Chester George Peek (1859-1951)

PEEK, HATCH, ALGYER, COWAN, CORRIE, HOPKINS, JOY

Posted By: jane austin (email)
Date: 2/8/2016 at 02:54:10

Services Sunday for One of Town's Pioneers, Chester G. Peek, 91

One of the grand old pioneers of this community died last week. Mr. Chester George Peek, 91 years old, known and respected by many generations of local citizens, for nearly three score years and ten, died at the home of his daughter, Ruth, at Ida Grove on Wednesday, March 28. Funeral services were held at the Presbyterian church on April 1, the Rev. L. R. Middents officiating.

Always blessed with excellent health, Mr. Peek's appearance changed very little over the years. Not until recently did his health seem to fail and even on the day he passed away he was up and dressed early as had been his life-long habit.

He was born of English parentage, in a log cabin in Lafayette county, Wisconsin, on Nov. 24, 1859. His father, Charles Peek, died before he was born so he started out for himself at 14, moving with neighbors to Independence, Iowa in 1874 to help drive their livestock across county. He also taught a school for a while at Independence.

There he met and in 1881, married Miss Amanda Ann Hatch. With their baby daughter, they moved to the present Peek farm in 1884. The farm, three miles northeast of Paullina, was acquired from the government under homestead rights.

Mrs. Peek died on Christmas day, 1920. Of the six children born to them, five are still living. Mrs. Harold (Delpha) Algyer lives at Tracy, Minn. Welton and Mrs. Francis (Jean) Cowan at Paullina, Mrs. Homer (Ruth) Corrie at Ida Grove and Mrs. A.L. (Alice) Hopkins at Birmingham, Mich. The fifth daughter, Mrs. Ardo (Adeline) Joy died in 1924. Besides his five children, he is survived by eight grandchildren, ten great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

Mr. Peek is remembered, by the many who knew him, as a calm, reserved, sympathetic man who was always ready to help a neighbor or a friend or to assume the responsibility of a good citizen. He served for many years as a township trustee as director of the local school and as a township trustee, as director of the local school, and as a trustee in the Presbyterian church.

His interest in young people and his patience in pointing out to them the qualities to strive for in livestock or plant breeding, is generally remembered by those who were fortunate enough to have come in contact with him.

A studious, successful farmer, he was perhaps best known as an extensive feeder of cattle and hogs and as a breeder of Clydesdale horses. His horses won many prizes at pre-war I Paullina horse shows and in pre-truck days his herds of fat cattle and fat hogs, being driven to the stock yards along Paullina streets were a familiar and memorable sight.

Few men were ever revered more by their family and their friends than was Chester G. Peek. He truly lived a Christian life. He preached little but he practiced much. He is now gone but his memory and his influence carry on.

Those attending the funeral of C.G. Peek from out of town were Mr. and Mrs. Harold Algyer, Tracy, Minn.; Mrs. Albert L. Hopkins, Birmingham, Mich.; Mrs. Homer Corrie, Mr and Mrs. Roger Corrie and Laura, Ida Grove; Mr. and Mrs. Chester Peek and Stanly, Sioux City, Mr. and Mrs. Russel Peek, Bruce and Brent Marten, Mr and Mrs. Milton Drott, Milwaukee, Wis.; Mr and Mrs Tom Irving, Mrs. Cora Brown, Mrs Annie Innis, Primghar, Mr and Mrs. Ed Garner, Donald Corrie, Mrs. Pearl Corrie, Ida Grove, and Dr. and Mrs. Alex Aitken of Merrill.

Paullina Times, Paullina, Iowa, April 5, 1951, Pp 1, 8