Svend Petersen (March 13, 1911 – January 18, 1992) was a

Danish Danish may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the country of Denmark People * A national or citizen of Denmark, also called a "Dane," see Demographics of Denmark * Culture of Denmark * Danish people or Danes, people with a Danish a ...

-born author, political researcher and analyst, Trans-O-Gram puzzle creator, one of the four founding officers of The Red Circle of Washington, D.C., and a member of

The Baker Street Irregulars The Baker Street Irregulars is an organization of Sherlock Holmes enthusiasts founded in 1934 by Christopher Morley. The nonprofit organization currently numbers some 300 individuals worldwide. The group has published ''The Baker Street Journal' ...

Early life and career

Svend was born on March 13, 1911, in

Kolding Kolding () is a Danish seaport located at the head of Kolding Fjord in the Region of Southern Denmark. It is the seat of Kolding Municipality. It is a transportation, commercial, and manufacturing centre, and has numerous industrial companies, ...

, Denmark, the son of Karen Elizabeth and Alarius Peter Vilhelm Petersen. At 10 months of age, his parents immigrated with him to the United States, arriving at

Ellis Island Ellis Island is a federally owned island in New York Harbor, situated within the U.S. states of New York and New Jersey, that was the busiest immigrant inspection and processing station in the United States. From 1892 to 1954, nearly 12 mi ...

April 20, 1912, on board the

RMS Celtic (1901) RMS ''Celtic'' was an ocean liner owned by the White Star Line. The first ship larger than by gross register tonnage (it was also longer), ''Celtic'' was the first of a quartet of ships over 20,000 tons, the dubbed The Big Four.* She was ...

. Little is known about his early life until about 1920 where the US Federal Census finds him living in Salem, Kenosha, Wisconsin with his mother, sister, brother and Uncle. His father is believed to have died a year earlier. In 1925 the Iowa State Census finds him living Newell, Buena Vista, Iowa with his sister Helen. The whereabouts of his mother are unknown at this point. The 1930 US Federal Census finds him renting a room in Newell, Buena Vista, Iowa. From late 1950 through the 1970s Svend worked in a political research capacity for several Republican Congressmen.

Published books

* ''The testamentary capacity of Sherlock Holmes ;: Parallel case ; The unwritten canon lore'', 1953 * ''I claim urgency!'', 1953 * ''A statistical history of our Presidential elections'', 1955 * ''A Sherlock Holmes Almanac'', 1956 * ''Mark Twain & the Government'', 1960 * ''House of Representatives voting records for 1959'', 1960 * ''House of Representatives voting records for 1960'', 1960 * ''A Statistical History of the American Presidential Elections'', 1963 * ''The Gettysburg Addresses The Story of Two Orations'', 1963 * ''A Statistical History of the American Presidential Elections.'', 1968 * ''Trans-o-grams: Fifty brand new, hitherto unpublished puzzles, containing quotes of historical, political and Biblical interest, interspersed with poetical wit and humor'', 1973 * ''A Statistical History of the American Presidential Elections: With Supplementary Tables Covering 1968-1980'', 1981

Other published works

* ''The Little Rock against the Big Rock'', 1943 * ''Arkansas' Favorite Son'', 1944 * ''Arkansas State Tuberculosis Sanatorium: The Nation's Largest'', 1946 * ''Arkansas in Presidential Elections'', 1963 * ''President Carter and the Honeymooners'', National Review, 1977

Family and death

On September 4, 1937, Svend married Mary Agnes Ates.
Arkansas Marriage Index, 1933-1939" Mary is the niece of Roscoe Ates, Roscoe Blevel Ates. Svend and Mary produced three children – two boys and one girl. Svend died on January 18, 1992, of natural causes in Seminole, Florida.

Historical importance

While Svend never played a 'front stage' role in American Politics, his dedication to research helped public officials clearly articulate issues affecting the United States. His writings are frequently referenced by political pundits, college students writing papers and researches seeking statistical clarity on our political history. He was a man with merely a high school education but a superior intellect and a strong desire to help his country succeed.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Petersen, Svend NMN 1911 births 1992 deaths People from Kolding Danish emigrants to the United States American political scientists 20th-century Danish non-fiction writers Sherlock Holmes scholars Puzzle designers American non-fiction writers 20th-century American writers Male non-fiction writers 20th-century political scientists