Henry H. Peterson, a prominent farmer of Knox Township, is from an old American family of English descent, who were soldiers in the Revolutionary War. William Peterson, his grandfather, was a pioneer in the State of Maine; the family originated in Nova Scotia. Mr. Peterson was a soldier in the War of the Revolution, after which he settled near Portland. He was the father of eight children: Cornelius, William, Abraham, John, Joseph, Charles, Lucella, Samuel and one whose name is forgotten. The father was a farmer all his life and died in Maine. William Peterson, the father of our subject, was born in that State, and served as a private in the war of 1812. He was married to Martha Myrick, daughter of Andrew Myrick, a native of Maine, and an old Revolutionary soldier. To Mr. and Mrs. Peterson were born fourteen children, viz.: Patience, Ann, Lydia, Fannie, Rosanna, William, John, Samuel, Charles and Henry H., the remainder dying in infancy. The father was a farmer, but previously a sailor, and for forty years sailed from Portland to points all over the world. When an old man he settled down on his farm, and lived to the age of seventy-three years, dying in Indiana at the residence of one of his relatives. When fifty-six years of age he moved with his family to New York State and settled in Rochester, where he remained two years, and then went to Athens, Ohio, settling on a farm. While on the trip by schooner from Buffalo to Cleveland, Ohio, a great storm came up, and the crew refused duty, and Mr. Peterson, being a sailor, offered his services and secured the rigging, and thus saved the vessel. The family remained in Athens County, Ohio, about seven years, where Mrs. Peterson died at the age of sixty-three years.

Henry H. Peterson, the subject of this sketch, was born on his father's farm near Portland, Maine, August 18, 1826, and was but five years of age when he went with his father to Rochester, New York, in 1831. He learned farm work in Ohio, and, like President Garfield, became a canal-boat driver on the Ohio and Erie Canals. He then learned the tanner and currier's trade, which he followed about five years in Ohio and Indiana. In 1845 he came to Iowa and engaged in prairie breaking in Warren County, and in 1855 he settled in Knox Township, Pottawattamie County, where he was among the early pioneers. Joseph Headly came the year previous, and Washington Lewin, who was the first actual settler, came three years before the Petersons. His daughter was born the same night of his arrival, which was the first white child born in Knox Township. Jonathan Hall, Amos Wright, William Henderson, Halan Griffith, John Crutsinger, Thomas Davis and Ira Baker were all in the township previous to Mr. Peterson. Our subject settled at Lewin Grove on 120 acres of wild land, where he remained eleven years. He then sold this and bought his present farm of 265 acres. He is a true pioneer of this township, having helped to bring it to its present fertile condition, and was for four years Township Supervisor, and was also School Director four years.

He was married July 4, 1852, to Miss Fanny Wood, daughter of Carson and Mary (Taylor) Wood. The father went from North Carolina and Kentucky to Lawrence, Indiana, and then moved to Montgomery County, same State. His father, John Woods, was a soldier in the War of the Revolution. Mr. Woods came to Des Moines, Iowa, about 1842, before the Government made the Des Moines Purchase from the Indians, settling in Wapello County, where he lived seven years. He next moved to Green County, and then started to go to Kansas, but was taken sick and died in Missouri. Mr. and Mrs. Wood were members of the Free-Will Baptist Church, and were the parents of twelve children, viz.: Pleasant, Fannie, Nancy, John, Barzella T., Mary, Lucinda, Almeda, Thomas J., James M., Carson and William. Mr. and Mrs. Peterson are the parents of six children who lived to maturity, namely: Fannie J., William C., Charles M., Mary C., Almeda A. and Minnie. Fannie J. married Winfield Scott, a farmer of Knox Township, and they have five children: Avah M., Harry J., Arthur L., Grover C. and Ada. Charles M. married Gertie Adams, and they have one child, Harry L. Mary has been a successful teacher. The name of Peterson was originally spelled Patterson, but after the Revolutionary War the members of the family petitioned the Government, and it was changed to Peterson.

When Mrs. Petersson's grandmother, Fannie Johnson, was three years old, during the Revolution, the family were on their way to a fort when they were overtaken by a party of Tories, who, desiring to impress Mr. Johnson into their service, took little Fannie upon a horse behind a rider, in order to compel her father by filial ties to follow. In this manner they rode three days, sending him on ahead to the house of an old farmer, with the intent to murder him; but the intended victim escaped and reached the fort in safety.