Otto Peterson Family

Otto Peterson the youngest of the Peterson family, was born January 27 1879 in a little cabin, the first home his father built. When Otto was eight years old, the family moved into the new two story frame house which his father also built, and which still stands. Four generations of the Peterson's farmed on the land and lived in this house. In 1977 it will be made a Centennial farm, and a cairn will be erected.

Otto helped his father till the soil. They cleared the fourty acres of trees and brush and planted 100 apple trees, small fruits, garden, grain, and hay to feed the cattle.

October 21, 1905 was a sad day when Anna Peterson died. Charles and his son, Otto had to do the house work also for almost a year.

Otto also played the reed organ for the Sunday School which held in the Peterson home. He loved to play the accordian and was very talented when it came to music, and was self taught.

Than on May 30, 1906 Otto married Mollie Bengtson, who lived just across the road from the Peterson farm. In the morning on there Wedding day it rained, but in the afternoon the sun shown so beautiful. Laura Bengtson and William Carl Bengtson, the brides cousins was their only attendant. The wedding was in the Emanuel Lutheran Parsonage on Danaher St. Ludington, Michigan.

Two children blessed this union, Everett who was born on October 31, 1908 and six years later, Lila come on April 28 1914. Otto and Mollie were over joyed with little ones. And their Grandparents Charles and John spent many happy hours with them.

But dipthteria entered the home and made Evertt very sick. Lila was only three months old at the time, the Doctor had to vaccinate her with a double dose of diphtheria antitoxin, which made her very sick too, but she didn't get diphtheria. Otto and Mollie thanked God for hearing their prayers.

In 1918 when the flu plague swept the country and killed many people in it's wake, Mollie and her two children were laid low with the flu. The Lord again brought them back to health. Otto kept taking quinine tablets daily and the Lord spared him from getting sick. They were thankful that he was well and could take care of the family, and the chores on the farm,

Also in 1918 Mollie went through a very serious operation when Lila was about four years old, But God brought her health back again.

In 1921, Charles was very sick with hardening of the arteries and other complications, and Lila in another bedroom with double pneumonia and whooping cough. The Doctor said she couldn't live, but God thought otherwise. He took her grandfather Charles instead to his blessed reward in heaven, It was a very trying time for Otto and Mollie. Lila was sick often after wards. Pneumonia each year for seven years and asthma too.

Mollie was sick in 1929 again at deaths door, but God spared her, Thanks be to him.

The days in Everett's and Lila's childhood and were happy ones. No generation gaps were though of, in those days. Everett played the violin and Lila the piano, there were many happy hours playing and singing, Often the neighbor's young people would join them with their instruments, or just sing. Otto and Mollie enjoyed to just sit in their favorite chairs and listen to them. Their music took them to many different schools and comunity programs and Lila played for Church's and on the radio.

On May 8, 1934 the family circle was broken when Lila married Lymon Jones, a Lutheran Pastor. They saw Lila about once a week as they only lived twenty four miles away.

August the 15, 1935 baby Luther was born, the first grandchild for Otto and Mollie.

Then on March 21, 1936 Everrett brought his new bride, Beatrice Anderson home.

Later Carol, Everett and Beatrice's first child came along, it was a real pleasure for Gramdpa and Grandma to have their first grandchildren. They enjoyed many happy moments together.

After thriyy one happy and successful years together for Otto and Mollie, death entered the home on February 8, 1937 and took Otto home, to his heavenly home above. Mollie lost a wonderful husband, and Everett and Lila lost a wonderful father. A quiet, patient man. It was often said, he had the patience of Job.

Mollie stayed over the summer and helped Everett with the fruit. Then she went to Muskegon, and worked for an elderly lady awhile, thanas a clerk in Grossman's Department Store. In Ludington she worked at various jobs, also in Manistee she had a couple jobs. In 1942 she starting working at the Star Watch Case Factory, Mollie retired from the Star Watch Case Factory in 1952

Octber 27, 1945 Mollie married John Appleton, after being a widow for almost nine years. After they married they rented a house for awhile, later building their own home on 603 N.Harrison St and they still live there. John and Mollie spent a few winters in Florida. In 1970 they celebrated their twenty fifth Wedding Annivsary




　

　

Retyped from Genealogy Books written by Lila (Peterson) Jones my grandmother.

Carl Pettersson Family

Carl Gustaf Pettersson was born November 16, 1836 at Svärtan, Sweden in the Parish of Hjo, he was the son of the crofter, (owner of a very small farm) Petter Johansson and his wife Maja Andersdotter, in the Parish of Sventrop. Carl was married June 15, 1862 to Anna Johansdotter. Anna was the daughter of Johannes Olofsson and Maja Magnusdotter. Anna's father was a taylor in Sweden. The Pettersson family moved to the Parish of Skärv in 1864 and in 1869 to the Parish of Korsberga, and on July 9, 1872 the family left for America.

Carl sailed to America alone to prepare a place for the family. Arriving in Michigan, he walked from whitehall, some forty miles to Lincoln Village, north of Ludington. There he worked at different saw mills After a year had passed he had enough money saved to send for his wife and children in Sweden to come to Michigan too. It took three weeks for the family to cross the ocean.

Four year old Anna took sick on the ship. dying shortly after they arrived at their new home. Since there were no undertakes, Carl dug the grave himself and there placed the little wooden box he had nailed together for the little body. She was buried in a little plot in Phillip's Cemetery, south of Ludington on the bluffs of Lake Michigan, two others were later buried in this cemetery. The wooden markers rotted and were lost so no one knows exactly where they are buried. Only a few bodies were buried in this cemetery, because Lake-view Cemetery came into existence when more settlers arrived, so Phillip's Cemetery grew up to weeds and grass.

The Pettersson's had to endure many hardships during their pioneering days, while they were getting established in their new country.

Also after coming to America Carl changed his name to Charles and left out the extra T and S in his last name.

In 1877 he worked in the saw mill owned by a Mr. John Swanson (the first Swede in Mason County) who owed Swanson's Creek and all the adjoining land. Charles purchased forty acres of wild land from Mr. Swanson for four hundred dollars. He continued working at the mill to pay for the land and to support his family. The land was covered with trees and brush and the only roads were Indian trails. Otto many years later found many arrow heads, especially on the southwest end of the farm, while tilling the soil. Charles cleared enough land to build a little one room log cabin. He had to walk from his farm to the Village of Lincoln a distance of about 10 miles, carrying all his flour and other supplies. And in the spring and fall the marshes were flooded so he couldn't get to the Village.

It was here in this one room cabin that Alma, John and Otto were born. Seven children and two adults in one room cabin created many problems, but Charles had built, and which still stands. They moved over to the new house one night during a severe thunder storm, the cabin roof was leaking and their bedding was getting wet, so they grabbed their bedding and escaped to the new house.

In 1880 his son Carl about fifteen years old became ill with diphtheria and died. On his death bed he called for his father (who was not a Christian at the time) and said, Mother (who was a Christian) will be with me in heaven, but where will you be? Those few words changed Charles's life from drinking and gambling to a devout Christian. Many souls found Jesus through him. Again Charles had to bury his son Carl this time.

As Charles cleared the land he planted vegetables, and grain and when enough ground was cleared he planted 100 apple trees. Some of them are still bearing fruit, but most of them have been replaced. Charles also built a large barn for his increasing live stock.

After several years of frail health, Charles wife Anna died on October 21, 1905. Then Charles and his youngest son, Otto who was helping his father with the farm, kept house until May 30 1906 when Otto married the girl across the road from the Peterson's, Miss. Mollie Bengtson. Charles gave the farm to Otto and Mollie and continued to live with them for sixteen years until Jesus called him to his heavenly home.

During Charles's life time he held the office of Road Commissioner for many years. He was a devout Christian, a charter and a faithful member in Emanuel Lutheran Church. For many of the earlier days when they had poor transportation getting to church services, Charles established a Sunday School, Song service and Otto was organist for the services. Charles also established prayer meetings once a week with all the neighbors. No one came in contact with Charles without hearing about Jesus and how to find salvation.

This was written by my grandmother Lila (Peterson) Jones the house is now gone but her story will live on.