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LaGrande Peterson Family Papers

 Collection
Identifier: UUS_COLL MSS 313

Scope and Contents

This ten-box collection contains the papers of LaGrande and Helen Peterson, Mrs. Peterson's mother Clara Bean, and their families, with the bulk of the collection consisting of the papers of Mr. and Mrs. Peterson. LaGrande's papers include his World War II correspondence to his wife, military papers and professional and personal papers. Helen's papers consist of correspondence, her college papers, professional papers and an autobiography. Clara Bean's papers consist of her college and personal writings (1920s and 30s) expressing feminist and religious views, correspondence, personal and professional papers. The remaining material includes Box Elder County legal and financial papers, family genealogical papers, and papers pertaining to the business of the Border Development Company and the Hotel Cazador in Mexico. This collection spans the time period 1901 to 1980.

Box One of the collection contains the World War II correspondence of LaGrande Peterson. Boxes Two and Three contain LaGrande's professional and personal papers, and box Three also contains the personal and professional papers of Helen Peterson. Box Four consists of papers concerning LaGrande's employer, Box Elder County and Bear River City papers. Box Five has the papers concerning Clara Bean's death. Box Six has the writings, college papers and correspondence of Clara Bean. Box Seven contains various family member's papers, genealogical papers and miscellaneous family correspondence. Box Eight includes the Border Development Co. and Hotel Cazador correspondence and legal papers. Box Nine is miscellaneous legal sized documents and Box Ten is oversized college diplomas, certificates and a check book.

Dates

  • 1901-1976

Language of Materials

Material in English

Conditions Governing Access

No restrictions on use, except: not available through interlibrary loan.

Conditions Governing Use

It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances.

Permission to publish material from the LaGrande Peterson Family Papers must be obtained from the Special Collections Manuscript Curator and/or the Special Collections Department Head.

Biographical Note

LaGrande Peterson was born July 20, 1904 in Brigham City, Utah the son of Silas Frank Thompson and Bolette Hansen Peterson. LaGrande served in the U.S. Army Signal corps during World War II. He was inducted June 23, 1942, and was trained in principles of electricity, messaging, radio and telephone schools and as a teletype operator. He was stationed in Camp Crowder, Missouri; Omaha, Nebraska; Camp Edwards, Massachusetts; and North Africa. While in Rabat, Morocco LaGrande received his release order due to being over 38 years old and was then sent to Casablanca to await his shipment home. He arrived in New York August 3, 1943, but did not return to Utah until October 1943. (For an autobiography of his Army services see Box 2 Folder 6). LaGrande attended school in Box Elder County, the Business College in Long Beach, California, and completed correspondence graduate courses in high accountancy, architecture, sign painting and showcard writing with LaSalle Extension University and International Correspondence schools. LaGrande was employed in Salt Lake City as a tax clerk and later as a cashier and tax clerk in Ogden with the Utah State Tax commission for a number of years. LaGrande served as Box Elder county treasurer for eight years before retiring in 1967. In Bear River City LaGrande served as clerk for his LDS (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) ward, town clerk and secretary of the Bear River Democratic Party. He was also the secretary-treasurer and director of the Acme Water Company, secretary of the Box Elder County Democratic party and was a charter member and treasurer of the Box Elder chapter of the American Association of Retired Persons. LaGrande passed away on August 22, 1990 in Brigham City. (Note to Researcher: In some instances Mr. Peterson's first name is listed as LeGrand or Le Grande rather than LaGrande).

Helen (Billie) V. Bean Peterson was born on February 11, 1908 in Payson, Utah to Roy Verdell Bean and Clara Eva Barnett Bean. Helen graduated from Provo Junior High School in 1923 (attended to Moapa Valley High School in 1923-24) and Payson High School in 1926. She also attended college off and on at Brigham Young University, Utah State Agricultural College (USU) and the University of Utah during the years of 1926 to 1943. She received her normal diploma (two year) in 1928 and a Bachelor of Science in 1933 from BYU. Billie was a teacher for 37 years, mainly teaching at the elementary school level. She began teaching in 1928 in Moroni, North Sanpete District, and then moved to Box Elder County; teaching in Fielding and Bear River City. A few years later Billie moved to Heber City and taught school there for six years. While living in Heber, Billie married LaGrande Peterson on May 24th of 1942. Shortly after their marriage LaGrande was drafted for World War II. After LaGrande returned from the war they moved to Bear River City. Billie was a teacher there until 1966 when she retired. After retiring she became an active member in the Bear River camp of the Daughters of Utah Pioneers. Billie was also an active member of the Brigham City branch of the American Association of University Women; she served in all offices except president. Billie passed away on February 21, 1990 in Brigham City, Utah and was buried in Bear River City, Utah.

Clara Eva Barnett Bean was born July 24, 1882 in Payson, Utah the daughter of Henry Westlake Barnett and Elizabeth (Eliza) Mitchell Barnett. Clara attended Brigham Young University, Utah State Agricultural College (USU) and the University of Utah. Clara attended BYU from 1910-1915, 1922-1923, 1930-1932, 1935 and in 1943. She attended classes at the University of Utah in the years 1913, 1917-1920, and 1942 summer and in 1947-1948. Clara took courses in spring 1946 and the summer of 1948 at USAC. Clara was a teacher in Payson and principal of the Central School until 1921. Clara also taught in Overton, Nevada at the Moapa Valley high school in 1932 and the Box Elder School District. Clara was married to Roy Verdell Bean on April 25th of 1907 in Salt Lake City, but they later divorced. They had only one child, Helen (Billie) Bean, with whom Clara remained very close all her life. Clara lived with her daughter in her later years due to illness. Clara was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Clara passed away on July 19, 1964.

Extent

10 boxes (5.75 linear feet)

Abstract

This collection contains the papers of LaGrande and Helen Peterson, Mrs. Peterson's mother Clara Bean, and their families

Arrangement

Arranged by subject matter and then chronologically.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The materials in this collection were donated to USU Special Collections in 1993 by John P. and Janice Holmgren.

Separated Materials

Photographs have been removed from this collection to form The LaGrande Peterson Family Photographc Collection P0110. USU Special Collections also contains a scrapbook of military veterans, which includes LaGrande's military background and picture, catalogued as MSS Coll 183: The Larene Braeger Scrapbook of Military Veterans of Box Elder County, Utah (LaGrande is the 6th entry in the scrapbook).

Sources: Obituaries

  • Box Elder News Journal , Brigham City, Utah. August 26, 1990.
  • Box Elder News Journal , Brigham City, Utah. February 28, 1990.
  • Box Elder News Journal , Brigham City, Utah. July 21, 1964, page 10.

Processing Information

Processed in November of 2006

Title
Guide to the LaGrande Peterson Family Papers 1901-1976
Author
Finding aid/Register created by Aleene Jones,
Date
©2011
Description rules
Finding Aid Based On Dacs (Describing Archives: A Content Standard)
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Finding aid encoded in English.

Revision Statements

  • 2009: Template information was updated to reflect Archives West best practice guidelines.

Repository Details

Part of the Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives Repository

Contact:
Merrill-Cazier Library
Utah State University
3000 Old Main Hill
Logan Utah 84322-3000 United States
435 797-8248
435 797-2880 (Fax)