My Genealogy Hound

VERNON E. PECKHAM, a member of the Chautauqua county bar in successful practice in Jamestown, is a descendant, through one of his ancestors, of Capt. John Smith, the real founder of the Virginia Colony, and the first thorough explorer of the New England coast, and whose meteor-like career in America for the benefit of English civilization made a lasting impression on the world's history.

Vernon E. Peckham was born in Allegany county, New York, October 1, 1849, and is a son of Lauriston and Mary J. (Bacon) Peckham. His paternal grandfather, Joseph Peckham, was born in 1786, in Rhode Island, and removed in early life to near Boston, Massachusetts, which he soon left to settle in New York. He first located temporarily in Cortland, but soon settled permanently in Allegany county, where he died in 1873, at the ripe old age of eighty-seven years. He was a farmer by occupation, a carpenter by trade, a Baptist in church membership, and a republican in political sentiment. He married Julia Smith, who traced her ancestry back to Capt. John Smith, the hero of Virginia's early history. Their family numbered four sons and four daughters. One of these sons, Lauriston Peckham (father), was born February 5, 1823, at Homer, N. Y., and now resides at Angelica, this State. At twenty-one years of age he learned the carpenter's trade, but soon afterwards purchased a large farm, which he tilled up to 1871, when he sold it and retired from active life. He is a remarkably industrious and very even-tempered man, and supports the Republican party. He married Mary J. Bacon, and they have but one child, the subject of this sketch. Mrs. Peckham is a woman of unusual good judgment and business ability, and her husband and son ascribe much of their success in life as due to her wise counsels, judicious suggestions and inspiriting words. She was born February 10, 1824, and is a daughter of Thomas Bacon, who was the son of a Mr. Bacon, a merchant who, in the early history of Boston, had a store on Bacon street, now called Becon, although spelled Bacon. Thomas was left an orphan at the age of nine years and went to sea, which he followed for many years, until shipwrecked off the coast of Nova Scotia; he was one of only three of the whole crew that succeeded in reaching shore. Among the sailors he was known as honest Scotch Bacon, and was an honorably discharged soldier of the war of 1812. He married Betsy Woodcock, of Vermont, and came to Allegany county, this State, where they reared a family of six children, one son and five daughters. Thomas Bacon was a man of great will power, scrupulous honesty and untiring energy.

Vernon E. Peckham received his education in district schools, and the Belfast academy, Allegany county, New York. After finishing his course in the Belfast Academy, he followed teaching for three or four years, and, in 1873, commenced the study of law with Hon. D. P. Richardson at Angelica, New York, and was admitted to the bar on April 7, 1878, at Rochester, N. Y. In the following August he went to Attica, Wyoming county, where he purchased the office and books of ex-Judge M. Thrall, and commenced the practice of his profession. He remained five years, and then was compelled to leave a very flattering practice on account of failing health. After one year spent at Omaha, he returned to his father's, where he continued to gain in health. In February, 1885, he deemed himself sufficiently recuperated to resume his profession, and came to Jamestown, where he has been in active practice ever since. He is a republican politically, and while in Attica, in 1880, he was elected justice of the peace, and served for one year, resigning when he went to Omaha. He is a Royal Arch Mason, and a member of the Presbyterian church, of which his wife is also a member.

January 28, 1880, he united in marriage with Helen Cogswell, of Attica, who is a graduate of Attica Collegiate Institute, and the Musical Conservatory of Cleveland, Ohio. She is a daughter of Moses Cogswell, who was a station agent on the Lake Erie railroad for many years, but resigned that position to accept the office of general freight agent of the T. K. M., having his headquarters at the city of Chicago, Ill. Returning from a visit to his family at Attica, he lost his life on the ill-fated passenger train that went down on the Ashtabula bridge in 1876. Mr. and Mrs. Peckham have two children, Mary and John.

A list of Jamestown's able and successful lawyers is almost a catalogue of its entire number of attorneys, and among this uncommonly able array of legal talent Mr. Peckham has found no trouble in securing and holding a high rank. He was associate counsel in the noted George W. Foster murder trial, and has taken part in many other important cases; he has won and retained the good-will and respect of all who know him.