Peter and his brothers were left destitute by their parents in New York City--they lived in the infamous "Five Corners" slum, and were institutionalized in the "Five Points House of Industry"--one of the 19th Century's social orphanages. It is unknown at this time whether the boys were taken from their parents' home in the slums because Mina and Peter, Sr., were unable to care for them, or if Mina died, leaving Peter unable to care or provide for five children. Four of the five brothers were "placed out" on one of the famous Orphan Trains in hopes that families in the midwest would be willing to foster or adopt these children. Peter was fostered by a family in Spring Valley, MN, keeping his last name. His brothers, Charles, James and Jacob also found homes in MN, MO. and Iowa. Baby Frank was taken in by his mother's brother, Ignatius Schrieber.
Peter answered his country's call during the Spanish American War in 1898. He joined Co F, 12th MN Infantry Reg't as a private on 20 June 1898 for a term of two years. He traveled to Camp George H. Thomas in Chickamauga Park in Georgia for training, but was never deployed to Cuba. Complaints by influential commanders such as Col. Teddy Roosevelt that troops were dying at an alarming rate from disease resulted in soldiers being withdrawn from that country before Peter could get there.
Peter afterwards joined the Second Inf. Regt, MN National Guard as a corporal, in 1899. He was promoted to sergeant in Co. F, same unit on 24 June 1899.
Peter married Miss Maud Mae Ecklor in Fillmore Co., MN., 29 March 1900. Peter worked as a farm laborer, and eventually worked for the railroad as a boiler engineer on the railroad in Winona, MN. Maud and Peter had six children, Walter, Gladys, Doris, Grace, Clarence, and their first child, a newborn son who died.
In 1924 Peter died as a result of cirrhosis of the liver. Peter's family moved to the Milwaukee area and his wife, Maud never remarried. She eventually moved to Marin Co., CA, dying in 1961. She was brought back to Winona, MN to lie beside her husband.
Peter answered his country's call during the Spanish American War in 1898. He joined Co F, 12th MN Infantry Reg't as a private on 20 June 1898 for a term of two years. He traveled to Camp George H. Thomas in Chickamauga Park in Georgia for training, but was never deployed to Cuba. Complaints by influential commanders such as Col. Teddy Roosevelt that troops were dying at an alarming rate from disease resulted in soldiers being withdrawn from that country before Peter could get there.
Peter afterwards joined the Second Inf. Regt, MN National Guard as a corporal, in 1899. He was promoted to sergeant in Co. F, same unit on 24 June 1899.
Peter married Miss Maud Mae Ecklor in Fillmore Co., MN., 29 March 1900. Peter worked as a farm laborer, and eventually worked for the railroad as a boiler engineer on the railroad in Winona, MN. Maud and Peter had six children, Walter, Gladys, Doris, Grace, Clarence, and their first child, a newborn son who died.
In 1924 Peter died as a result of cirrhosis of the liver. Peter's family moved to the Milwaukee area and his wife, Maud never remarried. She eventually moved to Marin Co., CA, dying in 1961. She was brought back to Winona, MN to lie beside her husband.
Peter and his brothers were left destitute by their parents in New York City--they lived in the infamous "Five Corners" slum, and were institutionalized in the "Five Points House of Industry"--one of the 19th Century's social orphanages. It is unknown at this time whether the boys were taken from their parents' home in the slums because Mina and Peter, Sr., were unable to care for them, or if Mina died, leaving Peter unable to care or provide for five children. Four of the five brothers were "placed out" on one of the famous Orphan Trains in hopes that families in the midwest would be willing to foster or adopt these children. Peter was fostered by a family in Spring Valley, MN, keeping his last name. His brothers, Charles, James and Jacob also found homes in MN, MO. and Iowa. Baby Frank was taken in by his mother's brother, Ignatius Schrieber.
Peter answered his country's call during the Spanish American War in 1898. He joined Co F, 12th MN Infantry Reg't as a private on 20 June 1898 for a term of two years. He traveled to Camp George H. Thomas in Chickamauga Park in Georgia for training, but was never deployed to Cuba. Complaints by influential commanders such as Col. Teddy Roosevelt that troops were dying at an alarming rate from disease resulted in soldiers being withdrawn from that country before Peter could get there.
Peter afterwards joined the Second Inf. Regt, MN National Guard as a corporal, in 1899. He was promoted to sergeant in Co. F, same unit on 24 June 1899.
Peter married Miss Maud Mae Ecklor in Fillmore Co., MN., 29 March 1900. Peter worked as a farm laborer, and eventually worked for the railroad as a boiler engineer on the railroad in Winona, MN. Maud and Peter had six children, Walter, Gladys, Doris, Grace, Clarence, and their first child, a newborn son who died.
In 1924 Peter died as a result of cirrhosis of the liver. Peter's family moved to the Milwaukee area and his wife, Maud never remarried. She eventually moved to Marin Co., CA, dying in 1961. She was brought back to Winona, MN to lie beside her husband.
Peter answered his country's call during the Spanish American War in 1898. He joined Co F, 12th MN Infantry Reg't as a private on 20 June 1898 for a term of two years. He traveled to Camp George H. Thomas in Chickamauga Park in Georgia for training, but was never deployed to Cuba. Complaints by influential commanders such as Col. Teddy Roosevelt that troops were dying at an alarming rate from disease resulted in soldiers being withdrawn from that country before Peter could get there.
Peter afterwards joined the Second Inf. Regt, MN National Guard as a corporal, in 1899. He was promoted to sergeant in Co. F, same unit on 24 June 1899.
Peter married Miss Maud Mae Ecklor in Fillmore Co., MN., 29 March 1900. Peter worked as a farm laborer, and eventually worked for the railroad as a boiler engineer on the railroad in Winona, MN. Maud and Peter had six children, Walter, Gladys, Doris, Grace, Clarence, and their first child, a newborn son who died.
In 1924 Peter died as a result of cirrhosis of the liver. Peter's family moved to the Milwaukee area and his wife, Maud never remarried. She eventually moved to Marin Co., CA, dying in 1961. She was brought back to Winona, MN to lie beside her husband.
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