Peck, John E. 1832 – 1913

PECK, EDWARDS, BARNES, IRVIN, FARNSWORTH

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 9/26/2020 at 11:34:42

Source: Cresco Plain Dealer Dec. 5, 1913, P-3, C-3

Peck.
John E. Peck was born in Dixville, Town of Marshall, Oneida county, N. Y., on Nov. 16, 1832. He was the son of Edward and Mary Eastman Peck, both of whom were natives of New York state. He was of the eighth generation in lineal descent from Deacon Paul Peck of Rev. Thomas Hooker’s church, who settled in Hartford, Conn., in 1636.
Born of this sturdy Puritan ancestry, his great-grandfather having been Zebulon Peck of Bristol, Conn., a man of prominence and much influence in his time, and ihs{sic} great-grandmother, Mary Edwards, of the Jonathan Edwards family, Mr. Peck inherited strong convictions and earnest opinions upon all topics.
Mr. Peck showed his qualities early in life, when desiring an education in the advanced schools he worked to gather money with which to attend school, attended until his funds were exhausted, returned to work to get another footing in order to continue. He weighed and measured and formed his opinions after mature deliberation and although hard to move from his moorings he was always ready to be convinced and would go where he saw that duty called. He always was charitable enough to give others the benefit of the doubt in the interest of peace and harmony. His nobility of character, strict integrity and firm ideas of honor, made his judgment of greatest value, and often sought not only by individuals, but by the county and village of his adoption, Cresco and Howard county, both of which he served in official capacity.
When he was 19 years of age he moved to Chicago where he was employed for a time with a lumber firm and in the year 1853 he moved to Janesville, Wis., and engaged in the lumber business. Here he continue until 1856, when he moved to McGregor, Iowa. He then helped to blaze the trail across the planes and was among the earliest to ascend Pikes Peak.
When he heard the call of his nation he took up arms to help save the union, enlisting in Co. I, 27th Iowa Inf., serving until the close of the war when he received an honorable discharge. Soon after enlistment he was promoted from a second to a first lieutenantcy.
At the close of the war he engaged in the lumber business at Conover and in 1866 came to Cresco, identifying himself with the lumber trade. In 1874 he entered the machinery business in which he continued until he was elected county auditor.
Mr. Peck was a member of the Congregational church and has been active in its labors for the greater portion of his life.
He was married to Mary E. Barnes Dec. 29, 1857. To this union were born three children all of whom survive the father and have been with him during the past few weeks, Mrs. Addie B. Irvin, Charles B. Peck and Mrs. Louisa M. Farnsworth. On the 11th day of April 1912, he laid the remains of his life companion away, since which time he has waited the call to join her in other and better realms.
The most enduring monument that a man can rear is not a palatial residence, is not a vast fortune in gold, but is the living monument of his children following in the noble paths of rectitude and honor. Thus judged he has done well.
After weeks of waiting for the call to come up higher he closed his eyes on time to open them on eternity, on Saturday night, Nov. 29th, 1913.
The funeral services were held in the Congregational church on Monday, Dec. 1st, the pastor, Dr. D. T. Robertson, officiating, the Masonic fraternity, of which he was a member, having charge of the services and committing his body to its last resting place in Oak Lawn cemetery.

Oak Lawn Cemetery
 

Howard Obituaries maintained by Constance McDaniel Hall.
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