PETER F. PETERSON.
Peter F. Peterson, a retired farmer of Kimballton, Iowa, who started in life in a small way and who now owns considerable farm property in Audubon and Shelby counties, Iowa, was born on October 31, 1847, in Aro, Denmark, the son of Peter Ernest and Anna Peterson, both of whom were natives of Aro, Denmark, and where his father was a laborer. He and his wife, who were members of the Lutheran church, lived and died in their native land. They were the parents of seven children: Mary, Sasel, Metta, Andrea, Katrina, Carrie, deceased, and Peter F., the subject of this sketch.
Peter F. Peterson is the only member of his father's family who has ever come to America. After receiving a limited education in the schools of his native land when a lad, he first herded sheep and later engaged in farming, in order to make a living for himself. Coming to America in 1869 alone, he first located in Atlantic, Iowa, when there were only three houses in the place. He worked for the Rock Island railroad, where he remained for two years and then moved to Rock Springs, Wyoming, where he worked in the coal mines for two years. Subsequently, he worked in the Colorado silver mines and then at Salt Lake City for a short time. Afterwards he was engaged at Austin, Nevada, in the silver mines for two years and then returned to Audubon county, Iowa, and purchased a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Sharon township, consisting of wild land, which had never been plowed. He later added eighty acres in Jackson township, Shelby county, and from time to time has made many improvements upon these properties.
On November 18, 1875, Mr. Peterson was married to Annie Anderson, a native of Jylland, Denmark, and the daughter of Anders Sorensen and Annie Davisen, who were both natives of Denmark and who, after coming to America, were early settler in Story county, Iowa, where he farmed until his death. His wife, who is seventy-nine years old, is still living.
Mr. and Mrs. Peter F. Peterson have eight children: Mary, who married James Rosenbeck, of Columbia, North Dakota, and has four children, William, Lena, Franklin and Francis; Jens F., who lives on the old home place, married Christina Rasch and has two children, Annie and Idna; Carrie, who married Martin Fredericksen, a real estate and insurance dealer of Kimballton, Iowa, and has four children, William, Annie, Edward and Elmer; Martha, who became the wife of Charles Wright of Greenfield, Iowa, and has three children, Nellie, Annie and Minerva; Ernest of Sharon township, who married Christina Jorgensen and has two children, Rosa and Roy; Hans, a farmer, who is single; Andrace and Anna. During his life as an active farmer, Mr. Peterson was engaged in farming and stock raising.
The Peterson family are all members of the Danish Lutheran church. A Republican in politics, Mr. Peterson has held several minor offices, and for many years served as a school director. Mr. and Mrs. Peterson are very popular people; they have a comfortable home in Kimballton, Iowa, where they have lived retired for several years. In addition to all of Mr. Peterson's other property, he has small tracts of land scattered in different parts of Audubon county. Starting in life as he did with no financial aid and no hope of assistance, it must be admitted that Peter F. Peterson has made a splendid success of the opportunities which have come in his way. He is a man who richly deserves the comforts which he is able to enjoy during his declining years; comforts which arise from the competence which he himself has gained.
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Transcribed by Gunter Schanzenbacher, Waynesboro, PA, March 29, 2013 from History of Audubon County, Iowa Its People, Industries and Institutions With Biographical Sketches of Representative Citizens and Genealogical Records of Many of the Old Families, by H. F. Andrews, editor, Indianapolis: B. F. Bowen & Company, 1915, pp. 764-765.
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