Peterson Couple Married 82 Years ~~ A World Record ~ Statue by Avard T. Fairbanks ~~~ Located at the Fairview Museum of History and Art

The following comes from The Deseret News July 1999

Love and marriage is what they are at the end of the 20th century, it may be hard for some minds to grasp the idea of staying together for nearly 82 years the way Peter and Celestia Peterson did. Both born in 1860 in what is now Fairview in Sanpete County -- Peter was the first boy born there, Celestia the second girl -- the Petersons set a record for the longest marriage on record in this country and maybe even the world.

Dreams and hopes, not records, of course, were on their minds when they set off to be married in St. George Temple in 1878. By that time, Peter was a clerk in Swen Nielson's store in Fairview and jumped at the chance to take a load of grain to Silver Reef so that he could earn money to pay for his marriage and honeymoon trip. Celestia had gone to St. George two months earlier. The couple was united on Dec. 11, 1878.In family histories, Celestia remembered how they "cousins" all the way home. "In the days before hotels and motels, travelers stayed with friends, cousins or other relatives along the way. That's how we spent our eight-day honeymoon." She also recalled only one incident that marred the trip. A windstorm came up and blew Peter's hat away across the desert. Because they had no money to buy another one, he made the rest of the journey bareheaded.

The Petersons' lives were not only filled with devotion to each other but also encompass much of the history of Fairview. Peter was called on a mission to Virginia for the LDS Church in 1888. By that time the family had five children and $20 to their names. Upon Peter's return, they were called again to live in nearby Indianola, working there for 10 years. Otherwise, their lives were spent in Fairview.

Five more children were added to the family. They lived off the land as farmers, but Peter also worked as a shoemaker, dentist, schoolteacher, road supervisor, and musician. At age 53, Peter survived being struck by lightning. At age 84, he retired from farming but kept cows and chickens until he was 88. He renewed his driver's license at age 96 -- and didn't even need glasses.