The Harris Centennial
Harris --The past 100 Years
"P" Biographies
Peterson Ranch, Peterson family
The Peterson Ranch
Part of the Peterson Ranch was
purchased in 1884, and adjoining land was purchased over
the years so that in the 1900’s the Ranch consisted
of about 1,000 acres, half being in Fairview Township,
Section 8, 9, and 17 and half in Indian Lake Township,
Nobles County, Sec. 35 and 36 all along the
Iowa-Minnesota State Line and bordering along the west
side of Iowa Lake. The Ranch became known as being the
one north of Harris, Iowa, and south of Round Lake,
Minnesota.
Besides the house and grainery, which are original
buildings, the Ranch had a large corn crib, barn, cattle
shed, hog house, poultry house, scale, feed grinder, an
ice house with an overhead water tank for water piped to
parts of the farm, a coal house and a smoke house for
curing meat.
Landscaping was extensive with a large grove and
orchards.
In the early years John Mangelson was the head foreman
and later Andrew (Gust) Anderson was foreman. Samuel
Peterson never lived on the Ranch and after he died in
1906, the Ranch was divided among the Peterson heirs.
Peterson Family
Samuel Peterson was born in Tjarstad
Soken Ostergotland, Sweden, January 23, 1836. He was the
son of Peter Samuelson of that place where he was brought
up and educated. He came to the United States in 1857,
via Boston and Chicago, and homesteaded 80 acres in
Webster County, Iowa. In 1860, he moved to Colona
Township, Henry County, Illinois, where he rented a farm.
In 1863, he moved to Western Township.
He married Anna M. Manguson March 22, 1865. Anna came to
New York in 1857, and the following year she and her
parents came to Colona. In 1873, Samuel and Anna Moved to
Osco Township, Henry County, Illinois, where they had
purchased a farm. Samuel and Anna Peterson were well
known for their huge and extensive farm operations in
Henry and Whiteside County, Illinois; Osceola County,
Iowa; Nobles and Clay County, Minnesota; and Clark, Hand,
and Buffalo County, South Dakota. Also they had an
interest in the Orion Bank and Orion Milling Company in
Orion, Illinois.
Their ten children were John Levi, Della, Lydia W., Otis
F., Phoebe E., Clifford R., Florence P., Alice R., Hardy
G. and Myrtle.
Samuel died in 1906, and Anna continued to live with her
family at Osco and Orion, Illinois. In 1910, she came
with her family to the Peterson Farm north of Harris,
Iowa, in Fairview Township. In 1914, she and daughters
Florence, Alice and Myrtle moved into the Chaney house in
Round Lake, where they made their home. Anna died March
27, 1936. Both Samuel and Anna were buried in Orion,
Illinois.
John Levi Peterson was born July 2, 1867, at Osco,
Illinois, Henry County. He was educated and grew to
manhood in that vicinity. In 1887, he came to Osceola
County, Iowa, to his father’s farm three miles south
of Round Lake, where he was engaged in farming. On
November 19, 1890, he married Laura L. Abbott of Noble
County, Minnesota, at Sibley Iowa. In the spring of 1891,
they moved to Glyndon, Minnesota, Clay County, where they
farmed until the spring of 1913, when they moved back to
a farm south of Round Lake, Minnesota, where they made
their home for their remaining years.
Their children were Goldie, Vernie, Earl, Locksley, Loren
and Glenn.
Della M. Peterson was born September 19, 1869, at Osco,
Illinois, Henry County, where she grew up and attended
school. On October 12, 1888, she came to her father’s
farm in Osceola County, Iowa, north of Harris, where she
assisted in the operation of the Peterson farms. On
January 25, 1904, she and Gust Anderson were married at
Sibley, Iowa.
They were engaged in farming and made their home on a
farm in Osceola County, Iowa, during their entire
lifetime.
Lydia W. Peterson was born October 15, 1874, at Osco,
Illinois, Henry County, and grew to womanhood there. She
married Charles E. Sprouse on December 25, 1894, at
Nekoma, Illinois. They lived on a farm near Nekoma, then
on a farm near Worthington, Minnesota, later on a farm
near Cameron, Missouri. In March, 1912, they moved to a
farm in Clark County, South Dakota, where they made their
home.
Their children were Cleo, Marion, Floyd, Leonard and
Raymond.
Phoebe E. Peterson was born October 11, 1880, at Osco
Township, Henry County, Illinois. She grew up and
attended rural schools and assisted with the family
farms. In 1902, she came to Osceola County, Iowa, and
lived with her family at the Peterson Ranch. In 1904, she
married George Bradrick, who came from Belle Plain, and
Sutherland, Iowa. They farmed Section 20, Fairview
Township, Iowa, until George passed away in 1946. After
that Phoebe lived in her home in Worthington, Minnesota,
until she died in 1971. George was involved with township
affairs and Phoebe was involved with the rural school in
Fairview Township.
Myrtle Peterson was born September 6, 1889, in Osco
Township, Henry County, Illinois. She attended rural
school and graduated from Orion High School in 1909. She
taught school there before coming to Fairview Township,
Osceola County, Iowa, in 1910, with her mother, Anna
Manguson Peterson and sisters, Florence and Alice. She
taught school in Osceola County, Iowa, and Nobles County,
Minnesota. In 1914, she moved to Round Lake, Minnesota,
with her mother and sisters.
In 1929, she and Enoch Sampson were married and they were
engaged in farming the Peterson farm until they retired
and moved to their home just south of Round Lake,
Minnesota.
Clifford R. Peterson was born July 7, 1882, Henry County,
Illinois. He was educated in rural schools and assisted
in operating Peterson farms. In 1908, he married Ida
Anderson. In 1910, they came to Fairview Township, Iowa,
and the same year they moved to a farm in Section 35,
Indian Lake Township, Minnesota, on the Iowa-Minnesota
state line. In 1921, Clifford and Ida and children moved
to a farm in Henry County, Illinois. Their children are
Harvey, Frances, Hazel, Ruth, June and Alvin.
Alice R. Peterson was born October 31, 1885, in Henry
County, Illinois. She attended rural school and assisted
with the Peterson farms. In 1910, she came to Fairview
Township with her mother, Anna Manguson Peterson, and
assisted with the family farm.
In 1914, she moved with her mother, Anna Manguson
Peterson, and sisters Florence and Myrtle, to Round Lake,
Minnesota. She was employed at Sather’s General
Store in Round Lake for many years.
Hardy G. Peterson was born June 24, 1887, in Osco
Township, Henry County, Illinois. He attended rural
school, assisted with Peterson farms and the Orion
Milling Co. In 1906, he came to the Peterson farms north
of Harris, in Fairview Township, Osceola County, Iowa,
and became engaged in farming. On March 18, 1914, he
married Gena Johnson and they farmed the Peterson farm
until 1921, when they moved to Section 35, Indian Lake
Township, Nobles County, Minnesota, on the Iowa-Minnesota
state line. Their children are Gerald Melvin and Gladys
Irene.
Florence P. Peterson was born May 15, 1884, in Henry
County, Illinois. She attended rural schools and assisted
with the Peterson farms. At the age of 13, in 1897, she
came to Fairview Township, Osceola County, Iowa, and
lived with her sister, Della, on the Peterson farm. She
attended rural school in Fairview Township, and later
attended Mankato Teachers College, Mankato, Minnesota.
She taught schools in Osceola County, Iowa, and Nobles
County, Minnesota, for thirteen years and then was
employed at the State Bank of Round Lake, Minnesota, for
thirteen years. In 1914, she moved to Round Lake,
Minnesota, with her mother, Anna Manguson Peterson, and
sisters, Alice and Myrtle.
Otis F. Peterson was born January 29, 1879, at Osco
Township, Henry County, Illinois, and grew up there. He
assisted with the family farms. About 1900, he came to
Clark County, South Dakota, and operated the Peterson
farms there. Otis married Lena Trannis in 1900. Their
children were Clarence, Myrtle, George, Lloyd, Esther,
Allan, Victor and Fern.