Andrew Bowman (Levd Anders Andersson från Bonäs) och Margret Bowman (Pers Margit Hansdotter från Vattnäs)

Andrew Bowman, of Logan township, came to Dodge County, in 1865, in company with his mother, who homesteaded eighty acres, and he went to improving the same. A log house fourteen feet square was built, which however did not serve very long, as it burned, after which he and his mother had to live in a sod house, 12x14 feet, for about one year, when the water drove them out, after which a fame house was provided. As years went by, our subject purchased more land, and became better situated financially.

Concerning his earlier life it may be said that our subject was born in Sweden in 1849, his parents were Andrew and Carrie Bowman, whose five children were: Martin, Mary, Carrie, Anna and Andrew. Our subjects father died in Sweden in 1847, and in 1864, he accompanied his mother to this country. They came from New York, to Omaha, where he worked on the railroad about one year. His mother took a homestead, and had to pay every cent she had to secure it. They had to live in any way, until times brightened up. They did not always have enough to eat, or enough to wear, in order to be comfortable. In 1878 this self-sacrificing woman, laid down the burdens of life, aged sixty-five years.

Our subject was united in marriage in 1873, to Miss Margaret Hanson, the daughter of Hans and Carrie Hanson, whose four children were Anna, Margaret, Andrew and Oliver. To our subject and his wife were born five children in the following order: Andrew, August 14, 1874; Tura, January 17, 1876; Albert, September 14, 1879; Sadie, April 1, 1883; Arthur, December 18, 1890. Politically, the man of whom we write this notice, is a supporter of the Republican party, and in church matters is a Lutheran.hhw

Swaburg Pioneer Answers Summons

The Swaburg and Uehling communities suffered the loss of an old pioneer settler in the passing hence of Mrs. Margret Bowman on Thursday evening, August 26th, at the home of her youngest son, Arthur, who resides on the old homestead, near Uehling. During the past six weeks, she bravely faced the inevitable on her bed of pain, and was tenderly cared for by her only daughter, Mrs. Sadie Lindgren and by Mrs. Arthur Bowman.

As Margaret Hanson the deceased was born in Sweden, September 20, 1851, and was at the time of her demise aged 74 years, 11 months and 6 days. She emigrated to the United States in 1870 and in 1873 was united in marriage to Andrew Bowman at Omaha. They located on the homestead south of Uehling, where they experienced the many hardships and disasters connected with pioneer life. In their declining years they retired from the farm and resided in Oakland and in Uehling, where in 1910 Mr. Bowman passed away and since his death she has made her home with her children. She was a most estimable woman of Christian character, ever ready to aid those less fortunate then herself and her many kindly deeds are tenderly cherished in the memories of those who knew and loved her. When a young woman she experienced a religious awakening and was baptized in to the Baptist faith.

There remain to mourn the passing of this devoted mother, the one daughter, Sadie (Mrs. Charles Lindregren) of Swaburg, and four sons, Andrew of Uehling, Albert of Stanton, Tura of Fremont and Arthur of Uehling. She is also survived by thirteen grandchildren and on great grandson.

Funeral serviced were held from the late home Saturday afternoon, and from the Congregational church at Uehling, the Rev. J. S. Benson of the Emil Lutheran church at Swaburg having charge and assisted by the Rev. C. L Hammond of Uehling. A mixed quartet from Uehling furnished the singing. Interment was made in the Baptist cemetery at Swaburg. The pallbearers were Silas Anderson of Lyons, Harvey Lindgren, P. A. Larson, Eric Larson, Roy Larson and Elmer Peterson.hhw

Anna Peterson (Levd Anna Andersdotter från Bonäs) och Lars Peterson

Mrs. Lars Peterson

This is to chronicle the passing of one of Swaburg's few remaining pioneer settlers, Mrs. Lars Peterson, whose death occurred at Uehling on Friday morning, July 23rd. She had been enjoying good health up until the last week, taking sick on Monday. An operation was resorted to on Thursday in a last hope to relieve her, but owing to her advanced age, she succumbed from the effects of it.

Mrs. Peterson was born in Mora, Dalarne, Sweden, on Sept. 22nd, 1846, being at the time of her demise aged 73 years, 10 months and 1 day. In the late 60's she came to this county and with her husband settled on a homestead near Logan creek in Swaburg. As a pioneer, Mrs. Peterson suffered all the trials and inconveniences incident to such a life. She was a true helpmate to her husband through these early struggles and later shared in the pleasures of more prosperous times, Spending her declining years in quiet and ease in a comfortable home at Uehling.

Mrs. Peterson was a noble character of the conscientious and pious school; a devout and faithful Christian; a devoted wife and an ideal mother. She was a good friend and neighbor, ever ready to lend a helping hand to the needy. Her loss will be keenly felt, not only in the family circle, but in the circle of all who knew her.

Besides the aged husband, there remain to mourn for her four sons and five daughters. The children are: Mrs. Mary Templin, Mrs. Anna Bennett and Mrs. Clara Taylor, all of Los Angeles, Calif.; Will, of Knott, Texas; Roy, of Vallejo, Calif., and Mrs. Carrie Mattson, Mrs. Lillie Johnson, Henry and Elmer of Swaburg.

The funeral services were conducted Monday from the late home in Uehling to the Congregational church, Rev. O. W. Reger speaking words of consolation from the text, "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints." A mixed quartette furnish special singing. There was a large attendance and the beautiful floral tributes testified to the love and esteem in which the departed was held. The final rites were performed at the Baptist cemetery in Swaburg and interment made in the family lot there.hhw

Having accomplished a satisfactory work in his free and independent occupation and acquired a competency to live on in his declining years, Lars Peterson, a retired farmer of Uehling, is now enjoying a well-earned leisure. Born in Sweden in 1841, he remained there twenty-two years.

After a long and tedious ocean voyage he landed in New York on July 14, 1863. Proceeding westward, he arrived in Chicago with 5.00 in gold in his picket, which he soon changed into scrip, receiving $7.50 in that currency. Here he worked at his trade as a carpenter until 1864. In that year he was one of three Swedes selected to find a favorable location for a colony of their countrymen. Going to Omaha, he was there told that the only land available for that purpose lay west of Columbus, but as the Indians in that locality were very hostile the committee decided to form a settlement in Logan Valley instead. The venture proved successful, and Mr. Peterson is now the only survivor of the founders of that settlement.

His father, who followed him to this county in 1864, came to Nebraska where he took up a homestead claim and carried on general farming with good results, residing on his ranch until his death, at the age of seventy-eight years. His wife, Justine Peterson, survived him, living to be eighty-two years old.

Taking up a homestead claim in Dodge County, Lars Peterson went from Chicago by rail to St. Joseph, Missouri, and thence by boat to Omaha, Nebraska, and before leaving for the farm homestead at Logan Valley, Nebraska, he sent his last $10.00 for flour, purchasing 200 pounds, an amount that by strict economy lasted him and his bride, whom he married in Omaha, a long time. He cleared and improved his homestead of 160 acres, and lived upon it until he had accumulated a sufficient sum to warrant him in giving up active labor, and since 1898 has lived retired, having a most desirable home in Uehling, Nebraska.

Mr. Peterson married October 10, 1864, in Omaha, Hanna Anderson, and to them several children have been born, namely; Peter, who died at the age of fourteen years, having accidentally shot himself; Carrie Mattson, wife of a Dodge County farmer; Anna Bennett, living in California; Mary Peterson, of Los Angeles, California; Clara Taylor, also living in Los Angeles; Turah, who died at the age of twenty years; Elmer, living on the parental homestead; Lillie, wife of Dr. Chris Johnson, a veterinary surgeon living near Uehling; and Roy, a resident of California. Mr. Peterson has traveled in the west, after retiring from the farm, having spent five years in Denver before settling permanently in Uehling. He is a never changing republican in politics and a member of the Lutheran Church.hhw

Lars Peterson, of Logan Township, Dodge County, homesteaded a part of Section 28 in 1864. The first season he broke seven acres of ground and built a dugout 10x14 feet, eight feet high in the middle and six at the corners. This pioneer abode served our subject for five years, when he built a log-house 16x18 feet. The logs he cut on the creek, while the nails and hardware he got at Omaha. From time to time he added to his original homestead until he has three hundred and twenty-five acres of well cultivated land. His buildings are of first-class design, and all shows him to be a man of thrift and order.

Mr. Peterson was born in Sweden, June 24, 1841. He is the son of Peter and Justin Dahl, who was of the following family of children; Lars, Peter, Anna, Andrew, Erick, Tena and two deceased. He of whom we write was united in marriage in 1864, to Anna Anderson, the daughter of A. Anderson. By this union ten children were born as follows: Carrie, February 5, 1866; Peter, September 22, 1867; Annie, February 19, 1870; Willie, April 5, 1872; Mary, March 15, 1874; Turcy, March 4, 1876; Andrew, September 4, 1877; Clara, October 3, 1879; Elmer, April 26, 1884; Roy, December 15, 1886; Lillie, December 19, 1886. Our subject's oldest son accidentally shot himself April 13, 1885 while hunting and lived but a few hours. While our subject is now surrounded with a comfortable home he can look back over the days when he had only ten dollars, and that went for flour at Fremont, where he worked by the day. In his political choice our subject is a Republican, and in religious matters both he and his wife are Lutherans.hhw

Early Settler Near Here; Dies in Calif.

Tuesday Hooper relatives received word to the effect that Lars Peterson, one of the first pioneer settlers of the Swaburg neighborhood, had died on Monday morning, Oct. 8, at the home of his daughter, Mrs. C. W. Johnson, at Los Angeles, Calif., following an attack of heart trouble. His body will be brought to Uehling for funeral services and burial, and will reach there the latter part of the week, the exact date as yet being uncertain.

Mr. Peterson was 82 years old, having been born in Sweden on June 24, 1841. On July 14, 1863, he landed at New York City and went on to Chicago where for a year he engaged in carpentering. In 1864 he and two companions came westward to Omaha to seek homes for themselves and other countrymen. From Omaha he up into the Logan valley and settled on the homestead that is now farmed by his son, Elmer. This was the beginning of the Swaburg settlement. Mr. Peterson was the last survivor of that early band of pioneers. The homestead remained his home until 1898 when he retired from active farm life and enjoy the fruits of his labors. Then followed a period of traveling in the west and a five years residence in Denver before settling permanently in Uehling. Last fall he accompanied his daughter, Mrs. Johnson, and family to California, death overtaking him while helping in the construction of the new home.

Mr. Peterson was married on Oct. 10, 1864, to Hanna Anderson at Omaha who passed away on July 23, 1920, after sharing his joys and sorrows and successes and disappointments for nearly fifty six years. He was the father of eleven children, nine of whom survive. These are: Mrs. John Mattson, Henry and Elmer of this vicinity; Will, in Texas; Roy, in South America, and Mrs. Anna Bennett, Mrs. Mae Templin, Mrs. Clara Taylor, Mrs. Lillian Johnson, all of Los Angeles. He is also survived by two brothers, Peter Peterson of Omaha, and Henry Dahl of Keating, Oregon; and two sisters, Mrs. Wm. Keller and Mrs. E. G. Erickson of Hooper. During his long residence in this community he had gained a wide acquaintanceship and held the highest respect of all friends, all of whom now extend the hand of sympathy to the bereaved relatives.hhw