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The fame of "Sideview Stock Farm" has gone far beyond the borders of Scott county. The standard-bred horses and registered shorthorn cattle turned out from there have found a market in many counties of many states. This farm has attracted no little attention to the county and has been one of the various means of advertising it far and wide. The senior proprietor of this institution, Mr. J. R. Peak, was born in McMinn county, southeastern Tennessee, November 20, 1818. He came with his parents to Scott county, Illinois, in April, 1832, and they settled in a log house south of Exeter. In October, 1832, they moved to a farm southwest of where Albert Peak now lives. He remained upon this place until he was married, October 10, 1849, to Miss Mary E. Young, daughter of Major J. B. Young, who was born in Scott county April 4, 1832. In the spring of 1851 Mr. And Mrs. Peak moved to Montgomery county, where Mr. Peak entered eighty acres of land, four miles north of Litchfield, from the government, built a small house and broke twenty-five acres of ground. His health then failed and he moved back to Scott county and settled on the J. B. Young place, where he rented land for three years.

Dame Fortune did not seem to deal kindly with Mr. Peak during the early years of his married life. Reverses and vicissitudes appeared to rain down and at times it required almost superhuman effort to bear up under the strain. In 1855 Mr. Peak traded his Montgomery county land for what was then known as the Alvin Bean farm, containing eighty-three acres, and paid a difference of $1100. He still owns that land. IN 1857 he began feeding cattle. The first years' venture was profitable on a small scale. He also gave considerable attention to wheat growing, as he still owed for his farm and was anxious to make the money to settle the obligation. His wheat crop in 1858 was good. In the spring of 1859 he put all his money in cattle, grazes them that summer, fed them all winter and the next spring drove them to market at St. Louis; he failed to get a bid on them, held them for several days at a heavy expense, and finally sold them at two dollars per head over what they first cost him. In 1859 he gave his attention wheat and did fairly well, but in 1860 he had an excellent crop of wheat which he sold, putting the money, together with $700 which he borrowed, into cattle and this deal netted him about $1200.

For the past twenty years he has devoted his time to farming and stock raising. Fine stock is the one great aim of his life and he is paying particular attention to the breeding of standard-bred roadster horses and shorthorn cattle. In this he has been more than successful. It isn't an experiment with him - it is a practical science, a demonstrated fact. At the "Sideview Stock Farm" are to be found as handsome specimens of these respective classes or horses and cattle as are to be found anywhere in Illinois, or in the whole country for that matter. Associated in the business with Mr. Peak is his son. They make it a business to show their stock everywhere and wherever it is exhibited prizes are taken. From the farm only the finest is sent out. They are proud of their stock and are more than willing to back it wherever it may be found.

To Mr. and Mrs. Peak eight children have been born, four sons and four daughters. The youngest daughter, Ollie, was stricken in death when she was but two and a half years old. The remaining children are: Howard M. Peak, of Exeter; Albert S. Peak, James Y. Peak, Geo. J. Peak, Mrs. Alice C. Hamilton, wife of W. W. Hamilton; Mrs. Estella Hamilton, wife of J. E. Hamilton, and Mrs. Katie Y. Stuart, wife of Geo. M. Stuart.

While Mr. Peak has contributed as much as any one man to the material advancement of the county he has not been unmindful of the social and religious sides of life. He is a leading member of the Baptist church and a pleasant, kindly, whole-souled gentleman, possessed of a warm heart and a generous disposition. He is interested in whatever is for the good of the community at large and gives liberally to every laudable undertaking. Mild of manner, pleasant of address, Mr. Peak is a self made man who owes his present success to his courage and an abiding faith in the future of Scott county.