Thomas Petersen Family

My name is Joan Friel, daughter of Alice Hutchins, whose father was Roy Petersen, whose parents were Thomas and Laura (Olson) Petersen. Every year the descendents of Thomas Petersen gather for the Petersen Potluck Picnic, and at the PPP of 2003, I realized that I did not know many of the attendees who were there, and even when I did, I wasn’t sure how I was related to them! So I decided it was time to try and build a PPP Family Tree, starting with Thomas and Laura Petersen, and finally putting some names and relationships together! With 10 children of Thomas and Laura to trace, it will be a challenge to get everyone listed, but I am blissfully hopeful!

If you happen to have information on Thomas, Laura, or their 10 children (Orlando, Elmer, Ellnora, Roy, Marvin, Clarence, Roland, Ruth, Harriette, and Orville), please e-mail me!

My Family History

• Surname List


• Index of Individuals


• InterneTree

Family Photos

• Thomas Petersen Family circa 1923 (58 KB)
  I'm not sure of the exact date of this picture, but I'm guessing Orville (the youngest) is about 4 or 5, and he was born around 1918. From left to right, top to bottom, is Clarence, Orlando, Roy, Elmer, Marvin, Elnora, Roland, Thomas, Laura, Ruth, Harriette, and Orville.
• Friel Family 2003 (12 KB)
  Here is my family: husband Mike, daughter Megan (6), son Michael (3), and myself
• 1910 US Census page with Thomas Petersen's family (388 KB)
  This is an excerpt from the 1910 U.S. Census from Burke County, North Dakota, where Thomas Petersen's family is listed (towards the bottom of the page).
• 1920 US Census page with Thomas Petersen's family (123 KB)
  This is from the 1920 U.S. Census from Burke County, North Dakota. Note some of the interesting spellings of the names of the children (note: I spliced two entries together - the original excerpts were in two pictures)
• 1930 US Census Page with Thomas Petersen's family (129 KB)
  This is excerpted from the 1930 U.S. Census from Burke County, North Dakota. Note that Roy is no longer listed - he had married Bernadean Little and had a daughter Alice (my mother), but I can't find them listed elsewhere in the census records. Clarence is also absent - I believed he had moved to Camp Douglas, Wisconsin by then. Elnora is now married and has a daughter Doris. I spliced this page as well...

Family Tree Maker Reports and Trees

• InterneTree: Descendants of Thomas Petersen


• Genealogy Report: Descendants of Thomas Petersen