The Petersen Family

[loetar44]

Was the William Petersen family ''a modest, working-class family of limited means''? What I have from the Petersens is the following.

William (Wilhelm) Petersen was born in Hanover, Germany in 1816, and his wife Anna was born in Darmstadt, Germany in 1819. They arrived in the United States in 1841. He and his wife apparently moved to Washington, D.C. almost immediately as by 1843 Petersen is listed in a Washington directory as a tailor on Louisiana Avenue. After the required five years of residence in the U.S. Petersen and his wife became naturalized citizens. In February of 1849 Petersen purchased the south half of Lot 14 on Square 347 on 10th Street NW from Abner H. and Mary Ann Young for $850. He then built the main block of his house on 10th Street that same year ($2100). So, I think he was not “of limited means”, but richer than an 19th century “ordinary, working-class American”.

William and Anna Petersen moved into their house on 10th Street in 1849. They had then two children, William F. and Louisa, and a third (Fred), was born that year. Following their move to 10th Street and the construction of their house in 1849, the Petersen family began taking in boarders. Known boarders are: in 1850 two Congressmen from New Jersey (Andrew K. Hay and William A. Newell) and in 1853 Congressman John C. Breckinridge from Kentucky (later Buchanan’s Vice-President.)

In 1858 the Petersens had six children, after the birth of Pauline, Charles and Anna (Anna was born in 1858). The extra family members, coupled with the boarders made the living conditions in the house cramped. So in 1858 Petersen built an ell addition onto the main block ($1200). In 1863 the ell addition burned and was subsequently reconstructed. Lincoln died in the upstairs bedroom of this addition. Below this room was the kitchen. Remember that Dr. Charles A. Leale, had a hospital steward bring up "hot blankets and hot water from the room below"; these items were heated on the kitchen stove.

According to the census of 1860 Petersen lived in the house with his wife, children, a servant girl and seven boarders (16 people I guess). Servant girl … again a “sign” that Petersen was not “of limited means”. On April 14, 1865 there were at least six boarders at the house (the 2 brothers Ulke, Clark, Safford, Proctor, but who was #6 ??? or was there no #6 ???).

It was an unpleasant experience residing at the house following Lincoln's death. People torn up carpets and other items from the house as grim souvenirs, etc. The boarders started to move away shortly after the assassination. By 1870 only one boarder and three of the Petersen children were living at the house with William and Anna. In 1871, both William and Anna Petersen passed away; William (June 18) from an overdose of laudanum and Anna (Oct. 18) after a prolonged illness. The Petersen children almost immediately put the furnishings of the house up for auction and the house was sold to neighbors Louis and Anne Schade in 1878. The Schades subsequently sold the house to the Federal Government in 1896.

Was the Petersen House a small and modest house? I don't think so. It was dubbed “the highest house in Washington” in 1849, had a basement and three stories. Does someone know how many rooms in total there were to accommodate the Petersen family and the boarders?

On the litho of E(dmund) Burke en E(lijah) Chapmam, (“Death of Abraham Lincoln / April 15th 1865”, printed by Kellogg) is depicted “Young Petersen”, the son of William and Anna. I wonder who he is? William F. (in 1865 ca. 19 years old), Fred (in 1865 ca. 16 years old) or Charles (in 1865 ca. 9 years old)? Some confuse him with Tad....

Had the Petersons more than 6 children? I once heard that their youngest child in 1865 was 3 months old ???? I think not true, because his mother is in 1865 ca. 46.

And what was William Petersen's full name? William or William A. ? Who's helping me out?