Posted By:	Carole
	Email:
	Subject:	Peter Anderson, b. 1860, Island Fyen, Denmark> 1889 MT - Bio
	Post Date:	June 10, 2009 at 17:25:43
	Message URL:	http://genforum.genealogy.com/anderson/messages/20046.html
	Forum:	Anderson Family Genealogy Forum
	Forum URL:	http://genforum.genealogy.com/anderson/

A biography of Peter Anderson is included in "Montana, Its Story and Biography", Vol 3, pages 732 & 733. Peter was born, 16 Sep 1860, son of Anders Chrisoferson and Maren Niels (daughter of Niels Josephson and Maren Willum). Mrs. Anderson was christened Bertha Josephson and was one of eight children who all came to the US at various times. Peter and Bertha were married in Denmark, 17 Aug 1883, and their children were: Marie (Mrs. Peter M. Anderson, Sidney, MT), Neils Anderson (Prairie Elk, MT), Dagmar (Mrs. Ira Albin, Richland Co., MT), Lillian (Mrs. Thorval Jennsen, Broyson, MT), Josephine (Mrs. James Hendrickson, Three Buttes, MT), Carl Anderson, Christina (Mrs. Harry Brockway, Prairie Elk, MT), Camilla (Sidney, MT). Mr. and Mrs. Anderson came to Glendive, MT, in 1889, where Mrs. Anderson's brother, Charley Josephson, had already located. Peter located his homestead two miles north of Sidney, invested in milch cows and sold milk and butter to Fort Buford, 30 miles distant. He later began raising beef cattle and shipped his own stock. He added railroad land to his homestead and became one of the first dryland farmers in the country, oats being his chief crop. The Lower Yellowstone Project brought irrigation to his land and he began farming on a larger scale, and over the years became recognized as one of the largest most influential farmers of his community. In 1894, Peter received his citizenship papers. He became instrumental in bringing others of his countrymen into the region. He was the founder of the Danish colony in the locality and because of his efforts some 500 people established there homes there. Mr. and Mrs. Anderson were active in the Methodist Church and assisted in erecting the first church in the Yellowstone Valley in 1900. In 1906, when the Danish congregation was organized, they transferred their membership and helped erect the Danish Lutheran Church. The Andersons sold their ranch in 1917 and resided in Sidney, MT. I am not related.