Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 08.djvu/267

 PECK

PECK

PECK, George Wilbur, governor of "Wiscon- sin, was born in Jefferson county, N.Y., Sept. 28, 1840 ; son of David B. and Alzina Peck. He at- tended the public schools, and in 1855 went to Wisconsin, entering the printing office of the Whitewater Register. He assisted in establish- ing the Jefferson County Republican ; was em- ployed by the State Journal, Madison ; enlisted in the Federal army as a private ; served, 1861-66, being one year in Texas after the war, and at- tained the rank of 2d lieutenant. He was mar- ried in 1860 to Francena Rowley of Delavan, Wis. He established the Ripon Representative in 1866 and soon afterward removed to New York, where he was one of the editors of Pomeroy's Democrat. He subsequently edited the La Crosse edition of the Democrat, called the La Crosse Democrat, aud in 1878 published Peck's Sun in Milwaukee, Wis., which gained a wide reputation for its hu- morous chai-acter. He was chief of police of La Crosse, 1874-75, and chief clerk of the state assem- bly in 1874. He was mayor of Milwaukee, 1890- 91, and governor of the state of Wisconsin, 1891- 95. He is the author of : Peck's Bad Boy and Itis Pa, and The Groceryman and Peck's Bad Boy : a Continuation of Peck's Bad Boy.

PECK, Harry Thurston, editor and author, was born in Stamford, Conn., Nov. 24, 1856; son of Harry and Elizabeth (Thurston) Peck ; grand- son of Turney and Rebecca (Burr) Peck), and of John Gates and Harriet (Lee) Thurston, and a descendant from Daniel Thurston of Gloucester- shire, England, and later of Newbury, Mass., who died in 1693. He attended a private school in Greenwich, Conn., and was graduated from Co- lumbia college. A.B., 1881, A.M., 1882, L.H.D., 1884. He was a university fellow of Columbia, 1881-83 ; tutor in Latin, 1882-85, and studied at the University of Berlin in 1888. He was mar- ried, April 26, 1882, to Nellie MacKay, daughter of Charles and Mary E. (MacKay) Dawbarn. He was instructor in Latin and Semitic languages at Columbia, 1886-88 ; acting professor of Latin, 1886-88, and became professor of Latin in 1888. The degree of Ph.D. was conferred on him by Cumber- land university in 1883. He was secretary of the University Council of Columbia in 1892, and of the Faculty of Arts from 1894. He was editor of the Bookman from 1895 ; literary editor of the New York Commercial Advertiser, 1897-1901 ; member of the general editorial staff of the same journal from 1902 ; editor of " Harper's Dictionary of Classical Literature and Antiquities" (1896) ; "The International Cyclopaedia" (15 vols., 1890- 1902) ; "The New International Encycloptedia " from 1902 ; the " Student's Series of Latin Classics" (1892-1902) ; "American Atlas of the World " (1S92) : " Library of the World's Litera- ture '" (1800), and "Masterpieces of Literature"

(1899). He translated " Trimalchio's Dinner" (1898), and is the author of : T7ie Personal Equa- tion (1897) ; The Semitic Tlieory of Creation (1886) ; Latin Pronunciation (1890) ; Tlie Adven- tures of Mabel (1896) ; What is Good English? (1899) ; Grey stone and Poriiyhry (1900.)

PECK, Jesse Truesdell, M. E. bishop, was born in Middlefield, N.Y., April 4, 1811; son of Luther and Annis (Coller) Peck, and brother of the Rev. George Peck (q.v.). He was educated at the Oneida Conference seminary, Cazenovia, N.Y., and was licensed as a local preacher in 1829. He was married, Oct. 13, 1831, to Persis, daughter of Capt. David Wing of West Dennis, Mass. ; was admitted to the Oneida conference, July 12, 1832, and was pastor of the churches at Dryden, Newark "Valley, Skaneateles and Pots- dam, N.Y., 1832-37. He was principal of the Gouverneur Wesleyan seminary, 1837-41 ; of the Troy Conference academy, Poultney, "Vt., 1841- 48 ; president of Dickinson college, Carlisle, Pa., 1848-52 ; pastor of the Foundry church, Washington, D.C., 1852-54 ; secretary and editor of the Tract Society of the Methodist Episcopal church, 1854-56, and pastor of the Green Street church, New York city, 1856-58. He was transferred to California in 1858, and was pastor and presiding elder in San Francisco, Sac- ramento and Santa Clara, 1858-66, also president of the board of trustees of the University of the Pacific and of the State Bible society. He was pastor at Peeks- kill, Albany and Syracuse, N.Y., respectively, 1866-72 ; a founder of Syracuse university, presi- dent of its board of trustees and chairman of the building committee. He was elected bishop of the Methodist Episcopal church in 1872, and made a tour of Europe in 1881, holding conferences and studying educational systems. He was a mem- ber of several general conferences and a delegate to the Methodist Ecumenical conference in Lou- don in 1881. He received the degree of A.M. from Wesleyan university in 1838, D.D. from University college in 1846, and LL.D. from Will- amette university in 1875. He is the author of : The Central Idea of Christianity (1S55); The True Woman (1857); Wltat Must I Do to be Saved (1858), and History of a Great Republic, con- sidered from a Christian Standpoint {i8G8). He died in Syracuse, N.Y., May 17, 1883.

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