Fred E. Peck Biography


	This biography is from "Memorial and biographical record; an illustrated
 	compendium of biography, containing a compendium of local biography,
	including biographical sketches of prominent old settlers and 
	representative citizens of South Dakota..." Published by G. A. Ogle & 
	Co., Chicago, 1899. Pages 718-719

	Scan, OCR and editing by Maurice Krueger,mkrueger@iw.net, 1998. 

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FRED E. PECK, proprietor and editor of the "Willow Lakes News," is one 
of the substantial citizens of Clark county. He is stanch in his 
principles, and stands for his convictions with a firmness worthy of 
emulation by the editors and proprietors of other sheets as well as the 
public in general. His career has been marked by a desire to further 
the interests of those for whom he had engaged his services, as well as 
for his personal gain, and he has acquired a knowledge of the vocation 
in which he has engaged which places him at the head of those who are 
followers of that calling. His paper is well-known not only in his 
immediate vicinity, but has a widespread circulation, and a name of 
which its proprietor may well be proud. It is among the brightest 
exchanges of the newspaper world, and advocates equity and justice. 

Mr. Peck was born in Lenawee county, Michigan, September 16, 1862. He 
was the second child and oldest son born to William A. and Frances E. 
(Hampton) Peck. His father is at present a resident of Michigan. When 
our subject was but a child the family settled in Kankakee, Illinois, 
and afterward moved to South Bend, Indiana, where our subject grew to 
manhood. At the age of seventeen years he began work on the "St. Joseph 
Valley Register" and was thus employed eight years, and was advanced to 
the position of foreman. He went to Clark, South Dakota, in the fall of 
1887 and established in the merchandise business and the year following 
removed to Willow Lakes, where he continued in business one year. He 
purchased the "Willow Lakes News" in 1891. That paper was established 
in 1888 by Thomas Hopp, and was afterward consolidated with "The 
Rustler," and edited as "The News-Rustler." Our subject adopted the 
original name, under which it is still published. 

Mr. Peck was married in 1889 to Miss Lucinda Miles. Five children have 
been born to bless the home of Mr. and Mrs. Peck, named as follows: 
Miles E., Belle N., Ralph E., deceased? Donald R. and Marjorie L. 

Our subject is a member of the Congregational church, and also holds 
membership in the Knights of Pythias lodge. He is a Republican in 
political faith and adheres to the principles of his party. As a 
prominent man he has a high place in the minds of the residents of his 
adopted village, and since taking up his abode in Willow Lakes has 
taken an active part in the advancement of the locality, and has won an 
honorable name as a citizen of that thriving village. He has combined 
integrity of word and deed with the three foundation stones of success, 
attention, method and industry, and his business transactions have met 
with a marked degree of success.