An early settler and land developer in Burnett County, Wisconsin, Edward L. Peet was born in Oneota (now Duluth), Minnesota, on August 7, 1859. He was the third son of the Reverend and Mrs. James Peet, natives of New York state. Because his father was an itinerant Methodist preacher, Edward and his family moved frequently during his childhood years. Educated in Dakota and Anoka Counties, Minnesota, Edward became interested in journalism, and joined the Anoka Union in 1873. Peet also began a career in show business at this time, giving magic lantern shows before country schools and acting as an advance man for traveling entertainers. He eventually worked with several Minnesota newspapers, and was co-founder of the Hennepin County Fireside and the Dassel Anchor.
During the 1880's, Peet dabbled briefly in real estate in Nebraska and Minneapolis. After his marriage in 1893 to Nettie E. Montgomery (1865-1955), Edward and his bride moved from Minneapolis to Grantsburg in Burnett County, Wisconsin. Here Peet resumed his career in journalism, founding the Journal of Burnett County in 1895. He remained sole editor and publisher of the paper until 1904. As editor of the Journal, Peet was active in promotion of the county's development. In 1902 as Secretary of the Burnett County Board of Immigration, he compiled and edited the pamphlet, Burnett County, a pamphlet descriptive of Northern Wisconsin in general and Burnett County in detail, in order to promote settlement in the cutover region. In 1904 Peet and his family established a homestead in the county on the Clam River. When the Soo Line Railroad was extended north of Grantsburg in 1911, Peet was quick to seize on the possibilities and helped to found and promote the town of Danbury. Here the family opened a hotel, livery barn, and real estate office.
In 1917 Peet moved his wife and five children back to Minneapolis. Here he formed a partnership with Dr. L. H. Kohler, founding the Kohler-Peet Company, an investment firm specializing in Wisconsin and northern Minnesota lands. Most of their plans centered around the company's 4,000 acres of land along the St. Croix, Clam and Yellow Rivers. Peet wanted to develop an elaborate tourist resort on these lands. He was also in charge of the lumber and cranberry operations on sections of this property. His partner, Kohler, seems to have furnished most of the financial backing for these ventures. The Clam River project, however, was never realized.
During his life, Peet was also active in Republican politics. He served as a delegate to state and national conventions and was an elector for Wisconsin in the 1904 presidential election. Peet also was appointed to the Wisconsin State Canal Commission serving from 1914 to 1915.
During his last years Peet suffered from economic problems as well as the physical infirmities of diabetes and rheumatism. Edward L. Peet died at Minneapolis in 1929.
