An Illustrated History of Central Oregon, Western Historical Publishing Company,
Spokane, WA. 1905, p. 220.

JOSEPH T. PETERS was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on June 21, 1856. His father,
George H. Peters, was born in the same city and his father, the grandfather of
our immediate subject, was also a native of that city, and followed contracting
and building. The father married Sarah Cordray, a native of Baltimore, as were
her ancestors for several generations back. Both ancestral families were
prominent Americans, and were well represented in the colonial struggles and the
war of independence. Concerning the youth of our subject, we are not specially
informed, but as his later life shows, he was the recipient of splendid training
and imbibed the stanch business principles that have won so well in the
commercial realm since. He was married on November 27, 1890, at The Dalles.
Oregon, to Lucy P. Wilson, whose parents, Joseph G. and Elizabeth (Miller)
Wilson, are especially mentioned in another portion of this work. The children
born to this marriage, are Helen A., Grace G., Elizabeth W., and Janet B. Mr.
Peters has the following named brothers and sisters: Winfield, a broker in
Baltimore; Helen, the wife of Ernest Nosworthy, a commercial traveller residing
in Denver, Colorado: and Mary, the wife of Elijah J. Bond, an attorney in
Washington, D. C. He is active for the welfare, advancement and improvement of
the town and county in which he resides, has held many positions connected with
public matters and is characterized by upright principles, by good business
ability, and by integrity.      

Mr. Peters is numbered with the leading citizens of the thriving town of The
Dalles, and is a man who has left his imprint for good on the business and
social world where he moves, arid as a man and good citizen is respected by his
many friends and associates.      

More especially regarding his business career, we note that Mr. Peters came from
Baltimore, Maryland, to The Dalles, in 1878. He left a position of five years
standing with a large house and in The Dalles accepted a place in a lumber yard,
to which new enterprise he adapted himself so well that he was soon given entire
charge of the business. Less than two years later he bought out the interests of
his employer and began handling lumber on commission, which was the start of his
present large lumber commission business, the largest of its kind in this
section. He employs at present twenty men. He is also director of The Dalles &
Rockland Steam Ferry Company, being also part owner, owns and operates several
wood schooners plying on the Columbia, a planing mill and box factory at The
Dalles, with his lumber yard, and deals in all kinds of building material and
hardware, utilized in this community. Mr. Peters personally directs all these
enterprises besides caring for his other property interests he has accumulated.
He is sole owner of the business although the firm name is Jos. T. Peters & Co.
Having begun without capital or friends, his success but shows what an
industrious and upright young man can do in Wasco county.



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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in January 2005 by Jeffrey L. Elmer. 
Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned
above.