Abner James Peters

PETERS, EDWARDS, MOSSTAD

Posted By: Peter Gausmann (email)
Date: 2/6/2010 at 07:22:32

ABNER JAMES PETERS

Abner James Peters, actively engaged in farming on section 24, Forest township, Winnebago county, is a native of the county in which he still makes his home. He was born May 19, 1884, of the marriage of Ole and Cornelia (Edwards) Peters, both of whom are natives of Norway, whence they came to America in early life. They first settled in Wisconsin and after living there for a number of years removed to Winnebago county, Iowa, taking up their abode upon a farm. In addition to the work of tilling the soil the father also operated a grist mill which he owned and was thus actively identified with the industrial as well as the agricultural interests of the county. Both he and his wife still make their home in Winnebago county, and of their five children four are yet living.

Abner J. Peters spent his youthful days under the parental roof and at the usual age began his education in the district school, while later he had the benefit of instruction in the high school at Lake Mills. He rented land for about five years, but during that period carefully saved his earnings until his industry and economy had brought him sufficient capital to enable him to purchase the farm upon which he now lives on section 24, Forest township. He has since given his attention and energy to the further development of the property and has brought his fields to a high state of cultivation, producing large crops annually. He also makes a specialty of raising and feeding stock. He is now the owner of two hundred acres of valuable land on sections 12 and 24, Forest township, and, moreover, he is a stockholder in the Farmers Elevator. His place is known as the Oakdale Stock Farm and it constitutes one of the attractive features in the landscape by reason of its excellent improvements and well kept appearance.

On April 31, 1908, Mr. Peters was joined in wedlock to Miss Hannah Mosstad, a daughter of Andrew Mosstad and a native of Winnebago county, and they have become parents of four children: Olive E., Burt E., Wilford C. and Helen A. The parents attend the Methodist Episcopal church and Mr. Peters exercises his right of franchise in support of the men and measures of the republican party but has never been an office seeker, preferring to devote his time and energies to his farming and stock raising interests. His life of intelligently directed activity has made him at the end of a quarter of a century one of the substantial farmers of Winnebago county.

Source: History of Winnebago County and Hancock County, Iowa: A Record of Settlement, Organization, Progress and Achievement, Vol. II. Pioneer Publishing Company (Chicago), 1917. pp. 175-176.