Los Angeles County, CA, Biographies

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GEORGE H. PECK 
 
is a pioneer of California, and among the well-known representative men and 
agriculturists of San Gabriel Valley. The lead he has taken in agricultural 
industries and other interests of that beautiful valley during his twenty years 
of residence entitles him to more than passing mention. Mr. Peck is a native of 
Burlington, Vermont, and dates his birth March 4, 1819.  His father, John Peck, 
was a native of Connecticut, who located at Burlington, in Chittenden County, 
Vermont, in 1806, and was during his life largely interested in various 
mercantile, banking and railroad enterprises, and manufacturing industries in 
and near Burlington.  Mr. Peck's mother was also a native of Connecticut. She 
was Almira Keyes, a descendant from the historical Keyes family of that State, 
and a daughter of General John Keyes, a veteran of the Revolutionary war, who 
served in General Putnam's command. The subject of this sketch spent his youth 
in the schools. In 1837 he graduated at the University of Vermont at Burlington, 
and received the second degree, A. M., in 1838. In that year he made a voyage to 
the northeast coast, going north to latitude 56�, and the Esquimaux settlements, 
searching for health. The following winter and spring were spent in extended 
travels by sea and land, through the West India islands and the Southern States. 
In 1841, having studied law under the late Charles Adams and Judge Bennett, of 
Burlington, he was admitted to the bar and began the practice of law. Of an 
energetic disposition, he zealously and very successfully pursued his chosen 
calling. After a few years, failing health again compelled him to seek relief in 
travel. This time, however, as he expressed it, he ceased to play gentleman. He 
had got to recuperate by hard work. This could be done only at sea. So striking 
a shipping master (for his delicate looks were against him), he was shipped 
before the mast; and in the course of several voyages, covering a space of two 
and one-half years, he revisited the different West India islands, and also 
South America and Europe. Mr. Peck's life has been full of contrasts. Nothing, 
he says, ever amused him more than passing out trunks (of travelers, whom as a 
sailor he had helped to row ashore at Christianstadt, in the island of Santa 
Cruz) to a colored boy who in former days had been his own servant. In 1846 he 
entered into mercantile and manufacturing pursuits in Vermont, which he 
continued until 1849. In the latter year he came by way of the Isthmus to 
California, arriving in San Francisco on steamship Oregon, December 1,1849. As 
everything pertaining to the daily history of the Argonaut may be interesting, 
we deem it not out of place to note a few of the experiences of Mr. Peck, who, 
except John M. Horner, was the pioneer vegetable and hay merchant of the Pacific 
Coast. "I landed," he says, "in height a diminutive boy, at the corner of 
Broadway and Sansome streets, with a small boat-load of my own and the luggage 
of several professional men who had secured passage from Panama to San Francisco 
by shipping as stewards, i.e., table waiters, etc. Of course their objective 
point was the mines, and to hasten the trip they had adopted the usual method of 
those days�running away from the ship, leaving their wages. They escaped by 
sliding down the boat tackle-ropes. All of the crew had been officers, ranging 
from second mate up to captain. The mines were their objective point also, and I 
understood that they left the ship in the same way. Once ashore, I purchased 
lumber for tent poles, paying there, for at the rate of $600 per 1,000 feet." 
Shortly after his arrival he went to Santa Clara County, locating near Alviso, 
where he engaged in vegetable gardening and raising hay for the San Francisco 
markets. He also entered into business as a hay and vegetable dealer in San 
Francisco. It is noted that at that period the following prices ruled: Hay, $200 
per ton; clumps of cabbage leaves, called heads, $1.50 each; peas, $1 per pound, 
in the pod; potatoes, 25 cents per pound, or $500 per ton. He was also connected 
with other industries in that city until 1851, when he went to mining in the 
upper counties. Leaving the mines, he located in Yolo County in 1852, and 
engaged in farming. The lands upon which he confined his operations were subject 
to overflows, destroying his crops; besides, that scourge of low, marshy lands, 
fever and ague, claimed him as a victim, and he was compelled to seek other 
localities and occupations. In 1854 he moved to Sacramento, where he was 
employed as principal of the public schools. He opened the first public school 
in that city, February 14, 1854, being the first public school opened in the 
State outside of San Francisco. In 1856 Mr. Peck located at Dutch Flat and 
entered upon the practice of law. He engaged in that profession until 1858, when 
he returned to Vermont. After a few weeks' visit at his old home, he returned to 
California, and opened a commercial school in San Francisco. In May, 1860, he 
opened the San Francisco Industrial School, the first of its kind on the coast. 
In May, 1861, he became principal of the Spring Valley Grammar School of that 
city, where he continued until 1863, and then entered into business as a coal 
dealer. He was also principal of the night schools of San Francisco for several 
years while engaged in his business enterprise. In 1869 Mr. Peck came to Los 
Angeles County and located about two and a half miles northeast of El Monte, in 
El Monte Township, where he
purchased 500 acres of land and entered upon agricultural pursuits, an 
occupation which he has successfully conducted for the past twenty years. Mr. 
Peck took his land in its wild state, and has by his intelligent care and 
industry brought it to its present productive condition. He believes in 
diversified farming. While hay and grain are his principal crops, he cultivates 
deciduous fruits and grapes as well, and has been eminently successful in both. 
He also has a fine dairy of from forty to fifty mulch cows, of Jersey and 
Short-horn Durham stock. His horses, in which he takes a suitable pride, are of 
the celebrated old Morgan stock. As a practical, thorough-going business man, he 
has applied the same principles to farming that insure success in other 
occupations of life. He is a progressive citizen, and one that is ever ready to 
aid any movement that will advance the interests of his section. He is a 
Republican in politics, taking a great interest in the intelligent success of 
his party, and has served as a delegate in many of its conventions. He was a 
supervisor in Yolo County in 1853 and 1854, and was also superintendent of 
public schools of Los Angeles County in 1874�'76. He is a man of broad views and 
liberal education, and for years has been a member of the Southern California 
Historical Society. For more than thirty years he has been a consistent member 
of the Episcopal church. Mr. Peck has been twice married. By his first wife he 
had two sons: John H. F., a merchant living in Los Angeles, and George H. Peck, 
Jr., a banker in San Pedro. By his second marriage, in 1864, he had two 
daughters: Kate W., now Mrs. Albert Gibbs, who lives at South. Pasadena, and 
Mary Chator, a member of her father's household.
 
An Illustrated History of Los Angeles County, California �  Chicago, The Lewis 
Publishing Company, 1889   Page 584
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler