Peder Paulson, a prominent farmer and Butler county pioneer is one of the large land owners of this county, and it may be said that all of his vast acres have been accumulated by his own industry and unaided efforts. Mr. Paulson was born near the city of Alborg, in the southern part of Denmark, October 4, 1849, and is a son of Paul and Anna (Neshbey) Anderson. According to the Danish custom Peder Paulson was named Paulson, that being the Christian name and a part of the surname of his father.

In 1867, when Peder Paulson was seventeen years old, he immigrated to America with his father, and after landing here went directly from New York to Chicago. Here young Paulson obtained employment, working on the streets. At that time he was unable to speak a word of

English, and he met a number of his countrymen who had been in this country for ten or twelve years, who understood the English language no better than he. This condition did not appeal to him, as he realized that to make progress in this country it was necessary to learn the language. Accordingly, he left Chicago and went to Wilmington, Ill., and got employment from a man who spoke English, working for him about a year at $15 per month. During that time he applied himself to the study of English in conversation, as well as making use of school books, until at the end of the year he was able to speak English quite well.

He then secured another position at an advanced salary and in 1870, he and his brother came to Kansas, coming by rail as far as Emporia, and taking the stage from there to El Dorado. He came here for the purpose of getting some land, and after working a short time on a hay farm, he homesteaded a quarter section in Towanda township which he owns. He engaged in farming and stock raising, and as prosperity came he bought more land from time to time, and now owns 2,000 acres and is one of the large farmers and cattlemen of the county. His land is well improved with fences, buildings, etc., and most of it is under a high state of cultivation. He has raised cattle and hogs extensively, as well as followed general farming, and is one of the large wheat growers of the county.

Mr. Paulson was married in 1873 to Miss Ida Margon, who died in February, 1886. In the following December, he was united in marriage with Miss Martha Jones, a daughter of William and Elizabeth (Braden) Jones, the former a native of Kentucky, who when a boy migrated to Indiana with his parents and settled in Decatur county, and later removed to Green county, where he grew to manhood and met and married Elizabeth Braden. She was a native of Ohio and a daughter of Edward Braden of Tennessee. There were nine children in the Jones family. They came to Butler county in 1876. The following children were born to Mr. Paulson's first marriage: William J., Pearl A., C. H., and Anna May, now the wife of A. W. Tierle, and Emmet P., all of whom reside in Butler county.

Mr. Paulson is not only a successful farmer and stock raiser but he is active and influential in local politics, he is a Republican, and in 1904 was elected county commissioner of Butler county, and served on that board when the splendid new court house was built at El Dorado. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America.

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