My Genealogy Hound

PETER C. BOASEN, a successful farmer and stock-raiser of Kearney county, was born in Denmark, November 4, 1842. His parents, Christen and Sicilia Boasen, were also natives of Denmark. His father was a tailor by trade and a noted musician. He was born in 1802 and his wife in 1804. They were married early in life and lived together almost sixty years. They had seven children, three boys and four girls, of whom two boys and two girls came to America. Peter Boasen worked out from the time he was fourteen years old till he was twenty-two, and the highest pay he received was $25 per year. He was industrious and economical and saved enough money to pay his way to America in 1866. He landed at Castle Garden, New York City, and immediately proceeded West as far as DeKalb county, Ill., where he secured employment at $17 per month. He worked steadily for seven months and saved every cent of his earnings. He came to Omaha in November, 1866, and engaged with a transfer company at $25 per month. Proving to be a trusty and faithful employee, his salary was increased to $30 at the end of three months and to $35 at the end of five months. He remained in the employ of this company three years, and then entered the service of Mr. Herman Kountce. president of the First National Bank of Omaha. His term of service here covered a period of three and one-half years. In the spring of 1873, Mr. Boasen visited his native country, being absent about six months. Previous to this time, however, he took a timber claim and purchased a quarter-section of railroad land in May township, Kearney county, Nebr. He had also secured a pre-emption in Saunders county.

Upon his return from Denmark he worked for the firm of Sheely Brothers, of Omaha, in whose employ he remained for two year’s. In 1876 he was appointed to the responsible position of gardener and chief engineer for the State Deaf and Dumb Asylum located near Omaha. In 1879 Mr. Boasen sold his farm in Saunders county, receiving $1,600 for it. He invested a portion of this sum in real estate in the suburbs of Omaha, and concluded to go into the gardening business, and, with that purpose in view, he purchased ten acres, for which he paid $60 per acre. He continued in this business for about seven years, when he sold this tract for the magnificent sum of $1,000 per acre. In 1882 he moved his family on his farm in Kearney county, where he has since resided. He now has seven hundred and twenty acres of splendid land, the greater portion of which is well improved.

Mr. Boasen was married, May 7, 1879, to Miss Maggie Corbid, a native of Ohio and of English descent. This union has been blessed with six children, namely — Charley C., Fannie, May, Irene, Frank and Herman. Mr. Boasen is an extensive raiser of stock and now has more than one hundred head of cattle. He is a breeder of thorough-bred Short-horn cattle and takes great pride in exhibiting his fine specimens.

In politics, Mr. Boasen is independent. He believes it to be his duty to honor God and to respect man, and he also believes that fair dealing makes long friendship.