Peter Johannsen
Peter Johannsen, who by his early industry has earned the privilege of retiring from the active labors of life, was born November 24, 1848, a son of Peter and Christine (Walter) Johannsen who were natives of Germany, in which country all their children were born, six in number, of whom but three now survive, namely: Mary, the wife of Henry Boyse, living in Hanover township, Crawford county; Peter, of this review; and Hans, who resides in Denison. The parents spent their entire lives in the fatherland, the father dying when about seventy-six years old, and the mother passing away at about the same age.
Peter Johannsen of this review emigrated to the United States April 11, 1868, first locating in Chicago, where he worked in a lumberyard for a short period and then went to Lyons, Iowa, and was employed on a farm for two years. He subsequently moved to Clinton, Iowa, and worked in a sawmill until 1877. In that year he came to Crawford county and purchased eighty acres of prairie land, which he broke and cultivated and to which he added from time to time until his possessions now aggregate one thousand acres. Here he continued the pursuit of agriculture until he had acquired a comfortable competence, when he rented the property to his sons and retired to enjoy a well earned rest, and at present is residing in his beautiful home in Schleswig, Iowa.
In 1871 Mr. Johannsen was united in marriage to Gyde, the only daughter of Nise and Christina (Hansen) Hansen, and to them ten children have been born, of whom the following are living: Peter and John, who operate the homestead in Crawford county; Hans who lives in Ida county; Christina, who became the wife of Charles Tamm and makes her home in Crawford county; Mary, the wife of Edward Tamm, of this county; and Annie, who married Carl Loose and resides in Crawford county. The two first born and William and Clara, all died in infancy.
Mr. Johannsen has always given his loyal support to the democratic party and during his residence in Crawford has held several township offices. In his religious views he has ever been a consistent Lutheran. Possessing the sterling characteristics of the German race, he early developed all the attributes that make the successful man and has also gained an honored name in the land of his adoption, being regarded as one of the public-spirited and worthy citizens of Crawford county.
Source: History of Crawford County, Iowa. Vol. II. Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1911.