Atley Peterson
Encyclopedia
Atley Peterson was a Wisconsin pioneer who served as a state legislator, and state railroad commissioner.
and came to America with his family in 1852. The family moved to Crawford County, Wisconsin in 1854, settling in the Pine Knob area near Soldiers Grove. Mr. Peterson attended local schools and the Madison, Wisconsin
Business College before going into business in Soldiers Grove
at the age of 19.
. He later built a small building on the property to house a small store. In addition to being a sawmill and lumberyard owner, store owner, and part owner of the village’s grist mill, Peterson’s business career also included being a bank president and farmer. He was co-owner of the electric light plant, which enabled Soldiers Grove to be the first village in the Kickapoo Valley to have electric lights.
as a representative to the Wisconsin State Legislature from Bad Ax (now Vernon County
) and Crawford County. He served in the Thirty-second session, 1879, Thirty-third session, 1880, Thirty-fourth session, 1881, Thirty-fifth session, 1882.
In 1886 he was elected to replace Nils P. Haugen
as Wisconsin State Railroad Commissioner and served in this capacity from 1887 to 1891. He served as Presidential Elector for Wisconsin in 1900. Peterson ran for the office of Wisconsin State Treasurer in 1902, in an effort to succeed future Wisconsin Governor, James O. Davidson
, to that position. He was served as a delegate to the Republican National Convention
in 1908.
Background
Atley Peterson was born in 1847 in Erdahl, NorwayNorway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
and came to America with his family in 1852. The family moved to Crawford County, Wisconsin in 1854, settling in the Pine Knob area near Soldiers Grove. Mr. Peterson attended local schools and the Madison, Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
Business College before going into business in Soldiers Grove
Soldiers Grove, Wisconsin
Soldiers Grove is a village located alongside the Kickapoo River in Crawford County, Wisconsin, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 653.-Claim to fame:...
at the age of 19.
Business career
In 1869, Peterson established the village’s first post office in the Village of Soldiers Grove, WisconsinSoldiers Grove, Wisconsin
Soldiers Grove is a village located alongside the Kickapoo River in Crawford County, Wisconsin, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 653.-Claim to fame:...
. He later built a small building on the property to house a small store. In addition to being a sawmill and lumberyard owner, store owner, and part owner of the village’s grist mill, Peterson’s business career also included being a bank president and farmer. He was co-owner of the electric light plant, which enabled Soldiers Grove to be the first village in the Kickapoo Valley to have electric lights.
Political career
His political career included a number of years as a member of the Crawford County Board. Peterson served as president or supervisor of the Village of Soldiers Grove almost continuously until his death. He held the office of postmaster for 17 years, from 1869 to 1886. In 1879 he was elected to the Wisconsin State AssemblyWisconsin State Assembly
The Wisconsin State Assembly is the lower house of the Wisconsin Legislature. Together with the smaller Wisconsin Senate, the two constitute the legislative branch of the U.S. state of Wisconsin....
as a representative to the Wisconsin State Legislature from Bad Ax (now Vernon County
Vernon County, Wisconsin
Vernon County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2009, the population estimate was 29,324. Its county seat is Viroqua.-History:...
) and Crawford County. He served in the Thirty-second session, 1879, Thirty-third session, 1880, Thirty-fourth session, 1881, Thirty-fifth session, 1882.
In 1886 he was elected to replace Nils P. Haugen
Nils P. Haugen
Nils Pederson Haugen was a U.S. Representative from Wisconsin. He was a leading member of the Progressive Movement and a national expert on tax reform.-Background:...
as Wisconsin State Railroad Commissioner and served in this capacity from 1887 to 1891. He served as Presidential Elector for Wisconsin in 1900. Peterson ran for the office of Wisconsin State Treasurer in 1902, in an effort to succeed future Wisconsin Governor, James O. Davidson
James O. Davidson
James Ole Davidson was the 21st Governor of the U.S. state of Wisconsin.-Background:Jens Ole Davidson was born in Årdal, Sogn og Fjordane County, Norway. He immigrated in 1872 to the United States when he was 18 years old...
, to that position. He was served as a delegate to the Republican National Convention
Republican National Convention
The Republican National Convention is the presidential nominating convention of the Republican Party of the United States. Convened by the Republican National Committee, the stated purpose of the convocation is to nominate an official candidate in an upcoming U.S...
in 1908.
Other sources
- Nelson, Olof Nickolaus History of the Scandinavians and successful Scandinavians in the United States (Minneapolis, Minn. : O. N. Nelson & company, 1900)
- Ward, W. M. The First 100 Years - A History of Soldiers Grove (June 1964) http://files.usgwarchives.org/wi/crawford/history/solidersgrove/index.txt