Better information - 1884 was actually the date of the birth of Samuel and Kate's son Gregory. So their marraige probably occurred prior to 1884. Ira Peck's 1868 book lists several Pecks who had settled in the Rochester area prior to this time, and could be ancestors of Samuel: Williams Peck d 7/12/1843; George Prindle Peck b 8/1841; Ira R. Peck b 12/22/1809; Herman J. Peck b9/7/1832; Horatio N. Peck b 7/24/1813; Eastman C. Peck b 5/6/1853; Horatio N. Peck b 8/26/1854; Israel Peck d12/5/1827; George A. Peck; George Henry Peck b 2/5/1819; George Henry Peck b 9/30/1858; Jesse Peck d 4/29/1823; Everard Peck d 2/9/1854; Norman Peck d 6/1849; Charles d 8/12/1857; William F. Peck; and Edward W. Peck.

I sure would appreciate any help at all from anyone who has researched the Peck line in Monroe County, or who has run across any of these names in their travels!

Samuel Peck and Kate Ashe were married in Rochester, Monroe County in 1884. I'm seeking to connect them to my line, descended from Joseph Peck who immigrated to Hingham, MA in 1638. Any help from Monroe County would be greatly appreciated. Also, would like to talk to anyone familiar with searching records in Monroe County. Please Email me!

Hi John

I have just read your post from 2000 - long time ago I know. Just wondering if you are still at this address... I am researching Gregory Peck's line to see if there's any connection to my husband's line in England: Robert Peck born 1790 Suffolk.

Hope to hear from you

Robyn

from http://genforum.com/peck/messages/657.html:...."looking for more info about Samuel Peck. He was an American and died from diphtheria. His wife, Catherine Ashe was born Feb 10, 1865 in East Minard, Kerry, Ireland; died May 12, 1928 San Diego, CA. She was the daughter of John Gregory Ashe and Catherine Mary Prendiville. Samuel died when son Gregory was an infant, and Catherine took son back to the family farm in Ireland. They came back when Gregory was about 10 and stayed.

Samuel and Catherine's son, Gregory Peck, was born about 1875 in Rochester, NY, and died abt 1964 in San Diego, CA. He was a pharmacist in San Diego and La Jolla."

Allegedly Samuel died by drowning in the Erie Canal, and then Ms. Ashe moved away and began the rest of her life. There was a man from Hollywood who cam to the Rochester library some years ago searching all this about Gregory the actor's ancestry, and that man was convinced that he had found the actual lineage.

Thank you for your response. The info in your reply regarding the actor Gregory Peck's grandparents is different from the info I have. According to Census records Catherine(Kate)Ashe was born in Missouri. I believe her mother was Margaret. From his age given in the 1920 and 1930 Censuses Gregory Pearl Peck, the actor's father, was born in 1886. I have read the Samuel Peck was born in 1865 in NY and was a baker.

We don't recall exact details of this, but it seems like the info posted in the Genforum was wrong, just by inspection. As we noted the California researcher seemed convinced that G P Peck's mother was Irish, and not from Missouri. We believe that she went back to Ireland for a short while, then came back to the states with young GP Peck, eventually moving to California. The father of GP Peck, is alleged to have drowned in the Erie Canal shortly after the birth of his son, about 1886.

Hopefully another person can straighten this thing out. If that California researcher had published and documented his work, it would be more accessible. Relying upon 10 or 15 year old memories is a notoriously inaccurate method.

Thanks again. I believe Kate's mother was born in Ireland and that Kate's father John, and Thomas Ashe's father Gregory were cousins.

G P Peck remarried (Harriet) sometime after 1920 and they had a son Donald who was born about 1935. I have seen very few references to this fact. I think it's sad that he doesn't seem to be acknowledged as actor Gregory Peck's brother or that people who write about the actor's family may not even know he had a brother.

I can't find any records for Samuel Peck.

Yes I hope someone can help solve the puzzle.

I have just found this item from an early newspaper
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nymonnws/1887/JUL.html

Rochester, Monroe, NY
Union & Advertiser
Tue July 26, 1887

DEATHS AND FUNERALS

-Last evening Coroner SHARPE held an inquest at Maier's undertaking rooms in the case of Charles PECK, who was drowned in the canal Sunday morning. A verdict was given to the effect that PECK was drowned while engaged in a struggle, and no blame was attached to anybody.

Could this mean that Samuel Peck didn't die by drowning in the Erie canal or does it mean that the actor's grandfather was Charles and not Samuel...??

That's the one! Charles was the name!

12 years later who knows if this will be seen, but I'm tracing my family lineage and through my mother's side, my 3rd Great Grandfather was Edward W. Peck, married to Ida L Peck. They had three children, all girls. My 2nd Great Grand Mother Alice Hart Peck married into my mother's maiden name family, the Curtis'. Marrying Gurney Curtis. I am wondering if anyone can help me track the parents of Edward W. Peck. The family is pretty certain it traces to Everard Peck but no one is sure quite how.