Kansas History and Heritage Project-Wyandotte County Biographies

Wyandotte County Biographies
"Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas--Historical and Biographical"
Goodspeed Publishing Co., Chicago, 1890


Joseph Peavey is a native of Canada, having been born there in 1831. His grandfather and two brothers came from England to America, one settled in Massachusetts, one in Main, and Mr. Peavey' s grandfather in New Hampshire, and subsequently in Pattontown, Canada. His name was Joshua Peavey, and the rest of his life was spent as a subject of Great Britain, and Edward Peavey, his father, served in the British army of 1812. Soon after the birth of the subject of this sketch his father came to the United States and settled in Bangor, Franklin County, N. Y., and there followed the calling of an agriculturist until his death. The maternal grandmother was a Canadian by birth, and died in her native land at the age of one hundred and four years. Two years before her death she could quite easily walk two miles, and was an expert at knitting. Joseph Peavey, the subject of this biography, resided in York State until he was about twelve years of age, then took matters into his own hands, ran away from home and went back to Canada, and there remained until he was twenty-one years of age. He then came once more to the United States, and first located at St. Johnsbury, in Vermont, where he was on a railroad as fireman and engineer until 1860, and after a short visit to Canada came back and located in Connecticut, enlisting in the spring of 1861 in Company A, Twelfth Massachusetts Infantry, under Col. Webster, a son of the famous Daniel Webster. In July, 1864, he was mustered out of service on Boston Common. Although he served in the quartermaster's department, he took part in the Second Bull Run, was at Antietam, Gettysburg, Wilderness, and in front of Petersburg. After being mustered out he returned to Washington with the intention of going South, but he could not get passes, and accordingly remained in the North until the fall of 1864, when he went on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad as a brakeman, continuing in this capacity one year, and the following three years acted as freight conductor from Baltimore to Martinsburg. He was married in August, and would have been thirty-six years of age the following September, his wife being Mrs. Caroline M. Fulton, who was born in Frederick City, Md., in 1829, and was there reared.[KHHP 2012] About 1875 Mr. Peavey came to Kansas, and after farming one year he located in Kansas City, Kas., and once more took up the occupation of railroading, this time being on the Kansas Pacific Railroad as brakeman, then local dispatcher, then yard master, and again became local dispatcher, but his last work in connection with the railroad was done in 1879. In 1887 he was elected to the city council of Kansas City by his Republican friends, and discharged the duties of this position with credit to himself and to the satisfaction of all concerned for three years. He is reputed for his honor and parity of his life, and personally is liberal, generous and high-minded, and a self-made man in every respect. From a poor struggling boy, without money or friends to assist him, he has become possessed of a comfortable home, money and position, and as honesty has ever been his "guiding star" through life it is not to be wondered at that he has succeeded.


Edward T. Pedigo is a member of the third white family that settled in Shawnee Township, Wyandotte County, Kas., the date of their settlement being 1857. He was born in Howard County, Mo., on April 30, 1821, but was reared on Blue-Grass soil, but in 1848, with his parents, Henry and Martha Pedigo, Virginians, he came to Cass County, Mo., and a few years later to Bates County, where they made their home for one year. One year was then spent at Pleasant Hill, three years in Westport, and then he came to Wyandotte County, Kas., and purchased his present farm, consisting of thirty acres. He gives ten acres to potatoes, raising from 100 to 150 bushels to the acre, and in addition to this raises melons, cabbage, cauliflower, tomatoes, cucumbers, etc., and he finds a ready market for these products. He first began growing vegetables for market in 1881, and has been very successful, securing a comfortable competency for the rest of his days, and he considers Kansas, and especially Wyandotte County, the garden spot of the United States. He has easy access to water, the wells being bored to a depth of from twenty eight to thirty-four feet, and the water is pure, cold and slightly impregnated with iron. Before coming to this county he had experienced many hardships and privations, and he now fully appreciates his comfortable home and the delights of domestic life. He paid |75 for his claim, and it is now worth, at least, 11,000 per acre. His land was heavily covered with timber, but by indefatigable energy he has it cleared and nicely improved. His estimable wife was formerly Miss Thirza Ann Farrell, a native of Kentucky, whom he married on September 23, 1841, she being a daughter of John and Sarah Farrell, of Virginia. They have no children of their own, but have reared a nephew, William Andrew Pedigo, a native of Kansas. Mr. Pedigo is a Republican, and he and his wife are members of the Christian Church, of Kansas City, Kas.


William F. Peters is a well-known groceryman and a popular young citizen of Kansas City, Kas., for he was born here December 9, 1862, to Conrad F. and Egbertine (Myers) Peters, the former of whom was born in Germany and the latter in Holland. Both came to America with their parents and about 1852 they were married in Delphos, Ohio, and for several years afterward they conducted a restaurant in that city. About the year 1857 they removed to Kansas, locating in Wyandotte County, and in this city they have lived ever since. For a great many years after locating here they conducted a large boarding-house, the principal one of the place, and during that time the father for three years acted as sexton of Oak Grove Cemetery. In 1871 they removed to that part of the town known as Old Kansas City, and April 1, 1872, moved into their present residence, which is on the corner of Fifth and James Streets. For the past twelve years Mr. Peters has devoted his attention to mining in San Juan County, Colo., and has been quite successful. After following this calling for several years on his own responsibility they finally organized a stock company which is known as the Eureka Mining Company, and of this Mr. Peters acts as manager. The mines are operated during the summer season only and his presence there is only required half of the year, the other six months being spent with his family in Kansas City. He is a member of the I. O. O. F. lodge, and as a man possesses the confidence and respect of all who know him. He and wife in time became the parents of eight children, their names being as follows: Andrew Edward Charles, John Hermann, William Frederick, and Wilhelmina Margaret, living, and Henry Christian, Martha, Minnie and Ida May, deceased. The subject of this sketch has, thus far spent his entire life in Kansas City, and until he reached the age of sixteen years he was an attendant of the schools of the city, obtaining a good knowledge of the ordinary branches of learning. . When he attained his eighteenth year he secured a position in a flouring- mill, but after spending two years at this calling he began learning the cigar-maker's trade, two years being thus spent. June 27, 1882, he entered the employ of F. M. Buck & Co., who were conducting a grocery in the same room now occupied by Mr. Peters and his partner, and he remained as a clerk with that firm for three and one-half years, or until Mr. Buck's partner, Walter Greenwood, died. He then continued with Mr. Buck two years longer, at the expiration of which time he and James F. Nettleton became the successors of Mr. Buck, and the firm of Peters & Nettleton was established. Their store is at No. 12 North James Street, and of this they became the owners in November, 1887. They are both worthy business men, and possess the necessary qualifications for a successful career. Mr. Peters is a member of the K. of P., and is a young man who possesses many friends.


Samuel S. Peterson, chief of police of Kansas City, Kas., is a native of Ottawa, La Salle County, Ill, where he was born June 6, 1842, a son of Jacob and Elizabeth (Dominy) Peterson, the former of whom was born near Lexington, Ky., and the latter on Lake Champlain, in the State of New York. The father was a soldier in the Black Hawk War, after which he located in La Salle County, Ill., where he was married in 1838, and where he followed the pursuit of farming the remainder of his days, passing from life in April, 1856. The paternal grandfather was John Peterson, and the mother's parents were Ezra and Rhoda (Smith) Dominy, both of whom were born on Long Island, and were the descendants of Puritan families. The former served in the War of 1812, and about 1833 moved with his family to La Salle County, Ill. The mother of Samuel S. Peterson is still living and makes her home with him. The latter became familiar with farm life in his youth, and when the Rebellion broke out, with true patriotism he volunteered, and four days after the firing on Fort Sumter he enlisted in Company F, Tenth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, with which he served three months or until his company reorganized for the three years' service as Battery C, of the First Regiment, Illinois Light Artillery. His company was commonly known as Houghtaling's Battery, taking the name from its first captain. Mr. Peterson served until the close of the war, being a brave and intrepid soldier, and at the close of the war was mustered out of service at Springfield, Ill., June 12, 1865, having taken an active part in the engagements in the vicinity of Island No. 10, and subsequently in the siege of Corinth and the battle of Murfreesboro. At the latter place he was wounded by a ball in the left shoulder, and soon afterward was captured and taken to Libby Prison, where he was retained for sixty-seven days, being exchanged at the expiration of that time. He at once rejoined his battery at Murfreesboro, and shortly afterward took part in the Tullahoma campaign, and still later in the battle of Chickamauga, where he was again captured, but succeeded in effecting his escape a few hours later. He was in all the engagements of the Atlanta campaign, and after the capture of that city he went with Sherman on his march to the sea. He was in the engagement at Bentonville, N. C, and helped capture Johnston shortly after. The war then being at an end he went via Richmond to Washington, D. C, thence to Parkersburg, Cincinnati, Evansville and Indianapolis to Springfield, Ill., where he was mustered out of the service June 12, 1865. For about three years following the war he resided in La Salle County, two of which were spent as deputy sheriff, but in the spring of 1869, he severed his ties there and came to Kansas, locating in Montgomery County, and was for some time engaged in the livery business in Parker. He gave considerable attention to stock dealing and in addition discharged the duties of city marshal, being afterward appointed deputy United States marshal, continuing in this capacity until 1879. In 1874 he had moved to Independence, Kas., where he served four years as city marshal, and in 1879 entered the employ of the Adams Express Company as a messenger. In 1880 he removed from Independence to Newton, and shortly after became a messenger for the Wells Fargo Express Company. Since 1882 he has resided in Kansas City, but continued to fill the above named position until October, 1887, since which time he has been the local agent of the company and also the local agent for the American Express Company. In April, 1889, he was appointed by the board of police, commissioner chief of police, and in April, 1890, was reappointed. He is one of the leading citizens of this section, and no matter where he might settle he would command universal respect, for he is honest and upright in all his dealings, and is admirably fitted for the position he is now tilling. While in the employ of the Wells-Fargo Express Company, for successfully resisting the attack of a band of train robbers at Coolidge, Kas., September 29, 1883, he was presented with a handsome gold watch and chain and 1500 in money. His marriage, which occurred on March 26, 1861, was to Miss Hester A. Rogers, by whom he has two living children: Orrin J. and Sadie A. Mr. Peterson is a member of the A. F. & A. M. and the G. A. R., and is a stanch supporter of Republican principles.





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