San
Joaquin County
Biographies
HENRY CHRISTIAN PETERSEN, M. D.
Eminent among those who have
contributed to make Stockton one of the most desirable and safest places for
comfortable living in the state, Henry Christian Petersen enjoys an enviable
reputation as a specialist in obstetrics and pediatrics. He was born near Petaluma, California, August
16, 1875, the son of Henry C. and Mary (Jensen) Petersen, both natives of
Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, both now deceased.
The father located in Sonoma County in the late ‘60s and engaged in
farming and dairying until about 1880, when he removed to San Joaquin County,
where he located on a farm near Tracy and engaged in grain farming; later he
bought a ranch at Bethany. The family
consisted of six children, four of whom are now living: William P. resides at Bethany, California;
Peter C. resides in Oakland, California; Henry Christian is the subject of this
sketch; Charles resides at Hayward, California; while Mrs. Walter Jensen and
Clara are both deceased.
The preliminary education of Henry
C. Petersen was begun in the public school at Tracy and was continued in the
Lammersville district and then at Mountain House in San Joaquin County; later
he entered the San Jose State Normal School, where he graduated in 1895, and
for the five years following was engaged in teaching, his last school being at
Lockeford, this county, where he was principal.
He then went to Chicago, Illinois, to attend the medical department of
the University of Illinois, from which institution he was graduated with the
degree of M. D. with the class of ’05.
Returning to Stockton, he began the practice of his profession and was
so engaged until 1910, when he went to London, England, for a post-graduate
course in the various hospitals of that city, covering a period of one year,
and on his return resumed his practice; then in 1916 he took a post-graduate
course in the hospitals of New York City.
During his years of practice, having made a close study of obstetrics
and pediatrics, Dr. Petersen to still further fit himself, in 1921 took a
special course in the above branches of medical science in the New York
hospitals, and since his return to Stockton has made these branches of medicine
his specialty, in which he is meeting with deserved success. He has charge of the children’s department of
the city clinic in Stockton. For one
year Dr. Petersen was health officer of San Joaquin County. He is a member of the American Medical
Association, and also of the State and County societies. During the World War Dr. Petersen was one of
the chief examiners for the draft board.
The marriage of Dr. Petersen occurred
in Stockton in 1906, which united him with Miss Cora Comfort, a native of
Palatine, Idaho, who came to Stockton with her mother when nine years of age
and is a graduate of the Stockton high school and the San Jose Normal, and
became a very successful teacher. They
are the parents of one son, Henry Charles, who was born in London, England. Fraternally Dr. Petersen is a member of Charity
Lodge No. 6, I. O. O. F.; of the Morning Star Lodge No. 68, F. & A. M.;
Stockton Chapter No. 28, R. A. M.; Stockton Commandery No. 8, Knights Templar,
and Aahmes Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S. of Oakland, and the Lions Club.
Transcribed by V. Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George
H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Page
1247. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2011 V. Gerald Iaquinta.
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