Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1915
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 969
D. A. PETERS

One of the well-known citizens of Harrison county, Iowa, is D. A. PETERS, successful farmer and stock raiser of Harrison township, residing near Dunlap. Mr. PETERS is one of the most up-to-date farmers of this section, carrying on the work of his farm along lines most approved by modern scientific research and practice, and in the management of his farm has demonstrated the fact that he possesses more than ordinary business ability and this, couples with a determination to succeed, has placed him in his present enviable position.

D. A. PETERS is a native of this county, born on June 13, 1879, a son of John M. and Julia E. (SMITH) PETERS, and the second child in their family. The others were Grace, who became the wife of J. H. Morton, of Douglas township, this county; Fletcher E., who is located at Earling, Shelby county, this state, where he practices medicine; Maud, deceased, and John Howard, who remains in the home with the parents. The mother of the children just named was the third wife of the elder PETERS. There are no living children by the first marriage, and but one child by the second. This is Sherman W., who also resides in Harrison township. D A. Peter's mother was a native of the state of New York, while his father was born in County Antrim, Ireland. When a youth of sixteen years, he came alone to this country and located in Pennsylvania, where he found friends and where he lived for a few years. He saw the wisdom of acquiring some trade, and apprenticed himself to the bricklayer's trade, which he mastered and which served him well. Learning of the greater opportunities the west offered young and ambitious men, he decided to journey to this section, and worked his way as he came. For a time he settled in Illinois, and it was while living there, he was first married. He reached Harrison county in 1877, and for some time after he reached here, he continued to follow his trade, but his principal interest soon came to be farming. He had located in Douglas township where he had a fine farm to which he finally gave all his time.

D. A. PETERS, when a boy, attended the common schools of his own home district where he secured a good elementary education. For the higher grades, he attended the Normal College at Woodbine, where he took a commercial course and also the Latin preparatory work. With the wisdom of more advanced years, he was able to discern the opportunities in store for agricultural work in this section, and upon leaving his books at Woodbine, he returned to his father's home and entered into the work of the farm home with him, continuing in that relation until the time of his marriage, in 1890. He then made other arrangements with his father, whereby he rented the farm home for ten years, and, in 1910, took up his residence at his present location in Harrison township, three and one-half miles south of Dunlap. Here he has a fine farm of three hundred and twenty acres and carries on general farming, as practiced to best advantage throughout this section, and also feeds a goodly number of cattle each year. In recent years, Mr. PETERS has built a fine home, thoroughly modern in every respect, the entire premises being lighted with electricity. This current is generated in his own plant and, in addition to this great convenience, there is running water in the house and also a fine heating system. All barns and outbuildings are wired for electric lights and Mrs. PETERS also converts a portion of the current to he own uses and does her washing, ironing, churning, etc., with its assistance. It is a far cry from this modern home, with all its wonderful conveniences and comforts, back to the small hut or dugout of the pioneer of this section, and with all the wonderfully marked differences in every-day life between the two times, there is really but a short span of years, for there are many yet living who have experienced and can recall all the hardships and privations and the few pleasures of pioneer days.

Mrs. D. A. PETERS, before her marriage, was Miss Celia M. MANION, daughter of Michael and Bridget (COINE) MANION, both natives of Ireland. Mr. PETERS and Celia M. MANION were married on August 22, 1891, and to their union have come five children, Bernice, Donna, John Robert, Audrey and Alberta, all residing at home with the parents. Mrs. PETERS; mother is still living in Shelby county, where the father died some years ago. They first came to this section in 1880, having lived for a time in Canada, directly after reaching this country.

D. A. PETERS and his family are communicants of the Roman Catholic church, and his political preference is with the Republican party, in whose interests he has done much service in local affairs. He served as township trustee of Douglas township several times, and also served Harrison township in the same capacity for one term. He has evinced keen interest in matters pertaining to the education of youth. He is a man of sound and practical intelligence, keenly alert to everything relating to his own interests and, in fact, with all that concerns the prosperity and advancement of his community. Because of his splendid personal characteristics and genuine worth, he enjoys the confidence and esteem of all who know him and in eminently entitled to representation in a work of the character of the one at hand.

Return to 1915 Biographical P Surnames Index

Back to 1915 Biographies Index