Robert Peck Sr. (abt. 1500 - 1556)

Born about 1500 in Beccles, Suffolk, England

Ancestors

Husband of Joan Anne (Norton) Peck — married [date unknown] in England

Husband of Joan (Waters) Peck — married 1540 in Suffolk, England

Descendants

Died 20 Nov 1556 at about age 56 in Beccles, Suffolk, England

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Biography

Robert Peck was from the branch of the family that lived in Halesworth and South Elmham, both in Suffolk county. He was born in the vicinity of Beccles, moving into the town in 1525. In 1529 he was made executor of his grandfather, John Leeke's will, making him at least twenty one at that time, so he was probably born as early as 1500.

Robert Peck of Beccles, who in 1537 deposed that he had resided in Beccles for twelve years, probably was related to the Peck families of Halesworth and Southelmham, co. Suffolk. He married twice. His first wife was a daughter of Walter Norton of Halesworth, and Walter Norton was a native of one of the Southelmhams, namely, Southelmham St. Margaret, and was therefore connected with the only two places, Halesworth and the Southelmhams, in Suffolk, in the environs of Beccles, in which Peck families resided at that time and had resided for generations past. Before Robert Peck went to Beccles, it is likely that he was known to Walter Norton, who in the lay subsidy in Suffolk in 1524 was taxed at Halesworth in goods [valued at] £20. The names 'Richard Pek' and 'Maryon Pek' also are found at Halesworth in this subsidy. In the same subsidy, at Southelmham St. Margaret, Walter Norton was taxed in lands [valued at] £1. 13s. 4d., while at Southelmham St. James William Pek was taxed in goods [valued] at £9. 3s. 4d. and Robert Pek in goods [valued at] £2. (Suffolk Green Books, vol. 10). Whether the last-mentioned Robert Pek was identical with the first Robert Peck of Beccles is unknown; but in 3 Edward VI, 14 March 1549/50, mention is made of three acres of land and pasture, in Southelmham St. James, in the tenure of Robert Pecke and Anne Carre, widow. (Calendar of Patent Rolls, Edward VI, vol. 2, p. 278.) The first Robert Peck of Beccles may have held lands in Southelmham St. James or elsewhere long after he settled at Beccles about 1525; but, if he held such lands as late as March 1549/50, he probably disposed of them of them before his death seven years later. The name of the first Robert Peck of Beccles does not, of course, appear under Beccles in the subsidy of 1524, for he was not then a resident of Beccles. Since, however, he was living in Beccles as early as 1525 and in 1529 was one of the executors of the will of John Leek, it is evident that he was then a man of mature years, and, considering the tender years at that time of the children of John Peck of Wakefield, co. York, Esq., who died in 1559, that he was not a son of John Peck of Wakefield by his wife Joan Anne. Probably this first Robert Peck of Beccles was born in the vicinity of Beccles. The surname is common both to Norfolk and to Suffolk from a very early date. The lay subsidy tax for Suffolk for 1524, as already stated, is in print (in volume 10 of the Suffolk Green Books), and with this as a guide it is possible to enumerate all the Peck families living at this time in Suffolk, in the neighborhood of Beccles. Beccles, however, lies on the Waveney River, which separates Norfolk from Suffolk, and the list of the Peck families residing in the neighborhood of Beccles but across the Waveney in Norfolk must remain incomplete until a lay subsidy for Norfolk of the same period has been examined. It is evident, nevertheless, that the Pecks in that section of Norfolk, near Beccles, were not very prolific, as no testators of the name have been found there in the records of the Norfolk probate courts."

"A few years before his death the first Robert Peck of Beccles was one of the defendants in another suit in Chancery, brought by one William Rede of Beccles against John Waters, father of Robert Peck's second wife, and Robert Peck himself. Below is given the Bill of Complaint in this suit, in so far as possible in its original form and spelling. Although this Bill of Complaint is undated, it is addressed to the Right Honorable Sir Thomas Wryothesley, who was appointed Lord Chancellor of England on 3 May 1544, in the reign of Henry VIII, and ceased to be Lord Chancellor on 5 March 1546/7,when the great seal was taken from him. He never was Lord Chancellor again, although he was readmitted for a while to the Privy Council; and therefore the following Bill of Complaint must have been addressed to the Lord Chancellor not earlier than 3 May 1544 and not later than about 5 March 1546/7. . . The Bill of Complaint in the case of Rede v. Water and Peck is an interesting old document, which, unfortunately, in many places has crumbled to pieces or is illegible, and is very difficult to read. One William Robard [sic, ? roberts] of Beccles and Robert Peck were churchwardens of Beccles at the time of this dispute about the custody of the property of St. Michael's Gild in Beccles, and John Waters, father-in-law of Robert Peck, was one of the aldermen of the Gild."

Children

Six children by his second wife (three sons: John, Robert, and Thomas; and three daughters: Margaret, Olive, and Anne) were living on 31 Oct. 1556, and that his sons John and Robert and his daughter Margaret were born before 28 May 1547, when they were named as legatees in the will of their grandfather, John Waters, the two sons and their sister Margaret being under twenty-one on that date.

Will

Will dated 31 October 1556 - My body to be buried in the churchyard of Beccles, near unto the grave of Joan, my wife. To every one of my household servants 12d. To John Peck my son, my messuage wherein I dwell and my tenement "late Mayster Rede" and the two meadows lying next the meadow in the tenor of Mathew Prynte and my little garden "late Philippe Doddes," my close "sometyme Helyn Churches," my "fryttlell as the further Wynde Myll late Richard Tyde," and three acres of land "late William Marshes" upon condition that he shall pay to Thomas Pecke, my sons, and to my three daughters Margaret, Olyve, and Anne. To Robard Pecke, my son, my other two meadows in Barstun (?Barsham) "late Churchmans" and the meadows late "Doctor Rede sometyme Baldewyns," my close at Ingate church, one acre of land "late Tyde at Ingatefelds" and the "three roode acres called Bells acre." To Thomas Pecke, my son, my two tenements I purchased of John Walter and my tenter yard. To my daughters Margaret, Olyve, and Anne, to each £6.13s.4d. To every one of John Water's and William Water's children 4d. To every one of my godchildren 4d. Executors: Richard Crampton and Thomas Hagas. Supervisors: John Waters and Robert Bradley. My little "pyctell called Caves pyctell" lying in Ingate shall be sold. To Joan Meriman, my daughter, a gown and a petticoat that were her mother's and the worser paire of Corall beads." Witnesses: Sir John Bymbyn, Robert Tower, Robert Grene, Thomas Goodwyn, and John Waters. Proved 20 November 1556.

This Robert Peck whom is married to Joan Waters was born abt.1500, near the vicinity of the town Beccles (not in Beccles), yet in Suffolk, England.

He is indicated as the son of Henry Peck-416 and Marjorie Leeke.

Peck Pedigree Resource File for Robert Peck-3831 s/o Henry Peck & Jane Anna-? is incorrect . She is John Peck's wife.("Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, "Pedigree Resource File," database, FamilySearch [1] :entry for Robert Peck, submitted by jjohanson2709419.) and are indicated as such in John Peck's findagrave and yet are shown as Robert Peck's parents which is also incorrect and needs to be addressed.

This Robert Peck now has an appropriate est'd year of birth in order to merge him with Robert Peck-65 who is married to the same (2nd Wife) Joan Waters.

Note:Robert Peck Findagrave Memorial and is where he is buried with the wife who had his children.

Burial: St Michael's Parish Churchyard in Beccles, Waveney District, Suffolk, England.

FindAGrave Memorial link^[1]

"Additional Reference"

Forebears of Suffolk, England -[2]

Sources

1. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #182452913

• Peck, Allyn S., and Frederick Stanhope Peck. The English Ancestry of Joseph Peck, of Hingham, Mass. in 1638. New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Part I, v. 89 (1935), pp. 327-339. Part II, v. 90 (1936), p. 58. Part III, v. 91 (1937), p. 7.
• Peck, Ira Ballou. A Genealogical History of the Descendants of Joseph Peck. 1868. Page 13.
• Barbara Fleming's Genealogy -[3].
• Ancestors of Thomas Wilson Martin, accessed 24 Sep 2005 -[4].
• Source:S205 Title: OneWorldTree Repository: #R2 NOTE Source Medium: Ancestry.com
• The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, "Pedigree Resource File," database, FamilySearch [5] :entry for Robert /Peck/.
• St Michael's Parish Churchyard, Beccles, Suffolk, England.
• Find A Grave: Memorial #182452913

See also:

• US and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 (birth)
• Millennium File (birth)
• Web: Netherlands Genealogie Online Trees Index 1000-present
• http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=9289&h=33141219&ssrc=pt&tid=62444179&pid=48110605650&usePUB=true
• http://person.ancestry.com/tree/104510906/person/160040312539/facts