Annette J. Benson

Other Events and Attributes:

• Census: 1930, Queens, Queens County, New York; : 10; Address:
  6120 43rd Avenue
• Census: 1940, New York City, New York County, New York; : 20; Address:
  1c Riverside Drive
• Miscellaneous: 13 Jun 2019, Concord, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
• Last Full Review: 4 Oct 2020

Notes:

Census:
She was recorded while living with her parents.

Census:
She was recorded while living with her parents. She was a clerk.

Miscellaneous:
In what’s lovingly called the “mouse workshop” in Carlisle, painters carefully paint tiny collectible mice and other animals for the local, family owned, worldwide business Wee Forest Folk.

The workshop opens weekly for tours, but on June 13 the workshop opened its doors for a special purpose -- the celebration of Concord resident and founder of Wee Forest Folk Annette Peterson’s 100th birthday.

The workshop held a two-day event with morning and evening sessions to accommodate all the guests. At least 90 Wee Forest Folk collectors came to celebrate Peterson’s life with cake, a raffle, a custom mouse and a visit by the founder herself.

“It was the most wonderful two days I ever spent,” Peterson said. She said that some of the collectors have become good friends over many years of collecting her animals.

“We all got old but I got the oldest,” she said with a laugh.

Peterson grew up during the Great Depression and constantly moved among foster homes. In her 20s, she worked as a secretary in New York City.

Although Peterson never had any formal art training, she said she always liked to make art that made people happy. When Peterson worked for the Red Cross during World War II, she painted a scene of bunnies in the countryside on the wall. She said her coworkers enjoyed it and that “it was good to have a little foolishness” because the war was so devastating.

Annette married Richard Edward Petersen in 1949. Richard (son of Peverill Oscar Petersen and Alice Elizabeth Wilber) was born on 27 Jul 1921 in Concord, Middlesex County, Massachusetts; died on 16 Aug 2017 in Concord, Middlesex County, Massachusetts; was buried on 26 Aug 2017 in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, Concord, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. James Petersen
2. William Petersen
3. Donna Petersen

Other Events and Attributes:

• Census: 1930, Queens, Queens County, New York; : 32; Address:
  6120 43rd Avenue
• Census: 1940, New York City, New York County, New York; : 42; Address:
  1c Riverside Drive

Notes:

Census:
He was an electrician and a naturalized citizen.

Census:
He was the superintendent of an apartment house.

Walter married Julia. Julia was born about 1897 in Germany. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Census: 1930, Queens, Queens County, New York; : 33; Address:
  6120 43rd Avenue
• Census: 1940, New York City, New York County, New York; : 42; Address:
  1c Riverside Drive

Notes:

Census:
She was a naturalized citizen.