This business was owned by Peter E. Peterson who was born May, 1868 near Trondheim, Norway to Elias & Andrea (Traumel) Peterson who immigrated to the United States in 1872.  May 17, 1893, Peter married Elizabeth A. Spencer in La Crosse, Wisconsin (vol. 4, pg. 387).  She was born January 18, 1871 at Hixton, Jackson County, Wisconsin, a small village of about seventy-five settlers, and received a public education there.  Her parents were Daniel and Mary A. Spencer who were some of the earliest farmers in the area. 

Elizabeth A. Peterson was a member of the Christian Science Church and also belonged to the Eastern Star.  Their son, Everett Peterson moved to Pontiac, Michigan and Cepha married Ray Knutsen and lived in Greenwood.  Both Peter and Elizabeth are buried in the Greenwood City Cemetery.

Newspaper Clips

The first bridge was washed away in 1879 and for ten days P. E. Peterson, then a youth (11 years of age), ran a ferry. It was during this time that Pete's grandfather, Peter O. Voddan, who was seventy-eight years old, walked from Neillsville to Greenwood, and the old gentleman was quite amazed to find that his young grandson was the pilot of the ferry.  "Greenwood, The Hub of Clark County"

Census Records

 

1880 Federal Census--Albion, Jackson County, Wisconsin
Name	Relation	Marital	Sex	Color	Age	Birthplace	Occupation	Father Born	Mother Born
Spencer, Daniel	Head				39		Farmer
Mary A.	Wife				36		Keeping house
Juliett	Daughter				13		at school
Clark	Son				11
Eliza. A.	Daughter				8
Marvin V.	Son				6
Mary E.	Daughter				6/12-Jan
Alma	Daughter

 

1900 Federal Census--Greenwood Clark County, Wisconsin

Home-Family

Name

Relation

Marital/Yrs

Children

Sex

Color

Born-Age

Birthplace

Occupation

Education

Immigration

Father Born

Mother Born

Ownership

120-130

Peterson, Peter E.

Head

7 yrs

M

White

May 1868-32

Norway

Grocery & Bicycle merchant

Reads-Writes-Speaks English

1872-28yr-na

Norway

Norway

Own-No Mortgage-Home

Elizabeth A.

Wife

7 yrs

2/2living

F

White

Jan 1872-28

Wisconsin

Reads-Writes-Speaks English

New York

New York

Myron E.

Son

Single

M

White

May 1897-3

Wisconsin

Norway

Wisconsin

Cepha L.

Daughter

Single

F

White

Apr 1900-2/12

Wisconsin

Norway

Wisconsin

Spencer, Major V.

Bro-in-law

Single

M

White

Feb 1875-25

Wisconsin

Woodsman

Reads-Writes-Speaks English

New York

New York

Johnson, Amanda

Niece

Single

F

White

Apr 1882-18

Wisconsin

Servant

Norway

Norway

Home #119-Albert & Mary Delaney; #121--Steven & Harriet Andrews with son, Frank H. & widowed daughter, Mary Robinson.

Related Links

Bio: Peterson, P. E. (1901)

Cemetery Records

Obituary of Elizabeth (Spencer) Peterson