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Male, born 1868, died 1951-12-01
Associated with the firm network
Peterson, A.S., Building Contractor
Principal, A.S. Peterson, Building Contractor, Seattle, WA, c. 1909. He retired about 1944, according to his obituary. (See "A. S. Peterson, Pioneer of Klondike, Dies," Seattle Daily Times, 12/02/1951.)
President, Swedish Club of Seattle, Seattle, WA, 07/1904-06/1905. Trustee, Swedish Club of Seattle, Seattle, WA, 1907-1908.
Obituary from Swedish Club : Seattle Daily Times, 12/2/51: August S. Peterson, one of the first Seattle pioneers to participate in the Klondike Gold Rush, died yesterday morning in a sanatorium here. Mr. Peterson, a native of Sweden, came to this country about 65 years ago and moved to Seattle in 1888. He was a contractor until his retirement seven years ago. Surviving are two daughters, Mrs. Margaret Mead, and Mrs. Elsie Sund, both of Seattle, and five grandchildren. Funeral services will be held at 4 o'clock Tuesday in the Johnson and Sons chapel, followed by cremation.
Born in Villastad Parish in Jönköpings län, Sweden, in 1868, Peterson arrived in the US and settled in New Britain, CT, in 1886, moving to Seattle in 1880 or 1889, the year of the Great Fire of 06/06/1889. With work slow in Seattle during the period 1894-1897 due to an economic depression, he relocated to the Yukon in 1898, to take part in the Gold Rush there. His obituary noted that he was "...one of the first Seattle pioneers to participate in the Klondike Gold Rush...." (See "A. S. Peterson, Pioneer of Klondike, Dies," Seattle Daily Times, 12/02/1951.) According to the Canadian Census taken 10/08-09/1901, Peterson had been in Canada for three-and-one-half years, and he was an owner of a claim, earning $4,000 per year. Another Swede, Robert Sandstrom (born c. 1870), worked either with him or in close proximity. (Sandstrom earned $2,500 in 1901 and was also registered as an owner of a claim.) Peterson came back to Seattle in 1901, and worked as a carpenter. From at least 1922-1930, he and his family resided at 4311 Whitman Avenue in Seattle, the house having an estimated value of $4,000. August S. Peterson died in Kenmore, WA, at the age of 83.
He married Mamie Anderson (born c. 1873 in Sweden) on 11/24/1897 in Seattle, WA. He left Mamie in Seattle c. 1898 to search for gold in the Yukon, returning several years later. Their children were born following his return. According to the sometimes reliable US Census (of 1930), Mamie came to the US from Sweden in 1890, and had been naturalized. Mamie died before August, who passed away in 1951.
He and Mamie had two daughters, Margaret A. Peterson Mead (born c. 1906 in WA) and Elsie M. Peterson Sund (born c. 1914 in WA). Margaret worked as a stenographer in 1930.
Member/President, Swedish Club of Seattle, Seattle, WA, before 1909. The club had been formed in 1892. He supervised the club's renovation in 1909. (Thank you to Catherine Westergaard for providing some of the above research, 08/11/2014.)
PCAD id: 6624
| Name | Date | City | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swedish Club #1, Seattle, WA | 1902 | Seattle | WA |
