Fresno County, California Biographies

Source: History of Fresno County, California, with biographical sketches of 
the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with 
its growth and development from the early days to the present (1919)

History By Paul E. Vandor 
Illustrated, Complete In Two Volumes 
Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1919
 
Notes: Missing+page1185-1186

Transcribed by Peggy Hooper

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives 
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm


JOSEPH A. T. PETERSON.� A Wisconsin boy with unusually inter- 
esting historic connections through marriage, who has made good in Fresno 
County where, for the past seventeen years, he has devoted his whole time 
to the boring of wells, is Joseph A. T. Peterson, who first came to Selma 
in the great boom year of 1887. His father, John P. Peterson, was born in 
Sweden, and so was his mother, who was Mary Charlotte Carlson before 
her marriage. Five children were born to this worthy couple: Joseph, of this 
sketch, and his brother Charles J. A., with their parents, constituted the fam- 
ily which came from Sweden to the United States in 1866. Two girls were 
born and died in Sweden, and Samuel G. was born in Wisconsin. Three 
sons, therefore, grew up and all are living. Charles J. A. Peterson is in 
Selma, and Samuel G., another well-borer, lives at Fowler. Charles was the 
first of the family to come to California, leaving Nebraska, where he was 
going to school, early in the spring of 1886. 

Born in Stockholm, Sweden, on November 14, 1864, Joseph was a baby 
in his mother's arms when he came to America. He obtained most of his 
schooling in Door County, Wis. He came to Selma, on June 15, 1887, or 
four months before his parents, and went to work on a farm. Soon after, he 
engaged with D. B. Stephens, the famous well-borer at Selma, from whom 
he learned that intricate and difficult business, and he bought out Stephens' 
rig after the latter was accidentally killed in a train accident at Selma in 
1892. He followed the well-boring business exclusively for nearly twenty 
years, and in 1900 bought his first ranch. Since then he has bought, sold 
and improved several pieces of valuable property. 

Although so well-known as a borer of wells, Mr. Peterson has given 
most of his time to ranching for the past eighteen years, and he now owns 
two ranches two miles south of Selma, on the South McCall Road, which he 
leases. One of these is the old Dr. McClelland ranch of 120 acres, an old 
landmark and show-place, with the first large vineyard planted south of the 
town, and this grand old site will provide the future home of the family. He 
has another twenty-acre vineyard and alfalfa ranch just across the road. 

In 1910, Mr. Peterson sold his well-boring rig to his brother Samuel at 
Fowler. 

The following year, on November 8. 1911, he was married to Miss La 
Vinnie Boone, a lineal descendant of the immortal Daniel Boone of Ken- 
tucky. She was born and reared in Missouri, and at Kirksville in that state 
attended the Normal School. Her father, Joseph Boone, was born in Ohio, 
but died near Kirksville, where he owned a farm twenty years ago ; her 
mother, whose maiden name was Phoebe Miller, was a native of Indianapolis, 
Ind., and is still living at Kirksville. Of a family of twelve children, nine 
girls and three boys, Mrs. Peterson was the ninth child. Her choosing Cali- 
fornia was a bit romantic. She had come here on a visit to a sister, and while 
here had met and responded to the overtures of Mr. Peterson. 

Mr. Peterson is ever ready to lend support to any movement making 
for the uplift of the community. He is a member of the California Associated 
Raisin Company and was connected with the former organizations. He is 
a man of superior foresight and judgment, and so proves valuable as a 
counsellor. Personally, he is of that cordial and sympathetic temperament 
which is sure at all times to attract the stranger and to hold the friend. He 
is just the kind of timber of which great commonwealths must be built, and 
of 'which Central California is proud. He saw the first raisins that were 
stemmed in Fresno, done by horsepower; also the first vineyards of any 
size to be set out; and he has witnessed the transformation of sand hills, 
grain-fields and hog-wallows into the most productive of ranches.