James M. Peterson diary

James M. Peterson (1850-1899)

L. Tom Perry Special Collections is pleased to announce the availability of a new digitized collection: James M. Peterson diary (MSS 3870). This includes one volume of a handwritten diary and several newspaper clippings of obituaries of members of Peterson’s family. The events in Peterson’s life are recounted from 1850 to 1866, after which a daily record was kept until 1899. Included are incidents from Sevier County history including politics, the Black Hawk War, census records for 1895, and personal business dealings. Peterson also writes about his family, national events, and local weather and temperatures. Dated 1866-1899.

James Morten Peterson was born on April 15, 1850, in Donsted, Idskow, Hjorring, Denmark, to Neils M. Peterson and Mette Kristine Peterson. He was baptized into the Mormon church on December 5, 1860. He and his family moved to the United States in 1862, and joined a Mormon company traveling to Salt Lake City, and they ended up in Ephraim, Utah. Peterson married his first wife Laura Hansine Hansen on July 13, 1874, in Salt Lake City, Utah and they had 3 children together. He married his second wife Sarah Johnson on April 15, 1896, in Richfield, Utah, and they had one child. He became a banker in Richfield and started the James M. Peterson Bank, as well as serving as mayor of Richfield.

James M. Peterson died on April 9, 1899, in Richfield, Utah.