August Peterson (1849-1918) was born in Jonkoping, Sweden on October 27, 1849. He immigrated to the United States of America at the age of 19 and settled in the Swedish community of Rockford, Illinois. There he met Sophia Linn, the daughter of Swedish immigrant Reverend John Linn. They were married on September 12, 1872 and lived in Rockford until 1881 when they moved to Sheldahl, Iowa, where August worked as a tailor. As the business grew he also began dealing in ready-made clothing. The Milwaukee Railroad Line was surveyed and located one and a half miles north of Sheldahl in the early 1880’s, requiring farmers to haul goods over treacherous mud roads to the Sheldahl Crossing. Increased rail business at the Sheldahl Crossing gave rise to a boomtown in 1885, consisting of a grain elevator and a grocery store. The two businesses served the needs of the new community, and soon the possibility of expanding the area became a local endeavor.

A general meeting of the town of Sheldahl was called early in 1887 to discuss abandoning the old site of Sheldahl and moving the town to the Sheldahl Crossing site. Approximately half of the citizens decided to move their homes and businesses to Sheldahl Crossing and the new town that resulted was named Slater. Peterson moved his store and family to Slater in 1887. The structure was moved across the fields on skids pulled by 18 teams of horses. When Peterson’s sons, Henry and Archie, reached adulthood they joined their father in the business. August Peterson died on November 16, 1918. Henry and Archie continued as partners until Henry’s death on November 29, 1932. After Henry’s death Archie continued to operate the family business with the assistance of this wife Nellie. The business closed following Archie’s death on November 18, 1964.

The collection (1914-1947) contains business ledgers and material relating to the history of the Peterson Clothing/General Store. The business ledgers that document the Peterson Store accounts with suppliers of hardware, household goods, and personal consumable goods, as well as the daily business transactions of the store. In addition, the collection includes photocopies from historical books that document the history of the Peterson Store and the town of Slater, Iowa.

The collection is arranged chronologically.