Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Peck, Charles 
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/il/ilfiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Deb Haines http://www.rootsweb.com/~archreg/vols/00003.html#0000719 February 2, 2008, 3:12 am

Author: Past & Present Will County, 1907

Charles Peck, living in Peotone township, was born in Kendall county, 
Illinois, in 1844. His father, Alonzo Peek, a native of Denmark, came to the 
United States with his parents, who settled upon a farm in Illinois. The son 
Alonzo received but limited educational privileges and in his youth his time 
was largely occupied with farm labor. Throughout his entirelife he carried on 
general agricultural pursuits and for many years lived upon a farm in Kendall 
county, where he died in 1868. He held membership in the Methodist Episcopal 
church, and his political allegiance was given to the republican party. His 
wife, who bore the maiden name of Elizabeth Bryant, was an earnest Christian 
woman, belonging to the Methodist Episcopal church, and in that faith passed 
away in 1869. In their family were ten children: Delilah, deceased; Charles, 
of this review; Mary and Albert, who have also passed away; Emily, a resident 
of Indiana; Henry, deceased; William, who makes his home in Indiana; James, a 
resident of Crawford county, Illinois; and Orson and Addie, of Indiana. Of 
this family Albert enlisted in Kendall county for service in the Civil war in 
1862, and went to the front with a cavalry regiment. Charles Peck was reared 
to farm life and attended the district schools. The occupation with which he 
became familiar in his youth he has always followed. He came to Will county 
about 1867, settling in Peotone and he now lives on section 21, where he owns 
and operates one hundred acres of land. Such a farm as this, free from all 
incumbrance, makes the owner a prosperous citizen because of the value of 
Illinois farming land, and in the cultivation of his fields Mr. Peck secures 
good harvests owing to the care and labor which he bestows upon the land. In 
1869 occurred the marriage of Charles Peck and Miss Mary Pearson, who was born 
in England in 1852 and came to the United States when six months old with her 
parents, Henry and Mary Pearson. They first located near Plainfield in 1861 
and from there removed to Peotone township, where Mr. Pearson lived up to the 
time of his death in the year 1896. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal 
church and was one of the pioneer farmers of the county. His family numbered 
seven children: Henry, deceased; Mary, now deceased; Mrs. Peck; Samuel; Eliza; 
Maria, who is living in Kansas; Sarah, also of Kansas; and George, deceased. 
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Peck have been born ten children: Eliza, who is the wife of 
George Croxen, of Peotone township; Emma J., the wife of John Baker, of Wilton 
township; Lizzie, who became the wife of Henry Munger but is now deceased; 
William, a bridge builder of Peotone; Alonzo, who also makes his home in 
Peotone; Albert, who lives on the old homestead farm; Rosa, the wife of 
William Crocker, of Wilton township; and Walter, Myrtle and Anna, all at home. 
The only interruption to Mr. Peck's farm work was his service as a soldier of 
the Civil war. Aroused by a spirit of patriotism he offered his services in 
defense of the Union and in the fall of 1861 enlisted at Geneva as a member of 
Company A, Fifty-second Illinois Infantry. He served for ten months and 
participated in the battle of Shiloh. Becoming ill with measles and typhoid 
fever he was rendered unfit for further field duty, his eyesight being almost 
ruined by the disease. He was then mustered out at Camp Douglas and returned 
to his home. He belongs to the Grand Army of the Republic and thus keeps in 
touch with the boys in blue who defended the old flag upon southern 
battlefields. His political views are in accord with the principles and policy 
of the republican party and he and his family attend the Methodist Episcopal 
church.

Additional Comments:
PAST AND PRESENT OF WILL COUNTY, ILLINOIS By W. W. Stevens President of the 
Will County Pioneers Association; Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing 
Company, 1907

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/will/bios/peck2445nbs.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/ilfiles/

File size: 4.5 Kb