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WILLIAM B. PEAVEY letter to Hallie June Peavey 1966 WILLIAM B. PEAVEY 43 OXFORD AVENUE MILL VALLEY, CALIFORNIA 94943 Dear Mrs. Biebel, Your March 30 letter which was sent to my former New York address was forwarded to me in San Francisco. You have assumed a large project which I would like to encourage. My father showed some interest in the Peavey family history and about thirty years ago had some correspondence with Leroy Peavey who lived in New York City and who had compiled a family history which must still be in existence. Perhaps from your general mailer you will hear from one of his descendents who may have a copy. I saw the copy which Leroy loaned my father but at that age it made little impression on me. I do remember that the rundown started in Pavia, Italy where he contended the name started. He traced a change in spelling as the forebears moved up through France until the name finally evolved into Peavey in England. I seem to remember a Sir Pavie or a spelling close to that who came over to England in the Norman invasion with William the Conquoror and who could probably be traced by your Cousin in Europe for records in existence in London. My father told me that a Peavey was among the second load of Pilgrims from England, landed in New England and settled in New Hampshire. There are still a large number up there and that is where my grandfather was born. I also met a Peavey from Alabama who said his branch came from New Hampshire so I would guess all of the family history in this country will start there. Among my father�s papers, I found several pages on Peavey names starting in the early eighteenth century which may be useful to you. I will have them copied and send you a copy. I want to help as much as I can. As for my family, I can only go back to my great Grandfather- Sylvester Peavey (married a Beane, I believe) and lived in New Hampshire. He named his son Simon Fillmore Peavey, after Millard Fillmore who was a friend. Simon was my grandfather and was born about 1855. He married Elizabeth Benson whose father, William Benson, was born in Liverpool, England, had a farm and a hat factory near Fitchburg, Massachusetts. He also served in the Massachusetts volunteers during the Civil War. Simon and Elizabeth had two children � Simon, Jr. and Vivian (Mrs. Jonas Mc Cune, 2341 East Livingston, Columbus, Ohio. 43209 My father was born in 1882 in Wakefield , Massachusetts, moved to New York after attending schools in New England and practiced law there up until his death in 1963. He married a Baltimore, Maryland girl and had three sons: Simon Fillmore Peavey III, living in Grand Junction Colorado who also has a son Simon--; Alfred Chatin Peavey who has three sons, Northport , New York ; William Benson Peavey who has three sons.  Please tell your cousin William that I was born in New York in 1918, went to school on Long Island, New York, then to Harvard class of 1940 (my father was in the class of �07) am in the television Business here in San Francisco and would like to meet him some time. I was named after my great Grandfather William Benson however there are several Williams listed in the pages of Peavey names my father compiled. for new England site |