Born in Denmark in 1852, James Petersen came with his parents to America in 1866, settling in Dodge County, Minnesota. Here James grew up and married Jane Seva Christensen in 1879. She was born in 1858. Here they farmed until 1883 when they came to Valley City, farming west of the city for several years, before homesteading 1 %z miles north of Litchville in 1885. Later they farmed in Meadow Lake Township, along with the Mudgetts, the Fergussons, the Elliotts, the Jones' and the Schulz families. In 1907, they moved back to the Litchville community, but James Petersen died before he could move to the farm they had purchased from Anton Nelson. The family moved on the farm, however, and it was farmed by Albert Petersen.
The Petersens had nine children;
Levi,
Jessie,
Albert,
Mabel,
Jeanette,
Clifford,
Tilda,
Guy and
Josephine (Brushwein).
Mrs. Jane Petersen passed away in 1935.
Source: Barnes County History 1976 Page 193