Peterson - James A
Source: Crawfordsville Journal Review, July 11, 1969
DARLINGTON - James A. Peterson, a pioneer in several Darlington business firms, died at 12:15 p.m. Thursday at his home, 201 E. Main St., after an illness of four months. He was 97. Born Jan. 10, 1872 in the Potato Creek neighborhood of Montgomery County, he was a son of John and Hannah Dain Peterson. He was graduated from high school in Indianapolis and in 1889 from the New Albany Business College. He was a banker in Indiana from 1889 until his retirement in 1949 as cashier of the Farmers & Merchants State Bank here. He was married in 1892 to Nora Hunt at her home in the Potato Creek neighborhood. She died in 1914. Mr. Peterson was wed in Crawfordsville in 1916 to Jessie Cunningham, who survives. They observed their Golden Wedding anniversary in 1966. For 11 years he was a bookkeeper for the People's Banking Co. which he and his father helped to organize. In 1902 Mr. Peterson organized the Farmers and Merchants Bank. It was a private banking institution until 1906 when it was converted to a state bank. It became a member of the Federal Reserve system in 1935. Mr. Peterson was its cashier until his retirement. He established, owned and operated the Darlington Water works, the first mains for which were laid in 1894. In 1965 he was awarded a 60-year pin by the State Board of Health for having a record of service exceeding that of any other water operator in Indiana. Mr. Peterson established the Darlington telephone service in 1894, operating the firm until it was purchased by Indiana Bell in 1954. He was president of the Darlington Carnegie Library board from 1915, when it was organized, until he retired in 1947. He was secretary of the Armory Club, a service organization. Mr. Peterson was a trustee of the former Darlington Presbyterian Church. He was a former president of the Crawfordsville Country Club. Surviving besides his wife are a son, Henry H. Peterson of South Bend, and five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a daughter, Mary Howard Detchon of Crawfordsville, three sons, Hubert of Columbus, Harold of New Castle and Husted of Darlington, the latter last November, and by a sister and three brothers. Funeral services are at 2 p.m. Saturday at Bright Funeral Home in Darlington, where friends may call after 7 p.m. Friday. Rev. Howard W. Kipp will officiate, with burial in Greenlawn Cemetery. - jlr
Source: Lafayette Journal and Courier Fri 11 July 1969 p 5
Darlington – One of Darlington’s leading citizens, James A. Peterson, 97, died in his home here at 12:15 p.m. Thursday after an illness of four months. He was founder of the Farmers & Merchants Bank, Darlington Waterworks and the Darlington Telephone Company and was a pioneer in the library here. A native of Montgomery County, Mr. Peterson had been a banker since 1891, when he began as a bookkeeper in the People’s Banking Co which he and his father organized. In 1902, he founded the present Farmers & Merchants Bank and remained a cashier with the bank until his retirement in 1949. He also owned and operated the Darlington Waterworks which he founded in 1894, the same year he pioneered telephone service here, operating it until Indiana Bell bought the company in 1954. In 1965, Mr. Peterson was awarded a 60 year pin from the State Board of Health for having the longest record of any waterworks operator in Indiana. He was president of the Darlington Carnegie Library Board from 1915 when it began until 1947. He was also former secretary of the Armory Club, an ex-trustee of the former Darlington Presbyterian Church and had served as president of the Crawfordsville Country Club. Reared in the Potato Creek Neighborhood he was graduated from HS in Indianapolis and from New Albany Business College in 1889. In 1892, he was married to Nora Hunt who died in 1914. His second marriage was in 1916 to Jessie Cunningham of Darlington who survives. The couple celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in 1966. Also surviving is a son, Henry H. of South Bend.