Fred Peters
Encyclopedia
Frederick “Fred” Peters was mayor of Murray, Utah
, United States
, from 1932 to 1934. He was born at Gelderland
, Netherlands
and came to Utah
at the age of 1. As a young man he worked as a "moler" for the Union Pacific Railway. He later entered the mattress and upholstery business, and eventually started a wallpaper and interior decorating business. In 1912 he became City Marshal
, and held this office until 1916. From 1916 to 1931, Peters was the Health Officer for the city. During his administration, the new Murray city electric power plant was completed.
He was an officer in the local Fraternal Order of Eagles
. He was also a member of the State Firemen’s Association as he was a volunteer in the Murray Fire Department, Yeoman(fraternal order), and Woodmen of the World
.
He was most noted for apprehending labor activist Joe Hill
, who was charged with murdering a grocer in downtown Salt Lake City. Peters, while as City Marshal, shot Hill in the hand when Hill tried to escape from a boardinghouse window, and turned Hill over to Officer Blaine L. Baxter of the Salt Lake City police department.
Murray, Utah
Murray is a city situated on the Wasatch Front in the core of Salt Lake Valley in the U.S. state of Utah. Named for territorial governor Eli Murray, it is the state's fourteenth largest city. According to the 2010 census, Murray has approximately 46,746 residents.Murray is close to Salt Lake City,...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, from 1932 to 1934. He was born at Gelderland
Gelderland
Gelderland is the largest province of the Netherlands, located in the central eastern part of the country. The capital city is Arnhem. The two other major cities, Nijmegen and Apeldoorn have more inhabitants. Other major regional centers in Gelderland are Ede, Doetinchem, Zutphen, Tiel, Wijchen,...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and came to Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
at the age of 1. As a young man he worked as a "moler" for the Union Pacific Railway. He later entered the mattress and upholstery business, and eventually started a wallpaper and interior decorating business. In 1912 he became City Marshal
Marshal
Marshal , is a word used in several official titles of various branches of society. The word is an ancient loan word from Old French, cf...
, and held this office until 1916. From 1916 to 1931, Peters was the Health Officer for the city. During his administration, the new Murray city electric power plant was completed.
He was an officer in the local Fraternal Order of Eagles
Fraternal Order of Eagles
Fraternal Order of Eagles International is a fraternal organization that was founded on February 6, 1898, in Seattle, Washington by a group of six theater owners including John Cort , brothers John W. and Tim J. Considine, Harry Leavitt , Mose Goldsmith and Arthur Williams...
. He was also a member of the State Firemen’s Association as he was a volunteer in the Murray Fire Department, Yeoman(fraternal order), and Woodmen of the World
Woodmen of the World
Woodmen of the World is a fraternal organization based in Omaha, Nebraska, United States, that operates a large privately held insurance company for its members....
.
He was most noted for apprehending labor activist Joe Hill
Joe Hill
Joe Hill, born Joel Emmanuel Hägglund in Gävle , and also known as Joseph Hillström was a Swedish-American labor activist, songwriter, and member of the Industrial Workers of the World...
, who was charged with murdering a grocer in downtown Salt Lake City. Peters, while as City Marshal, shot Hill in the hand when Hill tried to escape from a boardinghouse window, and turned Hill over to Officer Blaine L. Baxter of the Salt Lake City police department.