Peter Petersen, 1857

Posted4U@Charter.net on Wed, 14 Feb 2001

Surname: PETERSEN

Source: 1918 History of Clark Co., WI, by Franklyn, Curtiss-Wedge

PETER PETERSEN, proprietor of a good dairy farm of eighty acres, in section 23, Sherwood Township, was born on a farm in Norway, Sept. 27, 1857. Both his parents died in Norway and he, with two brothers, both now deceased, subsequently came to the United States. He had had a good schooling in his native land and there became accustomed to farm work, having also been a sailor in the Norwegian coasting trade for nine or ten years. He was 30 years old when he arrived in this country and located: first in La Crosse, Wis. For about a year he was engaged in railroad work, and after that spent ten winters in the woods engaged in lumbering. He also worked in sawmills at intervals. In 1895 he bought his present farm, a tract of eighty acres in section 23, Sherwood Township, but it was not until a year later that he moved onto it. During his first few years on the place he had nothing but his hands to work with. Then he procured a horse and finally a team of horses. He began his stock operations with one cow, cleared the farm by his own efforts and erected the buildings. He is now conducting a profitable dairy farm, keeping good common stock, and is one of the prosperous citizens of his township. He was educated in the Lutheran faith.