Mary Petersen

Tragedy struck the Petersen home in 1863, and five of their children died of diphtheria. Detlef, the eldest son, was stricken with the disease but survived. The order of their deaths were: Anna, Mary, Sophia, Dora, and finally Peter. Mary, the eldest daughter, was nine years and two days old at the time of her death. Genealogy of Peter Petersen by Calla M. Petersen