1294–1295.  Paul Peck, (Deacon) was born county Essex, England, in 1607-1608, and died in Hartford, Connecticut, in December, 1695. Martha Hale was born in England?. They had 11 children:

i. Paul Peck was born in Hartford, Connecticut Colony, America, on December 22, 1639, and died in 1724. He married Elizabeth Baisie in 1665 in Hartford.
ii. Martha Peck was born in Hartford in 1641. She married John Cornwell (Sgt.)
iii. Elizabeth Peck was born in Hartford in 1643. She married Jeremiah How.
iv. John Peck was born in Hartford on December 22, 1645.
v. Joseph Peck was born in Hartford in 1650, baptized in 22 Dec 1650 and died in 1698. He married Ruth Atkins.
vi. Mary Peck was born in Hartford in 1652, and died in 1752. She married Denial Andrews.
vii. Sarah Peck was born in Hartford in 1653. She married first, Thomas Clark, and second, Ebenezer Clark.
viii. Hannah Peck was born in Hartford in 1656, and died on May 12, 1680. She married John Shepard (Deacon).
ix. [female] Peck was born in Hartford in 1658. Possibly this was Sally Peck who married Joseph Benton.
x. Ruth Peck [#647]: She was born in Hartford in 1660, and died in Wallingford, Connecticut, on December 5, 1686.
xi. [female] Peck was born in Hartford in 1666. She is buried in the Peck plot, Windsor, Hartford.

Paul Peck was chosen Deacon of the First Church of Hartford in April, 1691. He was an original member of the church. Martha Peck owned the covenant on February 23, 1695/6.

The following was provided by Margaretanne Serventi in May, 2002. Her references are included but were not confirmed by the author.

Paul [William, Stephen, John] Peck came from England in the ship "Defense" to Boston Colony in 1635 & remained in Boston, MA, or this vicinity until 1636 when he moved to what is now Hartford, Hartford, CT. One Richard Peck & wife Margery & family came to New England also on the ship "Defense" of London {suppose to be a brother of Paul’s information not verified as yet}. He made this move with the Thomas Hooker, Rev. & his friends. Paul’s name is on the list of the proprietors of Hartford in 1639. From records of the town, it appears that he became one of its leading men. His home lot, "on the road from George STEEL’S to the Great Swamp"; is said to have been upon what is now Washington Street, not far from Trinity College, the site of which was still known in the late 1800’s by many persons as the "Peck lot".

Deacon Paul Peck married Martha Hannah [Thomas, William, Richard, Thomas] HALE in 1631 at Hartford, Hartford, CT. Martha {most often called by her middle name of Hannah} was an early member of the 1st Church of Hartford. Martha Hannah was the daughter of Thomas & Joan (Kirby) Hale was born in 1617 & was baptized on 16 Dec 1618 at Watton-At-Stone, Hertfordshire, England.

Under date of 23 Mar 1666, the 2nd Gov. John Winthrop, a practicing physician, made the following entry in his medical journal. Peck, Martha: 45 y. wife of Paul of H worms & pain in back & other sickness which thinks is wind 2 dos 5 g N. J. & ig to take after. She is sister of Sam: Hale of Wethersfield, & hath a brother Thomas: Hale at Charlestown, Sent word it wrought well but very sick before it wrought. Again Mar: 28th 9 gr: $: wrought only down. In November 1667. Winthrop treated some of the Peck children who were then recovering from measles. He entered them as "Paul Pecks Children at Hartford" & named them as "Martha 9 years ole." "Also his son of 16 years: & also Hanna Peck his daughter 2 years."

In later years Paul PECK a proprietor "by Courtesies of the town" in 1639 was "the surveyor of highways in 1658 & again in 1665, a townsman in 1661 & again in 1668, a chimney viewer in 1667.

In April of 1681 Paul Peck became a Deacon in the 1st Congregationalist Church of Hartford & was thereafter known by that title. He held the position of Deacon until his demise in 1695.

Deacon Paul Peck died 22 Dec 1695 at Hartford, Hartford, CT & was buried 24 Dec 1695 in what was called the New Hartford Cemetery at that time & is now know as the Peck plot at Windsor, Hartford, CT. William Goodwin, the gravedigger, entered on 24 Dec 1695 the death of Deacon PECK aged 87". From this information we calculate that Deacon Paul Peck must have been born sometime in 1608. Several written documents attribute his place of birth as Essex County, England but we haven’t found any documentation to support this as yet.

The will of Deacon Paul Peck is in the Probate Records, B. 5, pp 217-218-219, dated 25 Jun 1695, & proved 15 Jan 1696. It is quite lengthy & is of interest in its detail & descriptions of his property. His inventory amounted to £536 & 5s. He named his eldest son Paul & the latter’s son Paul, grandson Samuel Peck, "who now liveth with me," mentioning " my wife his grandmother, Samuel to make payments to "my son-in law John Shepard. Wife Martha Peck to have £7.10.o paid to her annually by "my sons, Paul Peck & Joseph Peck, & son-in-law" Joseph Shepard to executors.

On 7 Mar 1699/1700, "Widow Martha Peck" of Hartford brought several suits: one against Paul Peck of Hartford, & another against Samuel Peck of Hartford for refusing to pay rent of land due her by the will of her deceased husband. "Deacon oseph Easton" in behalf of the plaintiff withdrew these actions, presumably because the matter had been settled out of Court. She brought a 3rd action against John Hoskins of Windsor who married the relict of Joseph PECK late of Hartford. Martha Hannah (Hale) Peck died on 25 Jun 1695 in her 78th year at Hartford & is buried in what was called the New Hartford Cemetery at that time.

{Many genealogical works have listed a son "Samuel Peck {1647–1672) who supposedly married one Elizabeth Galpin" as the 4th son & 5th child of Deacon Paul & Martha H. (Hale) Peck {this information copied from the Savage Genealogy Dictionary is incorrect}. I have been unable to find any vital records for this person. Donald Lines Jacobus the author of an article titled "The Family of Paul Peck of Hartford, CT", published in The American Genealogist # 34 Vol. IX, #2 pp 82-88 of October 1932 defiantly disproves this.

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

TIMBERLAND REGIONAL PUBLIC LIBRARY OLYMPIA, RAYMOND, & ELMA BRANCHES OF WASHINGTON STATE

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