COL. HENRY PECK

PECK, COLLINS

Posted By: Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert (email)
Date: 1/8/2002 at 19:58:22

Leon Reporter
June 6, l895

COL. HENRY PECK, son of CALEB M. and TAMA
PECK, was born at Chardon,
Ohio, May 23, l83l. Died at Decatur City,
Iowa, June 6, l895, aged 64
years and l4 days.

The deceased after having mastered the
branches of study in the schools
of Chardon, sought for and obtained an
appointment as Cadet in the U.S.
Military Schools of West Point on the Hudson,
and had the honor to
graduate from that famous institution in the
l853 class. He numbered
among his classmates the afterward
distinguished Federal Generals,
Stanley, Hazen, McPherson, J.B. Hood, G.W.C.
Lee (son of R.E. Lee) and
J.E.B. Stuart, who became efficient and
prominent officers in the
Confederate Army--Col. PECK gave noble proof
of his patriotism and
devotion to our institutions of liberty. When
the tocsin of war sounded
and our country's flag was in danger, he was
among the first to respong
to the "Call for Troops" and in April, l86l,
helped to raise a regiment
of the boys in blue and went to the front as
Lieutenant Colonel of the
2nd Wisconsin Volunteers. He participated in
the first battle of Bull
Run and for gallant and meritorius conduct in
the field was promoted to
Colonel. He went through the entire Potomac
Campaign and was engaged in
many of the hotly contested and eventful
battles of the late rebellion.
Was promoted to Assistant Ordinance Officer
for the Department of the
Gulf and commanded Fort Jackson after its
capture. At the close of the
war, he received a creditable and honorable
discharge, returned and
again engaged in his chosen profession, that
of Civil Engineering in
which he was eminently successful and
followed the remainder of his
life. He was united in marriage, November 4,
l856, to SARAH B. COLLINS
at Chester, Ohio. To this union there were
born eight children, three
sons and four daughters with his beloved
companion survive him. He
united with the Baptist Church in July, l873
and was baptized by Rev.
W.C.Akers of this place.

He received his diploma as a Master Mason
from Chardon Lodge No. 73 of
Chardon, Ohio, November 22, l856, in which he
retained his membership
until he united with Decatur Lodge No. l09
A.F. and A.M., November 8,
l883. He also became a member of Chapter No.
4 of Royal Arch Masons of
Madison, Wis. on the 5th day of June, l86l,
from which he was demitted
August 2, l862. His next connection with the
Chapter was as a Charter
Member of Leon Chapter No. 33 Royal Arch
Masons which body held its
first convocation Oct. 25, l866, at which he
was present and appointed
C.H. He became a member of Commandary No. 4
of Des Moines, Iowa,
November ll, l869. When Constantine
Commandary of Osceola, Iowa, was
established, he was again a Charter Member,
showing that as a true Sir
Knight he was ever alert to all the duties
devolving on a zealous
Mason. He became a member of Decatur Lodge
No. l02 I.O.O.F. September
22, l866 and was a Charter Member of
Encampment No. 38 at its
organization, October 20, l859. Also a
member of Decatur G.A.R. Post
No. 4l0.

In all his varied relationships he assumed
toward society and his fellow
man, is shown forth a life of self-sacrifice
and of consecration to the
betterment of mankind. And in all these
phases of social intercourse
with the world, his was a life worthy of
imitation, and of him testimony
must be borne that we who were his associates
in these various orders,
are brighter and better for his having lived.
His continuous residence
in Decatur since July, l866, had brought
about him a wide circle of warm
friends and in token of the respect and
confidence reposed in him he was
called upon to represent the county in the
State Legislature in l867-8
and various other official positions.

His sudden call home on June 6, l895, was a
great shock to us who knew
and loved him. He was an upright and honored
citizen, a loving and
affectionate husband and father who leaves
his loved ones bereft of the
wise council and pleasant contact of his
presence. While we mourn him
with hearts bowed down with grief, we know
that "Though he is dead, yet
shall he live again and we will meet again
where separations are forever
ended. The funeral services were conducted
by Rev. Geo. Mitchell, of
Davis City, Iowa, assisted by Rev. Reeves, of
Decatur and Rev. Enfield
and Shelton of Osceola, Iowa. We laid him to
rest with the beautiful
and impressive ceremonies of the Knights of
Templars, conducted by
Constantine Commandary, of Osceola, Iowa, and
followed to his last
resting place by the various orders. In line
were the Knights Templars,
Blue Lodge Masons, I.O.O.F., G.A.R. and
W.R.C. and a vast concourse of
neighbors and friends, who as a last token of
respect, assembled to pay
him homage.

FRIEND AND BROTHER FAREWELL.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Copied by Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert
January 7, 2002