BIO: Solomon PECK, Centre County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Patty Millich

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Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania: Including 
the Counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion: Containing 
Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens, Etc. 
Chicago: J. H. Beers, 1898.
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  SOLOMON PECK, senior member of the well-known mercantile firm of Peck 
& Son, has been prominently identified with the commercial, industrial 
and agricultural interest of Huston, Centre county, and vicinity for 
many years.  His honorable business methods and untiring energy have 
brought to him a well-merited success, and have been of material 
benefit to the community by advancing its interests.
  A native of Pennsylvania, he was born in Dauphin county, September 
21, 1837, and in 1846 was brought to Centre county by his parents, 
Simon and Mary Ann (Singer) Peck, the former a native of Dauphin 
county, and the latter of Perry county, Penn.  His paternal 
grandparents, Conrad and Barbara (Lyter) Peck were also born in Dauphin 
county.
  Our subject is second in order of birth in a family of eleven 
children, as follows: (1) Sarah A., is the wife of George Rossman, a 
laborer of Illinois, to which State they removed in 1888, and they have 
five children.  (3) Anna M. is the wife of Ira. C. Walker, a farmer, by 
whom she has one child and they removed from Centre county to Illinois 
in 1865.  (4) Conrad, born April 23, 1841, married Lydia Arney of 
Centre Hall, Centre county, by whom he has three daughters, and they 
have made their home upon a farm in Kansas since 1883.  (5) Catharine, 
born September 6, 1843, is the wife of Nathaniel Bowersox, a farmer of 
Brush Valley, Centre county, and they have eight children.  (6) Anna E. 
is the wife of J. I. Jones, a farmer by whom she has two children, and 
they have lived in Kansas since 1887.  (7) Joseph, born August 15, 
1848, married Minerva Spangler, by 

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.  230

whom he has two daughters, and is a farmer of Kansas, to which State he 
removed in 1878.  (8) Barbara, born May 11, 1851, married Samuel 
Leopold of Sugar Valley, Penn., but they now live on a farm in 
Missouri.  (9) Martin, born December 2, 1853, married Magdalene Weaver, 
by whom he has two daughters and on leaving Centre county in 1880 went 
to Kansas, but finally located upon a farm in Missouri.  (10) Austin, a 
farmer of Illinois, born June 25, 1857, married Alice Snyder, by whom 
he has one son.  (11) Myron, born May 20, 1860, is married and living 
upon a farm in Kansas.
  After obtaining a good practical education in the common schools of 
Centre county, Mr. Peck, the subject of this review, learned the 
cabinet maker's trade, at which he worked until 1885, when he embarked 
in merchandising in Huston; he is also engaging in undertaking and 
farming.  He is a wide-awake, enterprising business man, of known 
reliability, and his straightforward, honorable course has gained him 
the confidence of all with whom he has come in contact.  He married 
Miss May E., daughter of John Wolf, of Miles township, Centre county, 
and they have one child, Edwin J., who was born June 18, 1860, and is 
now connected with his father in business.  On May 23, 1893, the son 
was wedded to Miss Tillie E. Yearick, a daughter of Henry Yearick, a 
retired farmer of Marion, Centre county.  One child blesses this union  
- Earl Henry, born June 24, 1894.
  A man of broad and liberal views, well informed on the leading issues 
and questions of the day, our subject is one of the prominent, 
influential citizens of Walker township.  In connection with his store 
in Huston, he also owns a fine farm just a half mile from the city 
limits, but makes his home in the village.  A strong Democrat in 
politics, he has been honored by his party with several official 
positions of honor and trust, including those of county auditor, 
overseer of the poor, school director, and justice of the peace for the 
past fifteen years, and it is needless to say that his duties were ever 
promptly and faithfully performed.  Religiously he holds membership in 
the German Reformed Church.  He bears a remarkable resemblance to 
Governor Altgeld of Illinois.