Anna (Iverson) "Marie" Peterson

 December 22, 1856 - February 26, 1927   

70 years,  2 months, 4 days 

Marriage:   John Peter "J.P." Peterson - married May 22, 1877

Children of Marie & J.P.:
Cora Ivanda Peterson  (Holtan) (1878-1961 / 83 years)
Lauritz E. "Louie" Peterson (1879-1971) / 91 years)
Permelia Johanna Peterson (Holtan) (1882-1946 / 64 years)
Clara Peterson (Haugland) (1884-1911 / 27 years)
Curtis Peterson (1887-1967 / 79 years)
Mina Amelia (Minnie) Peterson (Haugland) (1889-1927 / 38 years)
Ella Katherine Peterson (Boe) (1891-1946 / 54 years)
Edward Otis Peterson (1894-1967 / 73 years)
Ruth Edith Peterson (1897-1982 / 84 years)
Roy Pemmer Peterson (twin to Ruth) (1897-1897 / 3 months)
Agnes "Elvina" Peterson (1900-1946 / 46 years)

Marie Peterson is Jon Q. Peterson's Great-Grandmother. 

The following is from the book "Fifty Pioneer Mothers of McLean County", written in 1932 by Mary A. Barnes Willams

Mrs. J.P. Peterson

Anna Marie (Iverson) Peterson 

Pioneer life for the Petersons began with the forming of the Hudson, Wisconsin Colony that immigrated to McLean County in the early eighties.  

Up until that time they had lived in a well-settled farming community near River Falls, where peace and prosperity hovered over the land like the haze of autumn days.  But that age-old urge of mankind to better conditions laid hold of these many people of northern Europe, who love to adventure.  They wanted to take advantage of the land letting in the Northwest.

In the fall of 1881, a meeting was held by the Scandinavians in Hudson to select a committee of three to locate a colony in northwestern Minnesota or Dakota.  Andrew Joneson, Gilbert Everson, and J.P. Peterson were chosen.  Forty-seven Swedes, Danes, and Norwegians, from every walk of life, petitioned the N. P. and Winnipeg R. R. for free transportation of this committee, which was readily granted.  May 1st, the following year, this committee left Hudson, fully instructed to locate land, where there was available, wood, water, and tillable soil.

Their first stop was at Crookston, Minn., then Hallock and on to Red Lake, but they did not like this country.  Water stood in the railroad ditches, scrub timber which took a lifetime to clear, covered the land.  They pushed on to Grand Forks and Larimore where the railroad terminated.  They then headed for the Mouse River country by team, when a late blizzard overtook them.  They found refuge under the wagon box overnight and nearly perished.  They returned to Larimore as soon as the storm abated and took the rails to Bismarck.

In making inquiry at the land office, they were taken in charge by Alex McKenzie and John Satterlund, who directed them to McLean Co. where wood, water, and land were available. They hired a spanking fine team from the A. Ausland livery and were instructed to stop at Geo. Rhude's on Turtle Creek, who kept a store and post office, for further directing.

The result was pleasing, here they found what they were looking for and returned to the land office requesting that Sverdrup Twp. 145-R. 81 be reserved for thirty days until the colony could file.  Then arrangements were made with the N.P.R.R. to buy S 1/2 and the NW  1/4 of Sec. 5, Twp. 144, R. 81, which bordered the Missouri River and afforded timber. 

The committee returned well satisfied with their findings.  A group meeting was called and their reports were approved.  Gilbert Everson was appointed Secretary and John P. Nelson, treasurer, and J.P. Peterson was given power of attorney.  They returned soon, with others, among them were Ole Everson, Lars Baardsons. Rasmus Nelson, Jens Olsons Sathers, and Sangslunds; had the timberland surveyed into ten-acre lots and appraised ready to be parceled out to each homesteader for $1.50 up to $16 per acre.

While a few stayed, the majority of the group, after filing, returned to Wisconsin that fall to come back with the spring, bringing their families and belongings to permanently remain.

Among those who came in 1883, of this colony were Ben Johnson, Andrew Peterson, Johanne Engelberg. Hans Storm, August Wahl, Pete Knutson, Ole Hammer. Andrew Nelson, Henry Tatley, Haroldson, Ole Gunderson, Chris Vold, John Stokke, John Blackfelt, Julius Michealson, George Wahl, and Attorney McCune.

Others who came later from Wisconsin were Joe Olson. Benson, Thos. Sevalls, Anton Peterson, Pete Peterson, Chas. Sheldon, John Kittleson, Ole Johnson, Ole Anderson, Halvor Thompson, Nels, and Ole Herred.  J.P. Peterson shipped out here with George Wahl, a brother of August Wahl.  In the spring of 1883, bringing a yoke of oxen, farm machinery, one cow, and household furniture.

Mrs. Peterson followed on the passenger train with her three small children, Cora, Louis, and Permelia.  She looked like a child herself, so tiny, so young and birdlike was she. So full of nervous, alert energy, she ditted about and seemed poised for sudden flight, that one was reminded of a mother bird with her nestings.  Scarcely weighing a hundred pounds ever, she seemed to have hidden springs of untiring energy that supplied her with so much ambition, vitality, and resourcefulness, that one looked at her and wondered.

Annie Marie Iverson was born in Oconomowoc, Wisc., on December 22, 1856.  She had one sister and three brothers.  They were carefully raised and in this same community until Annie was about fourteen when they were bereft of parents.  For a time the two older boys tried to keep the home intact but the household became divided by the necessity of earning a livelihood.  Annie hired out to work for farmer's wives at an age when she should have been romping and playing. with never a care or responsibility. So, "Little Orphan Annie came to their house to stay. to wash the cups and saucers, and brush the crumbs away.  To shoo the chickens off the porch, and dust the house and sweep".

It was when she was working in River Falls years later, that she met John Peter Peterson, a likable young farmer, who lived nearby. They took their marriage vows May 22, 1877, soon after Annie was twenty-one, in the little countryside church in the Peterson neighborhood.  Then the gay wedding party proceeded to the newly built log house of J.P.'s father, that had not yet been occupied and feasted and danced the livelong day. The old house stood in the yard and furnished the hospitality of this merry housewarming and wedding celebration.

The young couple rented a farm close by, that was well equipped with good buildings and settled down to be known as wonderful neighbors, loyal citizens, and trustworthy friends.  They lived in that locality for about five years, when J.P. became instrumental in locating this Hudson colony on lands in Dakota.  He met with encouragement and approval in this undertaking, with his wife.  She was willing to follow her man, wherever he chose to make a home, although it meant isolation, privations, and hardships for her. So with faith In his judgment and joy in her service, she prepared for this migration to the untamed lands of Dakota.

With their plodding oxen and a span of mules newly purchased from John Satterlund, hauling their worldly goods and themselves aloft, they struck north. Bismarck vanished behind them as if it had never been, had fallen behind the swell of the prairie and the broad, green flat country received them into its bosom. The homesteaders were few and far apart: here and there a windmill gaunt against the sky.  Houses small usually tucked away in some low place - you did not see them until you came directly upon them.  Most of them were built of sod itself and were only the inescapable ground in another form.  Roads faint tracks in the grass scarcely noticeable.  The record of the plow was insignificant, like the feeble scratches on stone left by prehistoric races.  But the great fact that impressed Mrs. Peterson was the land itself, so vast and limitless which seemed to overwhelm the little beginnings of human society that struggled in its somber wastes.

The Peterson's lived a short while with the Sangslunds who had come out the summer before, while their 14x20 log house was built on their homestead land now known as the Hultberg place, six miles N.E from Washburn.  A log and sod barn was built, a well dug and ten acres of sod broken by oxen and walking plow and planted in wheat and potatoes.  The balance of the season was spent in county road building, about where the Soo railroad tracks are now.

Mrs. Peterson found plenty to keep her busy with water to hoist from a deep well by the bucket, a cow to picket out, garden, chickens, and her small children to care for, and this all done with little or no conveniences.  She was never regretful of this change of circumstances and rarely thought of herself as she cheerfully managed her work.  The log house grew into a three-room affair, as the family increased to eight.  Mrs. Ole Hammer was the dependable midwife who helped with the arrival of Clara, Curtis, Minnie, Ella, and Edward.  Duties and care for the mother increased too.  It was surprising how this little mother accomplished it all.  Her busy feet beat a rat-a-tat-tat as they tripped and trotted incessantly all the day as she went about her work.  She was a fast worker and made each move count  Her crowded days never made her fretful.  She sang and smiled as she worked.

J.P. was the soul of hospitality and their home became a well-known stopping place. This entailed much extra work for the women folks, but each guest was nonetheless welcome.  Mrs. Peterson's reputation as a good cook and her solicitous friendship is yet often remarked.

Occasionally she would find time to drive an Indian pony hitched to a buckboard over to the neighbors for coffee, or to town for groceries.  Sometimes they would attend the country dances taking the children along and always to the two celebrations of the year, Memorial Day and July 4th at Washburn.  Sundays were carefully observed and when church was held in the Sverdrup school houses where their children went, the Peterson family attended.  Rev. Ness was an early pastor that is kindly remembered.

Mrs. Peterson was often left alone with all the work and responsibility of her large family, for J.P. was one who dabbled in many things.  There were long trips to Bismarck with grain and for supplies, then be owned a horse-power threshing machine and was gone long weeks with it, and later a steam thresher. He was County Judge and County Commissioner.  All these and more took his time from home.  Indians came begging, a prairie fire swept in one day when she was alone and burned the stacked grain and the obliging of "stoppers in" never ceased.  She was ever busy.

In 1897 J.P. decided to go into stock raising more extensively so bought land twelve miles NE of Washburn in the Turtle Creek bottoms.  He bought Sangslands frame bouse and moved it onto this land, adding to it.  He built up a fine ranch home there and prospered in this new undertaking

This was known as the Peterson Ranch.  Lush pastures lay along this Turtle Creek, a shallow muddy stream that sometimes flowed and sometimes stood still, at the bottom of a winding ravine. This creek gave a sort of identity to the place.  Of all the bewildering things about a new country, the absence of human landmarks is one of the most depressing and disheartening.

Near this creek was a spring with cold, clear water bubbling from it, that was housed over and used as a milk house, where stone jars full of milk, cream, butter, and cheese, stood in its cooling depths.

This place with an adjoining tree claim, was a source of pride to Petersons, as it grew into a prosperous improved cattle and horse ranch.  It grieved Mrs. Peterson sorely to leave it in 1909 when J.P. became interested in retailing machinery and they moved to Ryder.

Ruth and Roy, the twins were born on the ranch. Roy only lived a few short months dying of summer complaint, that often fatal illness for infants.  Agnes was the last born of this large family of eleven, who all reached maturity but one.

As the children grew up, they branched out for themselves.  Extra schooling was given to them, several homesteaded, and intermarried with other pioneer families, settling on farms within the county.  They all became replicas of their praise-worthy parents.

Curtis and Cora, Mrs. E. H. Holtan, live near Raub, N. Dak.; Lauritz at Beulah, N. Dak.; J. Permelia, Mrs. Henry Holtan and Ella, Mrs. Hans Boe live at Big Timber, Mont.; Edward at Belle Plaine, Minn.; Ruth teaches in Miles City, Mont.; and Agnes is a registered nurse in St. Paul, Minn.  Clara, Mrs. I. C. Haugland of Warwick, N. D. died in 1915; Minnie, who became the second Mrs. I. C. Haugland died in 1925.  Sixteen grandchildren and two great-grandchildren survive.

Mrs. Peterson was never entirely happy in her Ryder home for she had left a bit of her heart with the ranch in McLean County.  Although she lived there for eighteen years, it never seemed as much like home.  Mr. and Mrs. Peterson made several trips back to the old Wisconsin home to visit relatives and friends, but never wanted to move back there.  The prairies had claimed them as their own.  So too did they thoroughly enjoy visits back to the Washburn community, where the hand clasps were a little closer and friendship was a little dearer.

Mrs. Peterson sickened and after long months died from cancer in the Bismarck hospital on February 26, 1927, after every available means were used to alleviate her suffering.

J.P. lived but two years longer when he was stricken with sudden heart failure, dying at the home of his daughter in Big Timber, Mont.  Two great hearts are stilled and their splendid work is finished.

They have migrated on to the unknown Land to join that vast colony there.  But they have left a well-deserved path to follow, as they blazed the trail across McLean County.

Photos below are of the pages of the book "Fifty Pioneer Mothers of McLean County".  The text was captured via Google Pixel Lens and copied above for an easier read. 

Kinstories (home)  -  Peterson Family (home)  -  Johnson Family  -  Susag Family  -  Flatau Family  -  Beckman Family
Granquist Family  -  Anderson Family  -  Stout Family  -  Walker Family  -  Morris Family  - Cauble Family