Martin N. Peterson Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1245-1246 in "History of Dakota 
	Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. IV (1915) and was 
	scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				MARTIN N. PETERSON. 

	Martin N. Peterson is one of the progressive and prosperous 
farmers of Minnehaha county, cultivating a good tract of land on 
section 34, Sverdrup township, which belongs to his mother. His present 
condition is in marked contrast to that of his grandparents when they 
sought a home in the new world. All honor is due to Such sturdy 
pioneers as were Jorgen Peterson and his family. In their old home in 
Norway they saw the vision of the promised land and, resolved to follow 
its leading, they crossed the Atlantic to the new world, traveled 
westward to Sioux City, Iowa, and thence walked to Minnehaha county, a 
distance of more than one hundred miles. The grandfather carried a sack 
of flour and other supplies, while the grandmother carried the cooking 
outfit and Nels B. Peterson, the father of Martin N. Peterson, then a 
boy of but fourteen years, carried a younger brother, who was ill and 
who died on the homestead of Jorgen Peterson's brother, who had 
preceded them to this country. The child was buried one-half mile east 
of Renner and thus it was with heavy hearts, because of their 
bereavement, that the family started life in their new home. Jorgen 
Peterson secured a homestead claim-the farm upon which his grandson; 
Martin N. Peterson, now lives-and in its ownership he was succeeded by 
Nels B. Peterson, who was born in Norway and, as previously indicated, 
came to the new world with his parents in 1868. He continued to remain 
upon the old home farm until his life's labors were ended in death on 
the 3d of January, 1908, when he was fifty-four years of age. As the 
years passed he won a creditable and substantial measure of success and 
extended the boundaries of his place from time to time until his 
holdings included six hundred and eighty acres and he was regarded as 
one of the substantial men of the county. He served for several years 
on the town board and exerted a widely felt and beneficial influence in 
public affairs, his efforts contributing much to the material growth 
and prosperity of the community. In was in Minnehaha county that he 
wedded Gurine Almlie, also a native of Norway, who came to the United 
States with her parents in 1881. She is still living and yet resides on 
the old homestead. 

	Martin N. Peterson was born on the farm where he now resides on 
the 10th of July, 1887. He was educated in the district schools and in 
the State Agricultural College at Brookings, so that he received 
technical training concerning the best methods of tilling the soil and 
carrying on all branches of farm work. Through the period of his youth 
he remained under the parental roof and following his father's death 
took charge of the home farm, which he has since operated. In 1903 his 
father built a large elevator and feed mill and these are still being 
operated by Martin N. Peterson, who is a most energetic young business 
man, wide-awake to his opportunities and ready at all times to utilize 
them. He is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church and is one of the 
most respected among the young business men of his county.