Biography: The Peck Family - William, Henry, Hector - 1639 Article / FALL Issue 1998 By Alma Peck THE PECKS READ AT THE PECK-HIBBS REUNION WHICH INCLUDES IRWIN AND PFEIFFER FAMILIES AT MILL CREEK BAPTIST CHURCH IN RADCLIFF, KENTUCKY ON AUGUST 8, 1998 The first Peck's we have knowledge in the early times of this country are three brothers, William, Henry and Hector Peck, who came from England on the ship Hector to Boston, Massachusetts. They were among the first settlers of New Haven, Connecticut. They all signed the Oath of Fidelity dated July 1, 1644. They also signed the Fundamental Agreement on January 4, 1639. It is tradition that we are descendants of Henry Peck. There were many ministers in the Peck family. William, a descendant of Henry, came as a revolutionary soldier to take up land in Kentucky. They came before 1784. The Pecks were listed as head of families in the first census of Kentucky. They came in with the Thomas family through Pennsylvania down the Ohio River to Lime Stone (now Maysville) to Scott County, then to Washington County, on to Nelson and then to Hardin County. William married a lady by the name of Francis (last name unknown). He is reported to be buried in Nelson County. He had probably had more children, but one son John S. Peck (b. 23 Dec 1770 in Virginia - d. 16 Apr 1856) buried in the Maffet Cemetery on the Bewley Hollow Road in Hardin County. John's first marriage was to Elizabeth Hunter ca. 1792. She died in the first year of their marriage. His second marriage to Eleanor Thomas (b. 7 Oct 1773 to Thomas Thomas Jr. and Mary Wilson, d. 30 Nov 1853) She was the grand-daughter of Thomas Thomas Sr., and Eleanor from whom she gets her names. Eleanor Peck was born in St. George County Maryland on land where the University of Maryland now stands. The plantation was called Arthur Stamp. Her family migrated to Pennsylvania, stayed 2 years and later came down the Ohio River by flat boat to Lime Stone (now Maysville) thence to Scott County, Washington County, Nelson County, and Hardin County after her marriage to John S. Peck in 1793. They settled on a homestead in Hardin County on the Shepherdsville Road No. 251. John and Eleanor (Thomas) Peck had 8 children: 1st Thomas Peck b. 10 Sep 1794 Hardin County. KY d. 15 Jul 1869 buried Mount Zion Baptist Church cemetery in Hardin County, married Margaret McMahan (b. 10 Mar 1798 - d. 10 Oct 1880). 2nd John Preston Peck b 17 May 1801 - d. Mar 29 1890 buried in the Maffet cemetery on the Bewley Hollow Road, Hardin County, KY, married Meland Smith (b. 17 May 1824 - d. 7 Aug 1846) 3rd Henry Peck (number 1) b. 1802 d. 1815 4th Nancy Peck b. 12 Dec 1804 - d. 6 Nov 1883 buried Maffet Cemetery on Bewley Hollow Road in Hardin County KY, married John D. Melton (b. 25 Jun 1806 - d. 7 Aug 1846) 5th Elinor (Nellie) Peck b. 1809 married John Willet 6th Reuben Peck b. 19 Feb 1811 married Mary Harris d. 14 Apr 1894 buried Mount Zion Baptist Church cemetery in Hardin County, KY. 7th Elizabeth Ann Peck b. 14 Feb 1816 - d. 26 July 1890 and buried in the Mount Zion Baptist Church Cemetery in Hardin County. married John Elijah Williams on 31 Jul 1826. 8th Henry B. Peck (Henry was given the middle initial B because he was the second Henry Peck born to this family. b. 29 Jan 1813, d. 17 Feb 1879. His first marriage was to his cousin Elizabeth Thomas; she died in the first year of their marriage. They had one son John Peck married Jane Irwin, the daughter of Solomon Irwin. Second marriage to Katherine Kit Smith (b. 12 Apr 1827 - d. 23 Mar 1909) on 31 Jul 1826. Both are buried in the Maffet Cemetery on the Bewley Hollow Road in Hardin County, KY. Henry B. and Katherine had 4 children: 1st Melinda (Lindy) Peck b. 9 Dec 1847 Hardin County, KY, married 13 Dec 1864 to Symforean Roser d. 24 Sep 1819 buried in the Elizabethtown City Cemetery, Hardin County KY. 2nd William Thomas Peck b. Sep 1852 - d. 4 Jul 1939, buried at Mount Zion Baptist Church Cemetery in Hardin County, KY. married 24 Sep 1844 to Katherine Moore b. May 1850 - d. May 1922. 3rd Henry Squire Peck b. 8 Sep 1857- d. 14 Feb 1926 buried in the Maffet cemetery on the Bewley Hallow Road in Hardin County, KY. First marriage to Lacinda Williams on 18 Oct 1874. Second marriage to Lula Chenault the widow of Harv Chenault. He had 5 children. 4th Catherine Almeda Peck b. 29 Jul 1859 - d. 31 Oct 1945, married 18 Sep 1894 to David William Price. Catherine is buried in the Maffett Cemetery on Bewley Hallow Rd, Hardin County KY. Second marriage to Thomas Jefferson Casebolt b. 6 Mar 1851 - d. 18 Feb 1922. Thomas Thomas and Ann Nall Thomas reared John Peck. Henry Squire Peck had 5 children: 1st Ethel Mae Peck b. 17 Oct 1885 - d. 15 Oct 1956 buried in the Maffet Cemetery, married Andrew Clarence Bush b. 23 Apr 1880 - d. 1 Dec 1946. They had two children Margie and Reba Enloe Bush. Reba is still living. 2nd Katie Jane Peck b. 24 Sep 1887 d. 30 Oct 1949 buried in the Maffet Cemetery, Hardin County KY. Katie Jane never married. 3rd Maude Chephus Peck b. 2 Oct 1889, d. 16 Nov 1942 buried in the Maffet Cemetery, Hardin County, KY. She never married. 4th John Will Peck b. 29 May 1893 married ________ Ruby Owens in 1912. d. 21 Feb 1973 buried Hardin Memorial Park. They had 6 children: 1st William Fredrick Peck b. 27 Mar 1912 married Thelma Dever d. 3 Feb 1949 buried in the Elizabethtown City cemetery. They had 6 children: Doris Jean Peck married Robert Maffet; William Frederick Peck Jr. married Helen __________; Audrey Joan Peck married Eric Christensen; Carolyn Peck married _________ Edwards; Charles Gary Peck married Sandra ___________; Ronald Clifford Peck married _______________. 2nd Clifford Blanton Peck b. 31 Mar 1913 d. 6 Jun 1981, first married Ruby Anderson (deceased). Second marriage to Patricia Armstrong. Had two children by his first wife: Carolyn Peck married Larry White; Paula Katherine Peck married Dennis LaFollet. 3rd Henry Richard Peck b. 31 August 1935 married Alma Gennea LaVerne Bennett b. 23 May 1936. And here we are! 4th Wanda Joyce Peck b. 8 Jan 1923 married James Charles French 7 Jan 1943. Second marriage to Christopher Epperson (deceased). Two children by first husband Audrey June French and Pamela French. 5th Wilma June b. 30 Jun 1927 married Nov 1949 William Wendell Evans. They had 4 children: William Wendell Evans, Jr.; Herbert Evans; Bruce Evans; Jason Evans. 6th Johnnie Carol Peck b. 23 Sep 1930 d. 21 Jun 1995 married Elenora Elizabeth Drane. They had no children. 7th child was born dead. Henry Squire Peck's second marriage was to Lula Chenault. Mattie Ann Julian b. 24 Sep 1908 married Carl Atwood Hibbs in 1924 d. 20 August 1983 buried Mill Creek Baptist Church cemetery, Radcliff, Kentucky. Their children were: Carl Atwood Hibbs, Jr.; Elmer Lloyd Hibbs; Roger Hibbs (deceased); Donald Hibbs (deceased); Stanley Louis Hibbs (deceased); Connie Lou Hibbs; and Randell Hibbs. Pecks are found in every state of the union, as teachers, ministers, industrialists, actors and in every walk of life. ATHS NOTE: Any members able to add more information on this family are invited to submit the material to Ancestral News, P.O. Box 573, Vine Grove, KY 40175-0573.