and later occupied by William. Eliza was a sister of Martha Peckham from Mawarsing, NY According to land records they arrived in Bloomfield Twp. in 1864. In Aug 1898 the farm was deeded to Nathan Peckham, two months before his death. Nathan Peckham died 4 Oct 1898 due to injuries suffered when his team was frightened by the train while driving on the old creamery road near Castalia. Nathan was thrown from the buggy and became tangled in one of the wheels.

Martha (Rockwell) Peckham was born 18 Feb 1830 in Becket, MA. She died at the family home 25 Nov 1911 from burns sustained in a gasoline explosion. Martha and Nathan were life-long Universalists and were instrumental in the erection of the Universalist Church near Castalia. A room was always reserved at the Peckham farm home for the traveling ministers. The funeral of Martha Peckham was the last one conducted by the Universalist Church.

Nathan and Martha were the parents of two sons, George W. (b. 23 Nov 1868 at Hartford, CT) and William H. (b. 8 Jul 1871 at Castalia, IA).

George W. married Lillian M. Brown of Ossian. She was the daughter of Charles and Maria (Oleson) Brown of Ossian. George and Lillian Peckham had two children born at Castalia: Donald R. (20 Apr 1900-14 Sep 1937) and Marion A. (b. 14 Sep 1902).

Donald married Ruby B. Meyer (Jan 1901-1 Aug 1976), the daughter of Henry L. and Elizabeth (Senholz) Meyer. They had four children — all born in Castalia: Anita L. (b. 13 Dec 1921), Neil L. (24 Feb 1926-15 Jul 1951) and Virginia. One daughter died in infancy. Donald died from peritonitis following surgery. Donald, Ruby and Neil are buried in Bloomfield Cemetery. Anita married Clement A. Frimml (b. 21 Dec 1920) of Norway, IA. They live in Iowa City and have two daughters: Cheryl R. married Dave Kutscher of Iowa City. They have one daughter, Julie who married Russ Hixson of Des Moines. Cheryl and her family live in Des Moines. And Janet L. married Michael Full of Iowa City. Janet lives in Oxford, IA. They have two children: Jennifer  lives in New Mexico and Jason lives in Ohio. Neil L. married Patricia Snyder of Ames. They had one daughter, Kathleen Neale. She lives in Phoenix, AZ. Neil drowned 15 Jul 1951 in Lake Okoboji, IA. Virginia A. married Leo J. Boese (18 Sep 1924, Postville-7 Oct 1989, Iowa City). Leo is buried in the Postville Cemetery. They had four children: Dawn, Mark, Greg and Kent. Dawn A. married Randy Sebastian of Postville. They have two sons: Brandon L. and Damon L. Dawn’s family lives in Postville. Mark B. married Judy Monroe of Luana. They had one daughter, Jill M. Mark’s family lives in Postville. Greg R. married Teri Clark of Jefferson. They have two children: Emily and Brian. Greg's family lives in Iowa City. Kent L. lives in Marion, IA.

Marion married Arthur Eddy, a lawyer, from Yuma, AZ and lived in Yuma the rest of her life. They had no children. Marion (Peckham) Eddy died 27 Sep 1984 in Yuma. She and her husband are both buried in Desert Lawn Cemetery, Yuma.

George Peckham died on his 74th birthday 23 Nov 1942. He had been prominent in the country political field and served nine years on the Winneshiek Co. Board of Supervisors. Lillian Peckham died 16 Oct 1939. She was an active member in the Farm Bureau Federation, and was twice elected State Committee-Woman. At the time of her death, she was the 4-H Club County Chairperson. George and Lillian are buried in Bloomfield Cemetery.

William H. married Jessie Feltis of Burr Oak, IA. She was the daughter of William and Clara (Wagner) Feltis. William and Jessie (Feltis ) Peckham had two children: Naida (b. 1 Nov 1911) and a son who died in infancy. In 1908 William built a new house on the property east of the Nathan Peckham farm. The original homestead house has been removed probably in 1993 or 1994. William Peckham died in 1947 and Jessie Peckham in 1944, both are buried in Bloomfield Cemetery.

Naida married Harold Rawson (7 Jun 1909-3 Aug 1985) of Arlington, IA. They made their home on the William Peckham farm. Naida and Harold had five children: Lillian Leota; Karel L. Allan; Madeline (23 Dec 1940-1 Nov 1990); Robert; and Wesley.

Leota married Lein Joseph Knudsvig on 20 May 1956. Lein’s parents were Alvin and Marie (Larson) Knudsvig. Lein and Leota live in Decorah. They are the parents of five sons: Paul, Brian, Lindsay, Wade and Daniel. Paul married Belkis Yousri on 22 Oct 1988. They have a son, Matthew Azziz. Brian married Julie Anthony on 7 Apr 1984. They have two children: Charles and Joseph. Wade married Anne Marie Gilger on 4 Jun 1988. They have two children: Neal and Madeline.

Karel married Joyce Blumhagen, daughter of Alvin and Alice (Teetshorn) Blumhagen on 31 Oct 1959 at Castalia. They have four children: Haldain (19 Nov 1960-Aug 1970), Janell, Roxanne and Lezley. Janell married Kevin Hay. They have two children: Sean and Erin. Lezley married Land Johansen 1 Jun 1991.

Madeline married Henry W. “Bill” Buddenbergon 1 Jun 1960 at Castalia. Bill was the son of Melvin and Vera (Meyer) Buddenberg. They had five children: Randall, Douglas, Brett (6 Apr 1965-29 Dec 1985), Bruce and Lynn. Randall married Denise Dickman (b. 11 Jan 1960), daughter of Norman and Darlene (Stockman) Dickman. They have three children: Joshua, Zachary and Julie . Douglas married Pamela Stendel, the daughter of Earl and Arlene (Bodensteiner) Stendel. They have three children: Brittany; Bridget and Blake. Brett