Peter Paulson
Among the early Norwegians to settle in Allamakee county is
Peter Paulson, who has done much toward promoting the
agricultural growth of his district, still owning a valuable farm
of three hundred and five acres on section 32, Center township,
although he has for the past twenty years lived retired. Nearing
the age of eighty-five, he is among the patriarchs of the
Norwegian race who settled in this part of the state, and is one
of those few remaining pioneers who have done so much towards
bringing about the present prosperous conditions. Mr. Paulson was
born at Nordre Land, Norway, on August 19, 1828, and is a son of
Paul and Elizabeth (Hanson) Halverson. In 1853 the parents came
to America and made their way to Allamakee county in 1854, where
the father passed away in the same year. The mother attained the
extraordinary age of one hundred and three years, ten months and
twenty-six days.
Peter Paulson came to the United States in 1852, empty in pocket
but rich in resources and possessed of industry and energy to
realize on them. He even owed for his passage after coming to
America. Making his way inland he worked for one year on the
first railroad running west out of Chicago, at the end of which
period he drove a team to Rock county, Wisconsin, there engaging
in lumbering until 1854, when he came to Allamkee county. Denying
himself all pleasures, he had acquired the means to purchase one
hundred and twenty acres of wild land in Center township, and
thereon he made his home for twelve years, devoting his labors to
breaking the land and putting it under cultivation. He
subsequently came to his present farm, eighty acres of which he
had previously acquired. He has since made his home here and has
passed his years in improving the property, adding substantial
buildings and bringing his acres to the highest state of
fertility. From time to time he added to his land, his farm now
comprising three hundred and five acres. For the last twenty
years he has turned over the active cultivation of the farm to
his sons and in the evening of life enjoys rest from arduous
labor,-a rest well merited by reason of many years of close
application.
On November 19, 1862, in Allamkee county Mr. Paulson was united
in marriage to Miss Sophia Bakkum, a daughter of Erick Bakkum, of
whom a sketch appears elsewhere in this volume and who was one of
the early Center township farmers. Mrs. Paulson was born in
Nordre Land, August 10, 1844, and passed away at the age of
nearly sixty-eight years, on July 1, 1912. In their family were
seven children: Mrs. Peter Hagen, of Paint Creek township; Gustav
and Gilbert, at home; Mrs. Ole Storla, of Paint Creek township;
Mrs. Oscar Hesla, deceased; and Pauline and Emma, at home.
Mr. Paulson has been a lifelong member of the Lutheran Synod
church, helped to organize the society and assisted in building
their house of worship here, which stands on his land. He has
ever borne his share of time and money in promoting public
welfare and is highly respected and esteemed by all who know him.
In his political views he is a republican, staunchly upholding
the candidates of that party. He is influential among his
countrymen, among who he is a Nestor, and great credit must be
given him for directing the steps of many of Norway’s sturdy
sons to this part of the state. Nature has been kind to him, for
he has never abused her laws. One usually thinks of old age as a
period when mental as well as physical powers weaken, but there
is an old age which grows stronger and brighter mentally and
morally as the years go by and gives out its rich store of wisdom
and experience for the benefit of others. Such has been the life
of Peter Paulson, who is not only one of the most venerable but
also one of the most honored citizens of Allamakee county,
respected wherever known and most of all where best known.
-source: Past & Present of Allamakee County; by
Ellery M. Hancock; S. J. Clarke Pub. Co.; 1913
-transcribed by Diana Diedrich
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