Peter Lahti, pioneer hunter and trapper, was born in Finland in 1834. As a young man he went to Norway. From Hammerfest, Norway, with his family, he set sail for the United States, landing at Montreal after a seven weeks' trip aboard a sailing vessel, going thence to Quebec, and thence to Chicago, from which city they came to St. Peter, Minnesota. He there enlisted in the First Minnesota Heavy Artillery and served ten months. In the fall of 1865 he came to Renville county and, in 1866, took a homestead of 160 acres in section 12, in Birch Cooley, township 112, range 34. There he established his home. He had a camp on the north side of Bird Island lake, and there he went yearly to hunt and trap. One year he brought home 9,000 muskrat skins in one load, which he sold at from 10 to 15 cents each. After a long and useful life he died July 17, 1911. His wife, Johanna, now lives with her son, Charles Lahti.