Peter was born "Peter Potoile" in New York and migrated to Minnesota with his father who was a Canadian Fur Trader in Anoka, Mn in the year circa 1846. AFter he settled in Minnesota, he Americanized his name and went by the name Peter Patwell.
In the year 1862 Peter was in the Upper Sioux Agency in Yellow Medicine when the "Sioux Uprising 1862" took place.He was helping keep store for His Uncle Francois, who had a trading store at the agency. His uncle was killed by the Indians and left for dead while fleeing to New Ulm in his wagon.
Peter was shot while guarding his uncles trading store. He was left for dead and managed to hide in the water and escape. He walked for two weeks with a bullet wound in his chest and was found at a farmhouse in Sauk Center, Mn. He was put in a wagon and brought to St. Paul, Mn.
He and his brother Frederick then signed up with the Minnesota Mounted Rangers and went on the posse with General Custer to the Black Hills.
Peter met his wife Bertha in Stillwater. They married and lived out his live with his wife and children in East St. Paul, at 1913 Hyacinth, East St. Paul, Mn.
Peter was a machinist and worked at the "St. Paul Harvester Works" on the corner of N.Hazel St. and E. Mechanic Ave. E. St. Paul. Mn.
Peter died at 71 years of age of chronic inflammation of the heart "Myocarditits".

Military Service:
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MINN. CIVIL WAR / INDIAN WAR VETERANS. F. PATOILO 25 B. CANADA. CO. G. 1ST. MINN . MOUNTED RANGERS. ENLISTED OCT. 6, 1862 ST. PAUL. MINN.. CORPORAL. MUSTERED OUT 11-25-1863. PETER PATOILO 19 B. NY.. PVT. CO. G. 1ST. MINN. MOUNTED RANGERS. OCT. 25, 1862 - 11-28-1863. FEDERAL PENSION CARD INDEX. PETER PATOILE CO. G. 1ST. MINN. MOUNTED RANGERS. PENSION APPLICATION 2-29-1892 MINN.. WIDOW BERTHA APPLIED FOR PENSION 2-3-1912. MINN.. PENSION FILES ARE VERY DETAILED INF.

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