Obit for J. W. PETERSON, (b.1838 d.1916) Goodhue Co., MN ========================================================================= USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material, AND permission is obtained from the contributor of the file. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, MUST obtain the written consent of the contributor, OR the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. If you have found this file through a source other than the MNArchives Table Of Contents you can find other Minnesota related Archives at: http://www.usgwarchives.net/mn/mnfiles.htm Please note the county and type of file at the top of this page to find the submitter information or other files for this county. Made available to The USGenWeb Archives by: Laurie Keller ========================================================================= Obituary: J. W. Peterson Source: Red Wing Daily Republican dated 8 Sep 1916 PIONEER CITIZEN OF VASA CALLED HON. J. W. PETERSON, CIVIL WAR VETERAN, CROSSES GREAT DIVIDE. SERVED IN SENATE Fought the Treacherous Sioux Indians in Pioneer Days--Death Comes Following Two Weeks' Illness--One of County's Honored Men--Funeral Arrangements Not Completed Hon. J. W. Peterson, Indian fighter, Civil war hero and a distinguished figure in political, church and agricultural affairs in Goodhue county since pioneer days, is dead. The final summons came yesterday afternoon at 4 o'clock at his home in Vasa, after an illness of two weeks' duration. Death was due to pneumonia and a complication of diseases. Had he lived until March 30, the deceased would have been 78 years of age. The passage of Mr. Peterson removes from this community one of its most esteemed and honored citizens. Mr. Peterson was taken ill about two weeks ago. He contracted a severe cold and pneumonia developed. For a time he continued to improve and members of his family and friends looked for his complete recovery. Yesterday afternoon he suffered a relapse and late in the afternoon breathed his last. John W. Peterson was born March 30, 1838 at Gardsby, Sweden, his parents being natives of Småland, Sweden. With his parents he came to America in 1856 at the age of eighteen. Coming West the family settled on a homestead in Chisago county. He helped his father run the farm of eighty acres. In 1862 he enlisted in Company I. Sixth Minnesota Volunteer Infantry and subsequently was promoted to the rank of corporal and still later to sergeant. Indian Fighter. Mr. Peterson in Minnesota pioneer days distinguished himself as an Indian fighter. He was sent from Fort Snelling against the treacherous Sioux Indians and was one of that heroic band, which attacked fifteen hundred Indians at Birch Cooley, rescuing 150 brave men, who for days had been holding out against that howling mass of savages. He was with the soldiers who followed the Indians to Yellow Medicine county, where General Sibley released 170 white women and children. The pursuit continued the next spring to Big Bend on the Missouri river. On Dec. 26, 1862, he, as sergeant of his company, witnessed the hanging of thirty-nine of the ring-leaders of the murderous Sioux at Makato. Afterward he was at Helena, Ark., as part of the Sixteenth Army Corps, having been in the hospital several weeks. He was honorably discharged May 10, 1865. In the spring of 1865, Mr. Peterson came to Vasa where he and his brother-in-law had purchased a quarter section of land. He cast his first vote as an American citizen for Abraham Lincoln and since that time had continued a consistent Republican. He served as town clerk and justice of the peace at Vasa and in 1872 was elected to the state senate and served two terms with distinction. In 1885 he served his district in the house of representatives and in 1890 was again elected to a term in the senate. In addition to farming, the deceased was an auctioneer and for forty years he conducted public sales throughout the county. Mr. Peterson took an active interest in the affairs of the Swedish Lutheran church of Vasa since its inception. For many years he served as treasurer and he took an active part in raising the funds to complete the splendid edifice now occupied by the congregation of that church. He also showed a keen interest in the G. A. R. In 1868 he took as his life partner Miss Carrie Johnson, daughter of Eric Johnson of Vasa township. Mr. Peterson was of the fine type of men of Swedish birth who while honoring the traditions of their race became true American gentlemen in every sense of the word. In the passing of J. W. Peterson, Goodhue county loses one of its best citizens and hundreds of friends who have known him these many years will be grieved to learn of his demise. Surviving the deceased are his wife and five children, Mrs. Wm. M. Tilderquist and Dr. Elmer G. Peterson, dentist, of Duluth; Mrs. P. J. Buran and Mrs. O. F. Peehl of this city and Arthur W. Peterson of Vasa. The funeral will probably be held Wednesday.