Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut

yet he has displayed, in the preparation of papers and the transaction of business for himself and others, a legal acumen which would be a credit to any licensed practitioner at the Bar. His sound judgment is combined with a high sense of honor, and he holds the confidence of the com- munity in a marked degree, being frequently called upon to fill positions of trust and responsi- bility, and a host of friends will appreciate the following account of liis life and family. Mr. Peck was born April 19, 1827, in Middle District, of the town of Newtown, and is a de- scendant of one of the pioneer families of that locality. He is one of the seventh generation from Joseph Peck, of Milford, Conn. [See "Connecticut Pecks."] The line of his descent is through John, of the second generation, Jos- eph, Moses, Dan and Charles. Joseph Peck, of the third generation, first settled in Milford, Conn., where he resided until about' 1 7 14, when he removed to Newtown, where he died. He was town clerk, and lived near what is now known as Newtown Street. On January 14, 1706, he married Abigail Bald- win, of Milford, and their children were: Joseph, Abigail, John, Marv, Elizabeth, Moses and Abi- gail (2). Moses Peck was born December 28, 1719. He married Elizabeth Baldwin, December i, 1748, and their children were: Ruth, Abel, Enos, Ann, Mary Coziah, Hezekiah, Caleb, Betty, Dan, Lois, Esther, Sarah, Nathan and Nathan (2). Moses Peck resided in the second house south of the village of Newtown, and for many years owned and cultivated a farm which remained in the family for three generations after him. His wife died December 25, 1798. Capt. Dan Peck, the grandfather of our sub- ject, was born at the old homestead June 10, 1763, and became a man of prominence in the town. His title was gained by service in the militia, and he was known far and near as " Cap- tain Dan." He died March 25, 1833; his wife, Hannah Peck, a daughter of Henry Peck, born April 6, 1770, died a few years before him. They had six children: (i) Marcia died unmarried. (2) Charles is referred to farther on. (3) Hezekiah died leaving one son, John Howard. (4) Herman married Maria Hawley, and had children — Sylvia M., Edward B., Elizabeth and Herman H. (5) Lorin married Jane A. Lawrence, and had chil- dren— Arthur L. and Edward. (6) Sylvia died unmarried. Charles Peck, our subject's father, was born at the farm in 1 Soo, and in early life learned the shoetnaker's trade, but later engaged in comb making, in which he carried on an extensive busi- /(M,i^^^ /¥^L^ COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. 321 ness for many years, employing a number of work- men. During the last years he resided at the old farm, and gave much attention to its culti- vation. As a business man he was quite success- ful, while as a citizen he was held in high es- teem. He died February ii, 1837; his wife, whose maiden .name was Freelove Nash, died on December 9, 1835. She was a daughter of Micajah Nash, of Middle District, of New- town, and her cousin, Mrs. Hannah Morgan, was the mother of Hon. Daniel N. Morgan. While he was not a Church member, Charles Peck regularly attended divine service, and his sympathies were with every progressive move- ment. Our subject, who was the only child of this worthy couple, after his mother's death was taken into the home of an uncle residing in the same town, and remained with him until nearly of age. His education was begun in the district schools of the locality, and later he studied in Newtown under the instruction of Philo Clarke, Abel Prin- dle, and Harry Peck, acquiring, by the time he reached the age of seventeen, sufficient knowl- edge to enable him to teach. His first school was at Bennetts Bridge, in Wapping District, South- bury, where he received the munificent salary of eight dollars per month. During the summer season he worked to pay for his board, and to get money to purchase clothes, while two winters and one summer he spent in teaching in his native town. In January, 1848, Mr. Peck married Miss Hannah Dibble Fairchild, daughter of Herman Fairchild, of Newtown, and after that event he turned his attention to farming, locating first upon a farm south of Newtown belonging to his father-in-law, but in 1855 he removed to his own estate where he remained until 1868, at which time he sold his farm. His management is scien- tific, and he has been a zealous student of causes in the various lines of practical work connected with agriculture. His reading has been extensive, covering much of the best literature of the past and present times, and he has given much at- tention to the political issues of the day, being a firm supporter of Democratic principles. In 1863 he was sent to the State Legislature. In 1867 he was appointed postmaster of Newtown, under President Johnson's administration, and this position he held until May, 1869. During his term of service he broke up the practice which had previously prevailed, one which required the postmaster to go to the Housatonic depot to sort the mail. After leaving the post office lie devoted his time to farming e.xclusively until 1873, when he was chosen town clerk. This 21 post he filled most acceptably for twelve years, when he declined to hold it longer. Since that time he has been largely engaged in semi-legal work, acting as guardian or as trustee for estates, and no higher evidence of his honesty and busi- ness capacity could be needed than is found in the large amount of business of this sort that has been given to his charge. In connection with his work as trustee for the Elon Booth estate, one of the largest ever probated in this section, it should be especially noted that he drew up the will, and although it has been twice tested in the courts of the State, yet it has been declared sound in every particular. Mr. Peck, from his long years of service and connection with the public affairs of the town, and from his long residence with its people, has become, as it were, a veritable encyclopedia con- cerning the town records and tlie history of the first. He possessed a taste in this line which has been cultivated until he has become a perfect storehouse of information, which is most valu- able to those who are now taking up the active work of public affairs. He is authority on the history of Newtown. For many years he has given a great deal of attention to the collection of rare books of ancient print, as well as to all kinds of interesting articles of historic nature. He now possesses a large and valuable collection of articles in these and many other lines — a cab- inet of curios, most interesting and instructive. In religious faith Mr. Peck is a Universalist; but while he takes a liberal view upon points of doctrine and creed, he holds strictly to the " Golden Rule " as a guide for conduct, his own daily life being an example of right-doing. His home has never been blessed with any children, but his fatherly heart finds pleasure in making all the little ones within his reach as happy as possible, and every project for educational ad- vancement receives his endorsement. JOHN W. MELBOURNE, M. D. This well- known physician of Bridgeport is a success- ful exponent of the principles of the Homeo- pathic school of medicine, and his large and lucrative practice is, in itself, an evidence of the value of the theories of Hahnemann. As his his- tory shows, his education was obtained through his own efforts, and his present success rejects the more credit upon him because of that fact. He was born December 3, 1855, in Manchester, England, and is a descendant of a well-known family, being a grandson of the seventh son of Lord Melbourne, and himself the seventh son of Samuel Melbourne. 322 COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. Samuel Melbourne, our subject's father, was born in Derbyshire, England, and (graduated from Oxford College. He married Miss Harriet Wood, a member of a Yorkshire family which has long been prominent in the silk-manufacturing in- dustry, and in 1867 they came to America, locat- ing at Stafford Springs, Conn., and later at Cats- kill, N. Y. , where he engaged in business as a contractor. His death occurred there June 26, 1886, and his wife died January 22, 1876. Of their nine children four are now living: Samuel, now the manager of the Harder Knitting Com- pany's works at Hudson, N. Y.; ^^'illiam, a silver plater in Meriden, Conn. ; Thomas, who lias charge of a spinning-mill at Stafford Springs, Conn.; and John W. , our subject Doctor Melbourne's education was begun in England, and after coming to America he attended a private school for so:ne time. As a boy he was employed in the cotton and woolen mills of Stafford Springs, and in early manhood he bought a farm near the village and engaged in agricult- ure. In 1876 he took charge of a cotton-card- ing department in a mill at Stafford Springs, and after five years he removed to Hartford, entering the employ of the Singer Sewing Machine Manu- facturing Company. While there he began the study of medicine with Dr. George Greene, con- tinuing four years, and in 1892 he went to Phila- delphia and pursued a course of study in the Hahnemann Homeopathic College. On gradu- ating, he located at Bridgeport, where he prac- ticed two years, and afterward he spent three years in practice in Wilton; but he then returned to Bridgeport and has since made his home there. He enjoys an excellent reputation as a prac- titioner, and is the official examiner for several societies in Bridgeport, while, socially, he is prominent as a member of the Sons of St. George and the Brotherhood of the Union. Politically, he is a Democrat, and in religious faith he is an Episcopalian, he and his wife being leading members of St. Luke's Church at Bridgeport.