BIOGRAPHIES: Sewell A. PETERSON, Rice Lake, Barron County, WI ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor, or the legal representative of the contributor, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Barron Co. WIGenWeb coordinator on 14 July 2002 ==================================================================== **Posted for informational purposes only - poster is not related to the subject of this biography and has no further information. Sewell A. Peterson, merchant, Rice Lake, Barron county, was born in Solor, Norway, February 28, 1850, and is the son of Ole and Martha Peterson; the former was a farmer and manufacturer. In 1864 the family came to America, and for one summer they remained in Decorah, Iowa; the same fall they moved with cattle to Dunn county, Wis., where the father homesteaded in the town of Grant. Mr. Peterson's parents died in 1872, within one week of each other, the father at the age of seventy-two years, and the mother at the age of sixty-four years. Sewell A. received such education as the common schools afforded, and later on took a course at the La Crosse business college. In 1868 he came to Barron county and worked in a mill on the Vermillion river, where he subsequently followed lumbering for some time. In 1870 he assisted Knapp, Stout & Co. on their drive. During the winter of 1871-72 he attended school at home, and later taught school. In 1874 he worked during harvest in Goodhue county, Minn. From there he went to La Crosse and attended business college. He then entered the store of his brother-in-law at Sand Creek, Wis., and upon the death of the latter was appointed to fill the vacancy thus caused in the office of town treasurer, and in the following year was elected treasurer of the town of Grant. In the fall of 1875 he was elected registrar of deeds for Dunn county, and was twice re-elected. February 1, 1882, he engaged in business at Menomonie with a partner, under the firm name of Ohnstad & Peterson. This partnership existed for five years, and during part of this time he also served as alderman in Menomonie. Mr. Peterson came to Rice Lake in July, 1887, and engaged in business. In the following spring he was elected city clerk and was re-elected for three successive terms. In 1891, he was elected city treasurer, which position he now holds. September 4, 1884, Mr. Peterson married Miss Helen S. Gabriel, who was born in Dane county, Wis., but whose parents were natives of Norway; her father resides in Fort Atkinson, Wis.; her mother is deceased. To this union have been born two children: Raymond Victor, born in 1887, and Hazel, born in 1890. Both parents attend the Lutheran church. Mr. Peterson is a stanch republican in politics, and is a member of the Knights of Pythias. -Transcribed from the "Historical and Biographical Album of the Chippewa Valley Wisconsin, 1891-2", page 508-509.