Anna Sophia (SANDER) Peterson

Visiting Cards. Left image: Anna SANDER (Decorah, IA: A. W. Adams, c. 1875). Right image: Anna SANDER (Decorah, IA: J. T. Relf, c. 1880). Images courtesy of Verla Williams. Digitally retouched by Mark D. Williams. [Asa W. Adams was in business in Decorah from 1863-1884. Relf went into business on his own in 1880.]

Anna Sophia SANDER was the first of Brede and Karen's children to be born in America (29 Apr 1854, Winneshiek Co., IA). The 1860 and 1870 Censuses show her living with the family on their farm in Madison Township. As mentioned before, in 1870, the census taker apparently got her mixed up with her older brother Anton who was attending Luther College. In 1871 the family moved to Glenwood Township and were still living there in 1880.


Portrait. SANDER sisters (Decorah, IA: J. T. Relf, c. 1880). From left: Anna, Henrietta, and Ellen. Image courtesy of Verla Williams. Digitally retouched by Mark D. Williams.

On 20 Nov 1889, she married Sophus Christian Nels Peterson (b. 17 Jul 1864, MN). He was ten years younger than Anna. Perhaps they met while he was attending Luther College from 1880-1886. According to Norlie (1922: 321, 336), he was the Business Manager for Chips, the student newspaper, and also on the baseball team. He received an A. B. degree in 1886, went to Luther Seminary, and was ordained a minister on 25 Oct 1889.


Visiting Card. Sophus Christian Nels Peterson (Decorah, IA: J. T. Relf, c. 1885). Image courtesy of Verla Williams.

Norlie (1922: 453) also has him listed as President of S. F. Luth. N. S. [Sioux Falls Lutheran Normal School] from 1892-1893.

1900 US Federal Census: C. N. Peterson Family

Portrait with scalloped and gilded edges. Rev. C. N. and Anna (SANDER) Peterson (Forest City, IA: G. W. Elder, c. 1890). Image courtesy of Verla Williams.

By 1900, the Petersons were living in Harmon, Roberts County, South Dakota. Perhaps the Reverend was called to a congregation there, though he is listed as a farmer. Also of note is that they had a servant named Annie M. Halvorson living with them.


Detail of 1900 US Census. Image courtesy of Ancestry.com.

Peterson, C. N. / Head / W / M / Jul 1864 / 35 / M / 10 / Minnesota / Norway / Norway
________, Annie [sic] / Wife / W / F / Apr 1856 / 44 / M / 10 / Iowa / Norway / Norway

---

Source Citation: Year: 1900; Census Place: Harmon, Roberts, South Dakota; Roll: 1554; Page: 9B; Enumeration District: 0288; FHL microfilm: 1241554.
Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.
Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1900. T623, 1854 rolls.

1910 US Federal Census: C. N. Peterson Family

Sometime between 1900 and 1910, C. N. and Anna adopted a young girl named Ella (b. 1 Apr 1900, SD). Below is a picture of her as a young girl with her cousin Lillian Bakke and also one of her as a young woman.


Left image: Ella Peterson and Lillian Bakke (c. 1910). Right image: Ella Peterson (c. 1920). Images courtesy of Verla Williams.

In 1910 the Peterson family is living in Willmar, Kandiyohi, MN, where C. N. is serving as a minister.


Detail of 1910 US Census. Image courtesy of Ancestry.com.

Peterson, Christ N. / Head / M / W / 45 / M / 20 / Minnesota / Norway / Norway / Clergyman
_____, Anna / Wife / F / W / 51 / M / 20 / Iowa / Norway / Norway /
_____, Ella R. [sic] / None / F / W / 9 / S / South Dakota / Norway / Norway

---

Source Citation: Year: 1910; Census Place: Willmar Ward 1, Kandiyohi, Minnesota; Roll: T624_708; Page: 15B; Enumeration District: 0057; FHL microfilm: 1374721.
Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.
Original data: Thirteenth Census of the United States, 1910 (NARA microfilm publication T624, 1,178 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.

1920 US Federal Census: C. N. Peterson Family

Portrait. Anna (SANDER) Peterson (Minneapolis, MN: Floyd's Studio, n.d.). Image courtesy of Verla Williams.

In 1920, the Petersons were renting an apartment in Minneapolis, MN on 2648 Emerson Av. N.


1920 US Census. Image courtesy of Ancestry.com.

Peterson, Christan N. [sic] / Head / M / W / 55 / M / Minnesota / Norway / Norway / Minister
________, Anna / Wife / F / W / 60 / M / Iowa / Norway / Norway
________, Ella N. / Daughter / F / W / 19 / S / South Dakota / Minnesota / Iowa / Bookkeeper

---

Source Citation: Year: 1920; Census Place: Minneapolis Ward 10, Hennepin, Minnesota; Roll: T625_837; Page: 20B; Enumeration District: 192; Image: 627.
Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.
Original data: Fourteenth Census of the United States, 1920. (NARA microfilm publication T625, 2076 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.

Death of Anna (SANDER) Peterson

Ancestry.com has two records for Anna's death. She is listed in the Minnesota Death Index as having died on 29 Mar 1921 in Hennepin County. However, there is also a record shown below from American Lutheran Church in Grantsburg, Burnett, WI that seems to indicate she died on 25 Mar and was buried on the 29th. There are numbers written over the original entry that make it difficult to decipher the correct dates.


Burial record. Mrs. Anna Sophia Peterson (Grantsburg, WI: American Lutheran, 29 Mar 1921). Image courtesy of Ancestry.com.

The right column appears to have cemetery information, but it is illegible. As of yet her gravestone and the cemetery where she was buried have not been located.

Christian then married Jeannette Pauline Thoreson (b. 16 Jun 1887, d. 9 Feb 1973) on 1 Jun 1923 in Decorah, Winneshiek, IA. They had a daughter named Myra Jeannette (b. 12 Oct 1926, d. 24 Jan 2014) who married a Richard Gibeson and had two daughters, Jeannette Ellen and Paula Elaine.

C. N. Peterson died 8 Jun 1936 and is buried in Ada, Norman, MN.

C. N. and Anna's adopted daughter, Ella, married Melvin Goodrich and had a son, Bud, and a daughter, Corinne. She later married Peter S. Smith. We currently don't have any further information on her family.

Ellen Marie (SANDER) Bakke

Portrait. Ellen Marie SANDER (Decorah, IA: O. E. Borlaug, c. 1880). Image courtesy of Verla Williams.

Ellen was born 3 Oct 1857 in Madison Township, Winneshiek County, Iowa. She appears with her family in the 1860, 1870, and 1880 censuses. On 25 Oct 1883 she married Ole E. Bakke.


Visiting card. Ole E. Bakke (Decorah, IA: J. T. Relf, c. 1880). Image courtesy of Verla Williams.

Ellen (SANDER) Bakke: Family Group Sheet

Together Ellen and Ole Bakke had nine children that lived into adulthood: Isabella Antoinette, Clara Gunhilde, Erick Arthur, Elmer Orlando Benjamin, Philip Henry, Ruth Elizabeth, Vernon Lorenzo, Esther Lillian, and Ole Ernest.


Family Group Sheet. Ellen (SANDER) Bakke (1857-1936). Image courtesy of Williams Family Pages.

We know a little bit more about Ole Bakke from his biography in Past and Present of Winneshiek County, Iowa by Edwin C. Bailey.



"Ole E. Bakke." (Bailey 1913) Vol. 2, pp. 64-65. Images courtesy of Spelhaug.org.

1900 US Federal Census: Ole Bakke Family

In 1900, the Bakkes lived on a 400 acre farm called The Oaks in Frankville Township, Winneshiek County.



Detail of 1900 US Census. Images courtesy of Ancestry.com.

Bakke, Ole E. / Head / W / M / Jul 1856 / 44 / M / 16 / Iowa / Norway / Norway / Farmer
_____, Ellen M. / Wife / W / F / Oct 1857 / 43 / M / 16 / Iowa / Norway / Norway
_____, Isabell / Daughter / W / F / Jul 1884 / 15 / S / Iowa / Iowa / Iowa
_____, Clara G. / Daughter / W / F / Dec 1885 / 14 / S / Iowa / Iowa / Iowa
_____, Erick A. / Son / W / M / Jun 1889 / 10 / S / Iowa / Iowa / Iowa
_____, E. Orlando / Son / W / M / Nov 1891 / 8 / S / Iowa / Iowa / Iowa
_____, Philip / Son / W / M / Mar 1894 / 6 / S / Iowa / Iowa / Iowa
_____, Ruth / Daughter / W / F / Apr 1896 / 4 / S / Iowa / Iowa / Iowa
_____, Vernon S. / Son / W / M / Mar 1899 / 1 / S / Iowa / Iowa / Iowa

---

Source Citation: Year: 1900; Census Place: Frankville, Winneshiek, Iowa; Roll: 466; Page: 9B; Enumeration District: 0131; FHL microfilm: 1240466.
Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.
Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1900. T623, 1854 rolls.

Obituary and Gravestone: Ole E. Bakke

Ole contracted tuberculosis and died at the young age of 45 on 13 Jul 1902. At the time Ellen was pregnant with their youngest, Ole Ernest, who was born a few months later on 27 Oct. The Decorah Posten published his obituary on 18 Jul.


Obituary. Ole E. Bakke (Decorah Posten, 18 Jul 1902). Image courtesy of Verla Williams.

The following English translation was also by Verla Williams:

The 18th July 1902.

Deceased.

Ole E. Bakke, son of Erik Bakke of Washington Prairie, died on Sunday in Elkader, Ia. where he went some weeks ago. He was about 47 years old and leaves his wife and 8 children of which the oldest is 10 and the youngest about 1 year old.

Bakke had been sickly a long time and the sickness developed into tuberculosis finally, ending his life. He had lived the most of his life here in the county. The body was brought to Ossian last Monday and from there it was taken to Washington Prairie for burial. The funeral took place with large participation Wednesday. The deceased leaves behind a large number of friends who deeply regret his early passing.

From a personal friend of the deceased has the "Decorah Posten" received the following:

“Another of them, who exceptionally understood to (win or improve) his fellow human beings, is passed away. It is possible that they who knew Ole E. Bakke best did not correctly understand what honor he had for all those with whom he cultivated friendly company. Ole Bakke was a warm hearted and dependable gentleman. He loved his friends and felt no inclination to find fault with them. This distinguished him therefore, that there always was gladness when he came from his home and mingled with them. Few men have been as beloved as he was. He had faith in his friends and in his straightforward manner he gave accord, that such was. There are greater men than he was but few will be more embraced. Life would be easier for Ole Bakke’s friends if he still were among them; but now has fate willed it otherwise and they can only tell him thanks for what he was. Farewell!"

Ole was buried in the Washington Prairie Lutheran Cemetery in Springfield Township, Winneshiek County.


Washington Prairie Lutheran Church (Springfield, Winneshiek, IA). Image courtesy of Lutherans Restoring Creation.


Gravestone. Ole E. Bakke (1856-1902). Image courtesy of Iowa Gravestone Photo Project.

1910 US Federal Census: Ellen (SANDER) Bakke Family

Detail of 1910 US Census. Image courtesy of Ancestry.com.

Bakke, Ellen / Head / F / W / 52 / Wd / Iowa / Norway / Norway / Farmer
_____, Isabella / Daughter / F / W / 25 / S / Iowa / Iowa / Iowa / None
_____, Clara / Daughter / F / W / 24 / S / / Iowa / Iowa / Iowa / Teacher
_____, Erick / Son / M / W / 20 / S / Iowa / Iowa / Iowa / None
_____, Orlando / Son / M / W / 19 / S / Iowa / Iowa / Iowa / None
_____, Philip / Son / M / W / 16 / S / Iowa / Iowa / Iowa / Farm labor
_____, Ruth / Daughter / F / W / 14 / S / Iowa / Iowa / Iowa / None
_____, Vernon S. / Son / M / W / 11 / S / Iowa / Iowa / Iowa / None
_____, Esther L. / Daughter / F / W / 9 / S / Iowa / Iowa / Iowa / None
_____, Ole E. / Son / M / W / 7 / S / Iowa / Iowa / Iowa /None

---

Source Citation: Year: 1910; Census Place: Frankville, Winneshiek, Iowa; Roll: T624_428; Page: 4A; Enumeration District: 0153; FHL microfilm: 1374441.
Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.
Original data: Thirteenth Census of the United States, 1910 (NARA microfilm publication T624, 1,178 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.