Biography: Winnebago County, Wisconsin: Peter J. GUNDERSON ************************************************************************ Submitted by Kathy Grace, July 2004 © All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ************************************************************************ Peter J. Gunderson is a prosperous farmer of Winneconne and worthy of special mention in the history of Winnebago county, as one of the representative men of the township in his line. He was born of Norwegian parentage; his father was John Gunderson and his mother was Christian (Peterson) Gunderson. They came to American from Norway in 148, landing in New York on August 12 of that year, but did not spend much time there before departing for the west, via the Erie Canal and the Great Lakes to Sheboygan, Wisconsin, and thence to Winneconne by ox team. After some observation, they located a farm in section 22, which they purchased and set to work making a home, and there spent the balance of their lives. The farm contained 140 acres of heavily timbered land which Mr. Gunderson cleared and brought to a high state of cultivation, and at the time of his death, in March, 1889, it was considered one of the best farms in the township, and its owner one of the esteemed and highly respected citizens of the county. He died at the early age of sixty-nine years. Mrs. Gunderson died seven weeks before him. Mr. and Mrs. Gunderson had a family of six children, two are now- 1908- living; our subject, Peter J., was the youngest. He obtained his preliminary education in the country schools while assisting his father with the farm work, and concluded with a course in the Winneconne schools. He continue on the original homestead, however, after his father's death, assumed full control of the farm, his sister Annie and himself occupying the residence, and as a result of the thrift and ambition of Mr. Gunderson, he has since added to the farm until it now contains 300 acres, all connected. And in addition to general farming, he carries on a successful dairy business. His residence is modern, and his barns and other outbuildings are large and commodious. Mr. Gunderson has always been much interested in the affairs of his township, and besides serving as town treasure for ten years, he has been chairman of the town board and supervisor of county board for the past eight years. He is a hustling, progressive young farmer and all round business man, and his neighbors are all his friends. Transcribed from Lawson, Publius V. History, Winnebago County, Wisconsin: its cities, towns, resources people. Chicago: C.F. Cooper and Company, 1908. v.2 p.957-958.