FINDING AID
Peter Westerlund biographies, 1908
COLLECTION SUMMARY
Collection Title:
Peter Westerlund biographies
Collection Number:
SAC P:144
Dates:
1908 and undated
Size:
1 folder
Language:
English
Creator/Collector:
Westerlund, Peter, 1839-1937
Subject Headings:
Andover (Ill.)
Travel writing
Immigrants--United States--Biography.
Immigration narratives
Gold rushes--Colorado--1850-1860.
Biographies
Repository:
Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center, Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinois.
Abstract:
Peter Westerlund (1839-1937) was born in Hassela parish, Hälsingland, Sweden. In 1850, he left for America with his family and Eric Norelius and settled in Andover, Illinois. In 1859, he left with several others to follow the Gold Rush to Colorado. He remained for a short time in El Paso before coming back to Andover when the South was preparing for war. He farmed from 1865-1882 and then took up banking in Orion. He was married to Eleanora Christina Sophia Hultman in 1863 by Rev. Jonas Swenson. This collection consists of two biographical accounts of Peter Westerlund. One describes he journey to America and the other describes his journey out West in search of gold.
RIGHTS AND ACCESS
Conditions Governing Access:
Collection is open for research.
Reproduction and Use:
Unpublished manuscripts are protected by copyright. Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the Swenson Center and the copyright holder.
Preferred Citation:
[item identification], in SAC P:144 Peter Westerlund papers, Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center, Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinois.
ACQUISITION AND RELATED MATERIALS
Provenance:
Likely transferred from the Augustana College Library to the Swenson Center in 1983. Original donor unknown. Formerly cataloged into Denkmann Memorial Library’s immigration collection.
Related Materials:
MSS P:305 Westerlund family reunions
Notes:
Note in file indicates that the collection number was originally MSS P:144.
Processed By:
Kermit Westerberg in 1983. Updated by Lisa Huntsha in 2018.
CONTENT AND STRUCTURE
Administrative/Biographical History:
Peter Westerlund was born in Hassela parish, Hälsingland, Sweden on August 21, 1839. In 1850, he left for America with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Erik Abraham Westerlund, aunt and uncle Anders Westerlund, Eric Norelius, and several others. His mother and sister died during the voyage. His family settled near Andover, Illinois where he received his schooling.
At the age of 19, on May 9, 1859 he left Andover to follow the Gold Rush with several others. He remained for a short time in El Paso and then came back to Andover when the South was preparing for war. He farmed from 1865-1882 and then took up banking in Orion. He was a longtime member of Andover Lutheran Church, one of the organizers of the Bank of Orion and served as treasurer for Svea Mutual Insurance Company for over twenty years. He died on January 15, 1937 at the age of 97.
Peter married Eleanora Christina Sophia Hultman on February 17, 1863. They were married by Rev. Jonas Swenson in Andover. She came to this country from Sweden in 1861 and died February 16, 1915.
Scope and Content:
This collection consists of two biographical accounts of Peter Westerlund. One describes he journey to America, written by one of his children, and the other describes his journey out West in search of gold.
System of Arrangement:
Arranged alphabetically by title.
Collection Inventory:
- “Peter Westerlund” typed 5 page biography (2 copies), undated
Includes list of descendants of Peter and Eleanora Westerlund - “Reminiscences of a trip to Pike’s Peak and down the Rio Grande in the year 1859, at the time of the Pikes Peak gold craze,” by Peter Westerlund, from Year-book of the Swedish-American Historical Society, 2 (1908), pg. 34-71
- Addition to Pike’s Peak piece, 6 pages, undated