Herman Peterson was a carpenter and a member of Carpenters Local 87 though he identified himself as a "planer" in both the 1899 and 1900 (when he was living at 643 Wells with his brother,August, also a Capitol worker) CDs. He was born in Sweden in 1873 and emigrated in 1892. He worked on the Capitol for many years and is listed as a carpenter in the 1904-5 Payroll records.