Butte County
Biographies
GEORGE F. C. PETERSEN
Associated with the development of Butte County is the name of the late George F. C. Petersen, a native of Kappeln, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, where he was born January 5, 1844, a son of Hans C. and Katherine (Clausen) Petersen, both of the same nativity. The father was a blacksmith by occupation. The parents had thirteen children, eight of whom grew to maturity.
George F. C. Petersen, the subject of this review, received his education in the public schools of his native section of Germany. When of a suitable age he learned the butcher’s trade, which he continued to follow in Germany until 1864, when he immigrated to the United States and proceeded at once to California by way of the Isthmus of Panama. Mr. Petersen located for some time at La Porte, Plumas County, where he followed both mining and butchering in partnership with a brother, upon whose death he took charge of the shop until 1868. After disposing of the shop he devoted his time exclusively to mining. In January, 1871, he went to Oroville, where he followed his trade, but in the fall of the same year located in Chico, where for a number of years he carried on the butcher business, later on purchasing a butcher shop in partnership with another man, conducting a successful business until the fall of 1882. About that time, owing to failing health, he sold his interest in the shop and went to Sonora, Mexico, to recuperate. Subsequently he purchased cattle in that section, driving them to Arizona, where he sold them at a fair profit. In 1883, Mr. Petersen returned to Chico where he purchased a butcher shop and conducted a very profitable business until 1900, when he sold out and retired.
On February 7, 1902, Mr. Petersen was united in marriage with Mrs. Clara E. Anthony (nee Clara Jones), a native of Tuolumne County, Cal., daughter of H. T. and Nancy Marion (Taylor) Jones, both natives of Virginia. In 1860, Mr. and Mrs. Jones crossed the plains with an ox-team party, and although the party had some trouble with the Indians they arrived safely in the Golden State. Mr. Jones engaged in stock-raising in Tuolumne County until 1868, when he located in Chico and engaged in the building business until his death in 1890, Mrs. Jones surviving her husband until 1911. They were blessed with two children: Caddie, who died in girlhood; and Clara, who is now the widow of George F. C. Petersen. Mrs. Petersen completed her education in Woodman’s Academy and Miss White’s school.
On June 12, 1912, Mr. Petersen passed away at Chico, mourned by a large circle of friends, and was buried with Masonic honors. His death marked the passing of another man of affairs, who was prominent in his upbuilding of Chico. Since 1915, Mrs. Petersen has made her home in San Francisco, but still retains her large property interests in Butte County, and keeps in close touch with affairs at Chico. She is a member of the Native Daughters of the Golden West.
Transcribed
by Roseann Kerby.
Source: "History of
Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Pages 1095-1096, Historic Record Co, Los Angeles, CA, 1918.
© 2009 Roseann Kerby.
Golden Nugget Library's Butte County Biographies