Sever O. Peterson

PETERSON

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 11/8/2022 at 16:47:45

Sever O. Peterson

Hon. S. O. Peterson, of Northwood, is the only citizen of the county that has filled the position of bank examiner, having been appointed to that office in the autumn of 1881. As he has been one of the most prominent men in the county, both officially and otherwise, and this being the most important office, a sketch of his life and services is here presented: S. O. Peterson is bank examiner of the State of Iowa. He settled in Northwood, Iowa, in 1866, where he has since resided. He was born in Norway, Aug. 1, 1843, and at the age of nineteen emigrated to the United States first stopping at Decorah, Winneshiek Co., Iowa, where up to 1864 he labored during- summers and attended the common school in winters. In 1864 he went to Winona, where he learned the trade of harness-maker. During 1864 and 1865 he spent about sixteen months as a clerk for Elsworth & Sanders, in Decorah, Iowa, and afterwards attended for awhile the State University at Madison, Wis. When he came to Northwood, in the spring of 1866, he embarked in the mercantile trade in company with his brother, Henry Peterson. The next fall he took Mr. Gullickson into the partnership, continuing thus the business until 1871. He was married Dec. 21, 1871, to Lina Nelson, a daughter of one of the early and prosperous farmers of Freeborn Co., Minn. By this union they have had three sons and two daughters, three of whom are living- Julia T., William C. and Alfred N. In the fall of 1872 Mr. Peterson was elected county recorder, re-elected in 1874, resigning in 1875. In the fall of 1875 he was elected county treasurer, which office he held three consecutive terms. In the fall of 1881 he received the appointment of bank examiner for the State of Iowa. Mr. Peterson is a staunch republican, having always worked with that party. He and his wife are members of the Lutheran Church. Source: History of Mitchell and Worth Counties, Iowa, 1884, p.627