PASSING OF SIDNEY WILLIAM PETERSON

 A few weeks ago, I received an ancestry message from Sid's account. Instead of Sid writing to me with a new genealogy find or a question, it was a message from his widow, telling me of his death on 20 October 2021. 

I never met Sid, but just as we mourn Beverly Linn Sturtz, we also mourn the loss of another family member in Sid Peterson.

Below is his obituary. Sid was the son of Lewis William Peterson and Anna (Bergman) Peterson, grandson of Florence Victoria (Fallein) and George William Peterson, great-grandson of Caroline (Linn) Fallein and Louis Fallein, and great-great grandson of John Linn and his wife Sara (Svensdotter) Linn.

We mourn the loss of another person from our tree. Sid was an excellent researcher and always happy to share information which he and I did for over 30 years. Thanks to Jim Carlson for providing the obituary for this post.

Sidney William Peterson, or Sid, to his loved ones, of Overland Park, Kansas, born in Boone, Iowa, on November 7, 1946, and raised in Stratford, Iowa, was the son of Lewis William Peterson and Ann Peterson.

Sid peacefully passed away on October 20, 2021, in the presence of his family and friends, at Advent Health, in Shawnee Mission, Kansas.

In 1965, Sid graduated from Stratford Senior High School, then joined the Air Force, where he worked as a Communications Specialist until his release in 1969.

Also in 1969, he wed Betty Stambaugh and remained married until her passing in 2001.

In 1971, he left the Air Force and went to work for United Telephone Company. He later started work at Sprint and retired with 31 years of service as an instructor and course developer. But realizing he wasn't one to rest on his laurels, he decided to go back to work and found himself at Lowe's, for the next 16 yeas. This position was right up his alley, because Sid loed woodworking and carpentry as a whole. He also loved Lionel model trains, genealogy, bird watching, fishing, traveling, and spending time with his family and extended family and friends.

In 2003, he met and eventually married Kimalee Chambers. In this marriage, he gained a new family and became a stepfather to her children, Patricia Everett-Lee and Reginald Chambers II. He later became a step-grandfather to their children Devan Lee, Deja Lee, Daliyah Lee, and Royalty Chambers.

In addition to his parents and first wife, Sid was preceded in death by his sister Barbara Whitson.

He is survived by his second wife, Kimalee Peterson, her children and grandchildren, and leaves behind his remaining sibling, Nolan Peterson and his wife, Kelli Peterson, of Stratford, Iowa; brother-in-law Bruce Whitson and family, of Des Moines, Iowa; his extended family, Kimalee's mother and stepfather, Cloretta Rosebrough and Normal Rosebrough, of Fairview, Oregon; Kimalee's father Vernon Robinson of Kansas City, Kansas; her brother Michael Grayson of Kansas City, Missouri, and his children; her sisters, Laura Shelby of Gresham, Oregon, and her children; Kenya Robinson of Phoenix, Arizona and her children, and Dana Robinson of Independence, Missouri, and her children.

During this phase of Sid's journey, his family and friends will celebrate his life at Porter Funeral Home. And per Sid's wishes, he will be laid to rest in his home town of Stratford, Iowa.

Lastly, Sid's family would like to thank everyone for their prayers, love, and support during this final chapter of his life. And, in lieu of flowers, the family prefers memorial contributions.

A Celebration of Life will be held from 5-7 pm Friday, October 29, at the Porter Funeral Home, 8535 Monrovia, Lenexa, KS.

A local Celebration of Life service will be held at 10:30 am, Friday, November 5, 2021, at Calvary United Methodist Church in Stratford, Iowa. Pastor Gina Spohnheimer will officiate. Interment will follow at Oakwood Cemetery, rural Stratford. Military Graveside Rites will be conducted by the Peterson American Legion Post #323 of Dayton, IA. For online obituaries and condolences, visit www. carsonstappfuneralhome.com

 

Passing of Beverly (Linn) Sturtz

Each family member we lose leaves a hole in our family, in our history, in our memories, in their love. Today I learned about another Linn family member we just lost, Beverly Linn Sturtz. I never was fortunate enough to have met Beverly, but through my communications with her nephew, Scott Linn, I've learned what a lovely, generous person she was. With Scott's permission, I am posting this obituary for another one of our family from that generation who has passed.

Beverly (Linn) Sturtz, age 92, of Boone, passed away on Tuesday, November 16, 2021, at the Eastern Star Masonic Home in Boone.

Beverly was the daughter of Rupert and Dollie (Stumbo) Linn, born on January 29, 1929, at her parents' home in rural Pilot Mound. She graduated from Pilot Mound Consolidated School in 1946, and attended Drake University from 1946 until 1948, graduating with her Standard Elementary Teaching Certificate. She taught for 3 years and furthered her education at Drake with Saturday classes, night and summer classes.

On December 23, 1950, Bev wed Arthur L. Sturtz. Their marriage was blessed with four daughters: Cindy, Deniece "Dee", Elise, and Florilea "Lea". In addition to being a loving wife and mother, Bev enjoyed music, making special birthday cakes for her grandchildren, playing piano and singing duets with Art at programs and funerals, as well as spending time with family and friends. Bev was active in the community, a member of First Baptist Church in Boone, and donated to many organizations.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband Art; daughter Elise Huffman; granddaughter Margo Huffman; and brother Marlin (Janet) Linn.

She will be deeply missed by her large family, including daughters Cindy (Daryl) Christensen of Ogden; Dee (Doug) Eckley of Panora; and Lea (Rick) Dennert of Naperville, IL; son-in-law Dave Huffman of Boone; 13 grandchildren (Cory, Carey, Casey, Caley, Chris, Carl, Aaron, Bryce, Brooke, Ashley, Ryan, Roby, Brian); 27 great-grandchildren with another to arrive in January; a sister-in-law and husband, as well as many close nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held on Sunday, November 21, 2021, from 3:00 until 6:00 pm at the Schroeder-Reimers Memorial Chapel, Sixth and Marshall Streets in Boone. Funeral Service will be held on Monday, November 22, 2021, at 10:00 am at the First Baptist Church in Boone. Burial will be in the Mineral Ridge Cemetery in Ridgeport.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be directed to the family for charities and organizations that were close to Bev's heart.

Online condolences may be left at www.schroedermemorialchapel.com.

Schroeder-Reimers Memorial Chapel at Sixth and Marshall Streets is in charge of arrangements.

Beverly's line follows through her father Rupert Linn, grandfather Oscar Linn, great-grandfather John August Linn, and great-great grandfather Gustus Linn. John August Linn was the oldest of Gus and Catherine's children and the only one born in Sweden before they made their journey to the United States. Beverly was my third cousin. May she rest in peace and her memory be a source of strength and comfort to those who loved her.

Settling in Iowa

I hope that you have enjoyed reading about the early days of our ancestors in Iowa. I'm thankful for your comments and questions that keep me learning more and exploring more about our family history and those brave men, women, and children who had the courage to make the difficult voyage into an uncertain future.

Jim Carlson, descended from Elsie Linn and Francis Carlson, is a fellow researcher who has shared many photos and stories with me. Below is his email response to the question about why John Linn didn't settle with Andrew Peterson. 

With the aid of diaries and stories passed down, we can make educated guesses like the one below, but it is probably impossible to know with 100% certainty. Still, it seems plausible that John Linn couldn't afford to stop where the Petersons did and made his way farther north where he was able to find land on which to settle for the winter.

Thanks, Jim, for being a great resource for all of us.

In answer to a question about why John Linn was 25 miles upriver from Andrew Peterson (who had paid for the trip for John Linn and his wife), I believe it is because John Linn did not have funds to be able to purchase land at Swede Point, and Peterson did. Linn was forced to continue up the river looking for some free land that he could lay claim to. Here are some excerpts from Swede Bend, Iowa The Early Years 1848-1855  by Birgitta Blomqvist and Jerry Lundgren. It draws from information in the Daniel Peterson diary, the John Linn diary, and the Carl Anderson diary.]

On the 10^th of October 1849, after a journey from New York of 4 months and 14 days, what was left of the group from Ulrika arrive at Swede Point [now known as Madrid, Iowa]. The Andrew Peterson’s family had lost a daughter and the parents of his wife. Andrew had also lost a brother, who left a widow, Mary Blad, with three children. The Lawrence family, John Linn with his wife, Anna Welander and Carl (Charles Anderson) could be happy that they all survived. Eric Carlson had left the group.

They were emaciated from hunger, illness and all other difficulties. It is hard to say if Swede Point was as they originally envisioned. It must have been a great disappointment when they heard that all the desirable land had been claimed but some could be purchased.

Daniel Peterson wrote that his father bought a place they moved into, adding, you can be sure it was not modern. This account indicates that the property that Andrew Peterson purchased contained a dwelling of some sort.

Lawrence and Linn found they could not earn their living in Swede Point, nor did they have the money to purchase a claim, so they had to move on. They needed to find a place of their own as soon as possible as winter was approaching. They were going to seek land that had not yet been claimed further north, near the Des Moines River. Not a good time to journey into the unknown. 

The Linn Diary states that he and the Lawrence’s were the first to stake out claims in what became known as Swede Bend. There could be no worse time to settle in that area as ill equipped as they were in knowledge of English, the local flora and fauna, and lack of equipment and supplies. They had two immediate needs – shelter and warmth. As for tools, Lawrence had a hand axe brought from Sweden and a wood chopper’s axe he picked up in Swede Point. Apparently, they had no firearms, a meager supply of food, no animals except for two hens and a rooster brought by Lawrence. There is no record of what the Linn’s carried. 

Iowa Early Days - Part 2

 I've enjoyed Daniel Peterson's writing. It certainly is the closest account that we will have about those early days in Iowa and how our ancestors survived and thrived. This account will describe how corn was ground, deer and elk were hunted, what the early settlers did for amusement, and the difficulties of building just a simple house on the prairie.

This final installment by Daniel Peterson is a real gift to those of us who descend from the early Iowa pioneers. Whether you see a name of your ancestor or not, all of these men, women, and children would have faced the same struggles during this time.

I'm so very thankful that Daniel decided to write his recollections 30+ years after he and his family arrived in Iowa and that copies have been saved for all of us to enjoy and learn from.