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HARRY PETERSEN.
In the death of the late Harry Petersen, one of the old and honored pioneers of the Dixon district, Solano county
lost one of its representative citizens. His career was a long, busy and useful one, and although he devoted his
attention primarily to his individual affairs, he never allowed the pursuit of wealth to warp his kindly nature,
but preserved his faculties and the warmth of his heart for the broadening and helpful influences of human life,
being to the end a kindly friend and gentleman, with whom it was a pleasure to associate. Mr. Petersen was born
on the island of Finn, Germany, on the 15th of September, 1835, and his death occurred on the 1st of July, 1908,
when in the seventy third year of his age. He received his education in his native land and then went to sea. Eventually
he became captain of a sailing vessel, and in the late '50s he came around Cape Horn to California. Here he left
the sea and turned his attention to mining, in which he met with but little success. Mr. Petersen then came to
Solano county and took up a government claim of one hundred and sixty acres in the northern section, near Dixon,
and devoted himself indefatigably to its cultivation and improvement. He gradually prospered and added to his holdings
from time to time until he eventually became one of the largest landowners in the district, the old home ranch
being still in the possession of the family. He also owned three thousand acres of delta land near Rio Vista. He
was a hard working man, exercising good business judgment in all his operations, and he was progressive and enterprising
in his ideas. A public spirited and progressive citizen, he ever lent his support to every movement for the betterment
of the community, and his benefactions were large. He and his wife founded the Lutheran church in Dixon and gave
freely to its support. Mr. Petersen was one of the founders of the Bank of Dixon, of which he served as a director
for many years. In his business career as well as in his private life no word of suspicion was ever uttered against
him, for his actions were always the result of careful and conscientious thought and he did his full duty in all
the relations of life.
In 1866 Mr. Petersen was married to Miss Mary F. Bauch, who was born near Hamburg, Germany, and came to Dixon in
the year of her marriage, an uncle and a brother having preceded her here. To their union were born five children,
namely: Christopher, who died at the age of twenty one years, and Henry, Mrs. Matilda Hall, Mrs. Millie Moss and
William D. There are nine grandchildren. Mrs. Petersen, who now lives in Dixon, possesses a kindly and gracious
personality, and her life has been filled with good deeds and love for all about here. She is held in esteem and
affection by all who know her and is numbered among the fine old ladies of Solano county.
From:
History of Solano County, California
BY: Marguerite Hune
and
Napa County, California
BY: Harry Lawrence Gunn
The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co.
Chicago 1926
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