William's immediate relatives including parents, siblings, partnerships and children in the Peters family tree.

William's Family

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Photos and snapshots taken of William Warner Peters, his Peters family, and locations and places or events from his life.

William & Mary (Cosner) Peters

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Refresh this page to see various historical events that occurred during William's lifetime.

In 1848, in the year that William Warner Peters was born, on February 2nd, the Mexican–American War ended with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. The Rio Grande River became the border for Texas and California and parts of Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, and Wyoming became US territory. Ninety percent of the population in those areas chose to become US citizens.

In 1880, he was 32 years old when on February 4th, five members of one family in Ontario, Canada were killed and their farm was burned by a mob. Called the Black Donnelly Massacre, the Irish family had been feuding with other citizens of the town. No one was ever convicted.

In 1900, at the age of 52 years old, William was alive when when Floradora opened on Broadway. A huge success in London - opening in 1899 and running for 455 performances - the musical was even more successful in New York - running for 552 performances. The "Floradora girls" were the hit of the show - a "sextette of tall, gorgeous damsels, clad in pink walking costumes, black picture hats and carrying frilly parasols who swished onto the stage and captivated New York for no other reason than they were utterly stunning" ("tall and gorgeous" translated to 5'4"). A sensation, each Floradora girl was said to have married a millionaire.

In 1926, at the age of 78 years old, William was alive when on October 31st, Harry Houdini died in Michigan. Houdini was the most famed magician of his time and perhaps of all time, especially for his acts involving escapes - from handcuffs, straitjackets, chains, ropes slung from skyscrapers, and more. He was president of the Society of American Magicians and stringently upheld professional ethics. He died of complications from a ruptured appendix. Although he had received a blow to the area a couple of days previously, the connection between the blow and his appendicitis is disputed.

In 1934, in the year of William Warner Peters's passing, on July 22nd, gangster John Dillinger was killed in Chicago. His gang had robbed banks and police stations, among other charges, and he was being hunted by J. Edgar Hoover, head of the FBI - although many in the public saw him as a "Robin Hood". A madam from a brothel in which he was hiding became an informer for the FBI and, after a shootout with FBI agents, Dillinger was shot and died.