Walter H. Petersen Biography >From "History of Davenport and Scott County" Vol. II by Harry E. Downer-S. J. Clarke Publishing Co. 1910 Chicago. Surnames: Petersen, Runge, Littig, Chamberlin, Cass. Although one of the younger members of the Davenport bar, Walter H. Petersen has made a creditable record as one whose ability enables him to successfully cope with the intricate problems of jurisprudence and to meet in forensic combat those who have long been established in practice. He was born in Davenport, October 6, 1877, and is a son of Max D. and Caroline (Runge) Petersen, by whom excellent educational privileges were afforded him. After passing through consecutive grades in the public schools to his graduation from the high school with the class of 1895, he pursued an academic course in the State University and afterward entered the law school of the same institution, form which he was graduated with the Bachelor of Law degree in the class of 1901. He further prepared for his profession in the Harvard Law School at Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he won his diploma in 1902. In October of the same year Mr. Petersen opened an office in Davenport and soon formed a partnership with Victor L. Littig, under the firm style of Littig & Petersen. Subsequently he was associated with W. M. Chamberlin an the firm of Chamberlin & Petersen enjoyed a growing practice until June 15, 1907, when they severed their interests and Mr. Petersen has since practiced alone. Success has attended him and he credits any such favors of fortune to the habits of careful preparation, study of his cases from the side of law and evidence, the arrangement of the points of argument and strict attention to business. He possesses, moreover, superior oratorical ability, his fine voice giving power to his natural eloquence and thus he has won the reputation of being remarkably successful with juries and a skillful cross examiner. He is a young man of high ideals in his profession and in the seven years of his practice in Davenport has made steady progress. He is seldom, if ever, at! fault in the application of a legal principle and his careful analysis enables him to readily determine the salient points in the case and to give relative value to each point in his argument before court of jury. On the 10th of June, 1903, Mr. Petersen was married to Miss Mary Cass, a native of Chicago. He belongs to the Commercial Club and to various social organizations, including the Rock Island, the Outing, Automobile and Arsenal Golf Clubs-associations which indicate much of the nature of his interests and recreation. He is also identified with business organizations and he attends the Episcopal church. In his political views he is a pronounced republican and has done much active campaign work. He does with all of his might and with a sense of conscientious obligation whatever his hand finds to do and is a social, genial, generous man, enthusiastically devoted to the interests of his native city and taking a share in all of its business and social life. ~~~~~~*~~~~~~ Elaine Rathmann ACC Scott Co, IA USGenWeb Project List Adm: *IA-CIVIL-WAR *IA-DANES