the Old Genesee Conference" (1860); '• Om- Coun- try, Its Trials and its Triumphs" (1865); and "Life and Times of G. Peek. D. D." (1874).— His son, Luther Wesley, clergyman, b. in Wyoming valley. Pa., in 1825, was graduated at New York university in 1845, and entered the ministry. lie has published " The Golden Age," a poem (New York, 1858). — George's brother, Jesse Truesdell, M. E. bishop, b. in Middlefield, Otsego co., N. Y., 4 April, 1811 ; d. in Syracuse, N. Y., 17 May, 1888, was educated at Cazenovia seminary, began to preach in 1829, and became a member of the Oneida conference in 1832. He was principal of Gouverneur seminary in 1837-'41, of Troy conference academy in 1841-"8, and president of Dickinson college. Pa', in 1848-'o2. After a short pastorate in Washing- ton, D. C, he was appointed secretary and editor of the Tract society, removing to New York. In 1856 he became pastor of a church in that city, but after two years he was transferred to California, where he served as pastor and presiding elder for eight years in San Francisco and Sacramento. He was also president of the board of trustees of the University of the Pacific, and president of the Cali- fornia state Bible society. Subsequently, he was pastor of churches in Peekskill, Albany, and Syra- cuse, where he became the chief founder of Syra- cuse university, serving as president of the board of trustees and chairman of the building committee. In 1872 he was elected bishop, and in 1881 he was a delegate to the Methodist ecumenical conference in London, where his ability as a presiding officer won recognition. In the summer of 1881 he made a tour of Europe, holding conferences and studying educational systems and facilities. His principal works are " The Central Idea of Christianitv " (New York, 1855); "The True Woman" (1857); " What Must I do to be Saved ? "' (1858) ; and " The Great Piepublic " (1868).
PECK, George Washington, author, b. in
Rehoboth, Bristol eo., Mass., 4 Dec, 1817; d. in
Boston, Mass., 6 June, 1859. His ancestor, Joseph,
came from Hingham, Norfolk, England, to Reho-
both in 1641. After spending his boyhood on his
father's farm, he was graduated at Brown in 1837,
taught in Indiana, and edited " The Daily Sun "
and " Republican " in Cincinnati, Ohio. He then
studied law in Boston, and was admitted to the bar
in 1843. He became musical and dramatic critic for
the " Boston Post," and in 1845 issued " The Bos-
ton Musical Review." He was subsequently con-
nected with the " New York Courier," the " Ameri-
can Review," " The Literary World," and various
other publications, until 1853, when he sailed for
Australia. He witnessed in Melbourne the excite-
ment that followed the discovery of gold, and de-
livered the first Fourth of July address on that
continent. On his return he visited Lima and the
Chincha islands. He published " Melbourne and
the Chincha Islands, with Sketches of Lima and a
Voyage Round the World " (New York, 1854).
Among his novelties in prose and verse were a
series of " Sonnets of the Sidewalk," " Aurifodina,
or Adventures in the Gold Region." and " Sum-
mer Sketches." At the time of his death he was
engaged upon an essay on Shakespeare, part of
which was printed in the " Atlantic Monthly."
PECK, George Wesley, clergyman, b. in Kings-
ton, Pa.. 7 Feb.. 1849. He is a great-nephew of
Bishop Jesse T. Peck, was licensed to preach in the
Methodist Episcopal church in 1872, graduated at
Syracuse university in 1878, and at once elected
president of Hedding college. 111., where he served
four years, receiving there the degree of LL. D. in
1882. After one year's leave of absence in Europe
and the Orient, he resigned the presidency and
held pastorates in Buffalo. Medina, and Dansville,
N. Y. In 1881 he was appointed a delegate to the
Methodist ecumenical conference in London. He
is a popular lecturer, and author of " The Realiza-
tion and Benefit of Ideals " (Syracuse, 1879) ; " Walk
in the Light" (1882); and is" preparing "The Life
of Bishop Jesse T. Peck."
PECK, Henry Everard. clergvman, b. in
Rochester, N. Y.. 27 July. 1821 : d. in Port an
Prince, Hayti, 9 June, 1867. He was graduated
at Bowdoin in 1841, studied theology, and, enter-
ing the Congregational ministry, preached in
Rochester. He was associate professor of intel-
lectual and moral philosophy at Oberlin from 1852
till 1865, an ai'dent champion of the anti-slavery
cause, and took an active part in the presidential
canvass of 1856. In 1858 he was arrested under
the charge of violating the fugitive-slave law. and
confined with others in the countv jail in Cleve-
land, Ohio. From 1862 till 1865 he was U. S. com-
missioner to Hayti. and was then appointed U. S.
minister to that republic. — His half-brother, Will-
iam Farley, journalist, b. in Rochester, N. Y.,
4 Feb., 1840, was graduated at Williams in 1861,
and at the Albany law-school in 1863. He was
chairman of one of the boards of municipal exam-
iners for the civil service of Rochester, and a mem-
ber of the local board of state examiners. He was
connected with the press of Rochester for several
years, and is the author of " Semi-Centennial His-
tory of Rochester " (Syracuse. 1884).
PECK, John James. soldier, b. in Manlius,
N. Y., 4 Jan., 1821 ; d. in Syracuse, N. Y., 21 April.
1878. His father was one of the earliest settlers in
Onondaga county. The son was graduated at the
U. S. military academy in 1843. assigned to the 2d
artillery, and was on garrison duty in New York
harbor till he was ordered to Texas in 1845. During
the Mexican war he was at Palo Alto and Resaca
de la Palma, took part in the assault on Federa-
tion Hill at Monterey, and afterward received two
brevets for gallantry — that of captain for Contreras
and Churubusco, and that of major for Molino
del Rey, where he had turned a captured gun on
the enemy with great effect. " His name and
services," said his division commander. Gen Worth,
"will be found in the official account of every
battle save one from the commencement of the
war to the conquest of the basin of IMexico." He
was given a sword on his return home in 1848, and
after serving against the Navajo Indians in New
Mexico, and on recruiting service, resigned his
commission on 31 March, 1853. He was then con-
nected with a projected railroad from New York
to Syracuse by way of Newburg, and also organ-
ized in Syracuse the Burnet bank, of which he was
cashier till the civil war. He was also president
of the board of education in that city in 1859-61,
and was interested in politics, serving as a delegate
at the Democratic national convention of 1856,
and in that at Charleston in 1860. running for con-
gress in 1856 and 1858, and once declining a foreign
mission. He was appointed brigadier-general of
volunteers on 9 Aug., 1861. and served first in the
defences of Washington and then in the peninsular
campaign. He rendered signal service at York-
town ; and at Williamsburg, where he arrived with
re-enforcements at a critical point in tiie battle, his
troops, by steadily withstanding repeated attacks
from a superior force, did much to preserve the
army from rout. At Fair Oaks a horse was shot
under him, and he afterward covered the left flank
of the army by holding White Oak swamp. He
held an important place in the seven days' change