Daniel A. Peterson was born in the parish of Ullrika, Sweden, on December 22, 1840. When he was eight years old, his family emigrated from Sweden to the United States and settled north of Des Moines, Iowa, at Swede Point (now Madrid) in Boone County. After a few years, the family sold the land at Swede Point and purchased another plot of land from Pleasant Chitwood on the Webster and Boone County border near what would become Dayton, Iowa.

Peterson was married on January 20, 1864, and he and his wife had nine children, of which five survived past infancy. Daniel Peterson died in 1927.

This collection (1915) contains a copy of a typescript reminiscence written by Daniel A. Peterson recalling the events that transpired in his life and especially moments related to life as a pioneer in Iowa. He recalls his parents, his childhood in Sweden, and the move to the United States. He describes pioneer life in Iowa, going into some detail about breaking the prairie sod with a team of oxen and about other struggles faced by immigrant pioneers. He relates a story about a trip down the Mississippi River to visit a brother in New Orleans and describes the sights and smells on the way down and back. Peterson shares his opinions on slavery, the civil war, and running for political office. In the end, Peterson reflects on the sadness of losing his wife.

The reminiscence also contains later handwritten notations from family members including a closing comment by his great-grandson, Richard A. Morton.