Peterson, Eugene W.

PETERSON

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 9/16/2019 at 13:22:17

Eugene W. Peterson

(From the 1891 Biographical History of the Pottawattamie County, Iowa, p.457)
EUGENE W. PETERSON, a native of Galesburg, Illinois, was born August 26, 1857, son of Lewis M. and Caroline PETERSON, natives of Sweden. The father came to America when about ten years old, in the year 1843 or 1844, with his parents, locating at Galesburg with a colony, remaining there for a time. Lewis PETERSON was married in Galesburg and lived there for a number of years. In 1861 he entered the United States’ service in the Quartermaster’s Department, serving until the close of the war. During the latter part of that time, he was stationed at St. Louis where he removed his family and where he died about 1880. Previous to the war, he was a druggist, but afterward he was engaged in the grocery business at St. Louis. He went back to Galesburg and lived there until a short time before his death, when he returned to St. Louis. His widow still resides in the latter city. They reared a family of four children: Frank, who is a teller in a St. Louis bank; Eugene, the subject of this sketch, a resident of Council Bluffs; and Albert and Roy, deceased.

Mr. PETERSON was educated in the common schools and also in the high school of Galesburg, Illinois. He went to St. Louis, where at the age of fourteen he entered the employ of R.G. Dun & Co., and has constantly been employed by that company since with the exception of a few months. He started in as a messenger boy, but was soon promoted to the corresponding department, where he remained until he was twenty-one. He then took field work, traveling for the company until 1885. In May of that year, he took charge of the Lincoln, Nebraska, office remaining there until July 1887. In the fall of the same year, he assumed charge of the Omaha corresponding department, from which he came to his present office in April 1888.

He was married April 1, 1879 to Carrie S. KERR, daughter of Mr. And Mrs. John KERR of St. Louis. She was born in Canada, of Scotch origin, June 15, 1857. Their family consists of two children: Eugene Willie Jr., born April 14, 1880; and Winniford M., born March 25, 1883. They lost an infant daughter. Mr. And Mrs. PETERSON are members of the Brethren Church. Politically he is non-partisan. He has purchased a fine property on Park Avenue, Council Bluffs, and also owns property in Lincoln, Nebraska. Mr. PETERSON has made his own way from the bottom, and his success is due to his close application to business and his ability to transact the same. He is today considered one of the ablest men in the employ of R.G. Dun & Co.’s commercial agency, of which business a short sketch is appended.

The Council Bluffs office occupies rooms 205 and 206, Sapp Block, with Mr. PETERSON as manager. This business was established in 1841 by B. Douglas & Co., and in 1850 was transferred to R.G. Dun & Co. It is now considered the oldest and largest mercantile agency in the world. It publishes its reference books in January, March, July and September of each year. The January edition of 1890 contained 1,176,988 names of traders, etc. of the United States and Canada. The average added ratings, new names and changes will aggregate 2,619 for each business day. The office in this city was established in 1883 by W. H. MYERS, who was succeeded by J. H.HUBBARD, then by O.S. STANBRO, the present manager taking charge in 1888. Under his management, the business has prospered and his ability is fully appreciated by the company. Mr. PETERSON is a genial, whole-souled fellow and will make friends wherever he goes.