Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-01-17

ing-A Sketch of the Life Of the
Deceased.
William Fairfield Peterson, the
elder brother of Mr.. B. Walker Peterson,
of this city, and one of the best known
citizens of this community, was found
dead in his bed at the residence of Mr..
B. w. Peterson, at Woodsdale, about
eight o'clock yesterday morning. The
body was quite cold when found, and
life must have ceased several hours be-
fore the sad event was discovered by
members of the household.
Mr.. Peterson retired Wednesday eve
ming in his usual good health, and left
word that he was to be called at eight
o'clock, as he desired to take the motor
passing WOOdsdale soon after nine for
the city, some business matters requir-
ing his attention. At the hour named
a servant raped on his door but there
was no response, and after a further
endeavor TO attract the attention of the
occupant had failed the door was forced
open, and Mr.. Peterson was found dead
in bed. Although life had evidently
been extinct for some time, a physician
was summoned, but, of course without
any practical result, except the opinion
that death had been caused by heart
failure or appOpleXy. Mr.. b. Walker
Peterson, brother of the deceased, was
in Baltimore yesterday, and kilograms
were sent instrucCng district messenger
boys to locate him and inform him Of
the sad death of his brother, but up to
nine o'clock last night nothing had
been heard indicating the success OF
this effort 1t is confidently expected
he will be heard from this morning,
however, and that he will at once leave
for this city.
William r. Peterson was a son of the
gentleman of the same name, a native
of Vermont, who removed to this city
in its early days The subject of this
sketch received his early education and
training here. and at the death of his
father succeeded to the insurance bust
ness, in which his father was a pioneer.
Before that time, however, and just
prior to the outbreak Of the civil war,
the subject of this sketch was interested
in river matters and to some extent
with general business enterprises in the
extreme southwest After the war Mr..
Peterson devoted his time and atten-
ton TO the insurance business. and his
Office was for many years in the small
two-story building now occupied by the
new addition to the store of Geo. r.
Stifel & Co. About the close of the war
the deceased built the Peterson block,
occupying the site of hs main building
of Geo f. Stifel & Co., the edifice be-
ing the first of the modern business
houses in the retail district of the city,
and at that time represented in
marked degree the enterprise and bus
mess sagacity of the deceased. Mr..
Peterson continued in the insurance
business until about 1885 when he dis
posed of his extensive clientage, and
embarked in the sheet iron and steel
manufacturing business with F. G.
Caldwell the firm being styled Caldwell,
& Peterson. and the plant being To-
Gated on South street. near the B. & o.
depot. Later this business was reOr-
ganized as joint stock company, Mr.
Peterson retaining a considerable inter-
est 1t was about this time that he
erected the original model manufac-
turing building occupied by the Nail
City Stamping Company, on Water
street, South Side, and later built an
other structure, of equal capacity, adj
joining, for the growing business of the
concern. About year ago he with
drew from the Caldwell & Peterson
Company, and since that time had not
engaged in active business pursuits. al
though still retaining an active con-
Germ in the material interests of the
city.
In politics Mr.. Peterson was Repub-
lican. and all times was earnest in aid
ing the policies and purposes Of that
political organization. He was an ear
nest admirer Of the late James G.
Blaine, and actively supported the
Presidential aspirations of that states
man. Deceased also took an intelli-
gent interest in local political affairs,
and was a member of both the City
Council and Board of County Commits
SiOners. being at one time president of
the latter body. In religious belief, he
was an active and earnest member of
the Protestant Episcopal church His
private charities were considerable, and
he was ever the friend OF the distressed.
He was a member of the Masonic fra
ternity. and that organization viii pos
sibly have charge of the funeral ar
Engagements. although that was not de-
finitely settled last evening, in the alb
sence Of Mr. b. W. Peterson.
Mr.. Peterson was a member Of the
Board of Directors and an ex-Presi-
dent of the Fort Henry Club, and the
Directors of that body met last even
ing and adopted suitable resolutions Of
regret. He was pre-eminently a COM
panionabe and sociable gentleman. and
possessed a very wide circle of friends
and acquaintance, who will mourn
with a sincere grief his untimely TAX