Tulare County Biographies

N. P. Peterson

Submitted by Sally Kaleta, January, 2007

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	N. P. Peterson, it is safe to say, is one of the most 
enterprising business men of Kern County.  Few have been active in building up 
and developing the material interests of the Kern River country as he. Mr. 
Peterson is a native of Denmark, born in Lasoe, October 10, 1841. His father 
being a sailor, the son was reared in that calling and followed the sea for many 
years. He shipped from Hamburg to San Francisco on board a merchant vessel in 
1862, engaged about one year in the United States Revenue Service, and in 1864 
abandoned the sea. He devoted his time to mining in the Kern River district one 
year; later, about six months, in Havilah. For two years he operated a 
stationary engine in a quartz mill at Havilah, after which he returned to 
Kernville and engaged in the same calling for a brief time. He was then 
interested there in various enterprises until 1872, when he built and conducted 
a hotel, doing an extensive business. This he discontinued in 1884, and spent 
the year following in the northern part of the State. In 1885 Mr. Peterson 
bought his ranch on the South Fork of the Kern River. Of this farm 320 acres are 
in section 20, township 26, range 24, and 200 acres are in sections 17 and 18. 
He owns other fine tracts of land in Kern County, making a total of 1,100 acres. 
He ranges about 300 head of cattle, thirty horses and forty pigs, and there are 
a few ranches in the country superior to his. In addition to his agricultural 
interests Mr. Peterson also owns and operates the stage line running from  
Caliente to Kernville; also a line running from the latter place to Onyx, making 
tri-weekly trips. And in connection with this business he has the contract for 
carrying the United States mail. Mr. Peterson stands high in the public 
estimation as a prompt and scrupulous business man.
 
Source: "The Memorial and Biographical History of the Counties of Fresno, 
Tulare, and Kern, California," Lewis Publ. Co., 1892, pp. 355-356.