Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1891
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 405
CARL PETERSON

Carl PETERSON, a skilled blacksmith, who wields his sledge and fans his forge at Persia, has the honor of erecting the first building within this village.

Mr. PETERSON was born in the north of Europe, midst the evergreen, pine and cedars, at Drammen, Norway, June 19, 1858, and remained in his native land until twenty-two years of age, when he saw visions of the New World, and sailed for America, July, 1880. Having learned the blacksmith trade in Norway, which by the way, furnishes some of our most skillful ironworkers, he came to Douglass County, Minn., where he worked at his trade a few days, and then went out harvesting, after which he returned to the blacksmith shop, where he found employment until January 1, 1881, and then went to Minneapolis, but failing to find work in that city he went to Mankato and there chopped cord wood until spring, and then engaged to do railroad blacksmithing for a contractor who had two miles of road to grade near Persia, lowa, but prior to the town site being platted. While thus engaged our subject heard them talking about locating a town on this new railroad, and concluded that he would be the first man on hand. He went to Defiance, Iowa, and staid until October and then came back to the present site of Persia before it had been surveyed and built him a blacksmith shop. He came to the locality with one hundred and fifteen dollars, but being a skillful workman, and well liked by the community, together with his temperate and frugal habits, he has made a financial success, as he owns a first class shop, with a well established business, owns a good residence in town, and an improved farm of eighty acres within a half mile of the place. He makes a special feature of plow work, and has a power emery-wheel, and all of the latest improvements, with which to carry on his business.

Our subject was married February 24, 1885, to Miss Elizabeth ATKIN, of Persia, and they are the parents of four children -- Frederick M., deceased, Iona J., an infant who died, and Leonard T.

Mrs. PETERSON was born in England January 17. 1866, where her father died, and when she was six years old, her mother came to America, and first stopped in Johnson county, Iowa, but about 1878 they came to Shelby county.

Politically, our subject is a stanch supporter of the government of his adopted country, and votes with the Democratic party.

Much credit is due to Mr. PETERSON, coming to our shores as he did only eleven years ago, unable to speak a word of English language, and without any capital, save the good trade he had learned in his native land, together with a determination to do, and to dare, in a land where honest toil always receives just reward.

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