The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-04-02
DEATH OF REV. DR.. PECK.
Was One of the Oldest Ministers in
This Part of State--His Family
Famous in Methodism.

ReV. Luther W. Peck, ID. D., died at
his home on Chestnut street Saturday
last at p. m. He was around, hale
last he contracted a severe cold, winch
later developed into pneumonia. and to
which he finally succumbed. He was
"A years of age.
DR.. Peck was justly proud of his an
cestry. He traced his lineage on his
fathers side in unbroken succession
in America and England for thirty gen.
erations back. His original ancestor in
this country was Henry Peck, one of
the original signers of the articles
founding the New Haven colony, who
came to America in 1878. DR.. Peck
was of the ninth generation from him.
On his mothers side he was descend
ed from the Myers and Bennett fami-
lies, many of whom are living in the
Wyoming Valley at the present time.
Thomas Bennett. an old Indian fighter
and one of the forty settlers who built
the stockade at Forty Fort, was one
of his maternal ancestors, and Jesse
Peck, who, together with two of his
sons. gave their lives for their country
in the Revolutionary war, was his pa
ternal grandfather.
DR.. Peck was born in Kingston, Lu-
zerne county, Pennsylvania, on the
fourteenth day of June, 1925, and was
the second son of the late Rev. DR..
George Peck and Mary Myers. His
boyhood was spent in the Wyoming
Valley, where, in listening to the stur-
dy preaching and kindly advice Of his
illustrious father, he imbibed those
principles of piety, eloquence and char
acter which so distinguished him in his
later years. To that marvellous VAL
ley, so renowned in history and legend.
so beautiful in its wealth of scenery.
so rich in its mineral wealth. in the
later years of his life, when the sha-
dows of evening were beginning to
gather over his head, his thoughts
turned. and led him to write his poem,
THE Humming Bird" a writing that
has elected favorable comment from
many critics.
When quite young in years, DR.. Peck
was placed in charge of his uncle,
Bishop Jesse T. Peck who was then
the principal of the Methodist semin-
airy at Poultney. Vermont, to be edu-
Gated. He spent several years there
and laid the foundation for the edu-
cation which he subsequently obtained
AS the age of fifteen he entered Wes-
leyan university at Mddletown, Conn.
as a freshman in the class of 1S45, with
| George /. Seney, A. Oakley Hall. John
W. Beach and many other men who
afterwards became famous as authors,
politicians and philanthropists. He re-
manned in Wesleyan but one year,
| when his father was called to the edi-
| torship of the Christian Advocate, in
| New York city, and his son, in order
| that he might be at home, left Wes-
leysn and entered New York univer-
! sity as a sophomore in the class of As,
under the famous educator, Chancellor
| Theodore Frelinghuysen. He led his
class during the time he was a student
| and graduated as the valedictorian
when but nineteen years of age.
| Immediately subsequent to his grad
uation he entered the Methodist min
istry, joining the New York conference
| in 1S45, there to devote his life to the
service of the Great Master. In this
he followed the example of his father
and the latter's four brothers, who.
with Rev. George NJ. Peck, his own
brother, were all Methodist ministers.
On January IS, ls4s, DR., Peck mar
ried Sarah NJ. Gibbons, the daughter
of a noted Albany physician, Dr. Ran
som II. Gibbons, who still survives
| him. During the first twenty-th
years of his ministry he was a mem
Der of the New York conference and
occupied many pulpits of prominence,
including New York city, Brooklyn,
| poughkeensie NeWburgh and others
In 1868 he was transferred to the Wyo-
ming conference and was stationed at
the Simpson Methodist Episcopal
church. West Scranton. where he held
his membership at the time OF his
death. His appointments in this con-
ference were many, and included
Wilkes Barre. Pittston, presiding elder
of the Honesdale district and durinr
his later life less arduous appoint
ments. For forty-siX years he was In
the active ministry and during the last
ten years he has held a supsrnumary
relation. Dr. Peck was the last of his
generation famous as a race of preach
ers, and in his death the Wyoming
conference loses it's oldest member.
The funeral will be held at his late
| residence, No. 302 Chestnut street, OF
Tuesday afternoon at l o'clock. Inter
ment will be in the Forty Fort ceme'
terry and will be private, the funera
party taking the $40 Delaware, Lack
awanna and Western train.
The pall-bearers will be his foul
nephews. Judge William II. Crane, o.
Port Jervis; William II. Peck and Lu
ther w. Peck. of this city, and George
Peck, Of Forty Fort.