the discharge of the duties of which he seems to be meeting with the general approval of the community.
Source: History of Crawford County, Iowa. Vol. II. Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1911.