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HISTORY OF PECKS AND HANBYS IN ROCKWALL COUNTY, TEXAS *Denotes Those Who are Buried in the Kyser-Peck Cemetery Following the Civil War and the loss of the Peck's plantation in Giles County, Virginia, the family of JOSEPH ADDISON PECK* began a migration to the state of Texas. In the spring of 1877, Joseph Peck and his wife, ELLENORA BAKER PECK* moved with five of their six offspring to the New Hope community in Dallas County, Texas. The children who moved with them were: JOSEPH VAWTER PECK*, aged 22; EMMA CANNON PECK*, aged 20; WALTER BEVERLY PECK*, aged 16; HENRY AUGUSTUS PECK*, aged 14; and ROBERT EDWARD LEE PECK, aged 13. Their oldest daughter, ELIZABETH JOSEPHINE PECK*, had married PETER SHARP HANBY* on January 9, 1877. Elizabeth and Peter did not move to Texas until November of 1877 after the birth of their first child, WALTER PECK HANBY*. When Peter and Elizabeth came to Texas, his brother, JOHN WALKER PECK* moved with them. John had been romantically involved with Emma Cannon Peck before she left Virginia and they were married in Texas on June 20, 1878.
In 1881, the Pecks and the Hanbys purchased land in Rockwall County, Texas, near Heath. Houses were built, orchards and gardens were planted, and wells were dug for water and walled with brick. In the two Hanby families, children were being born at regular intervals. Between 1877 and 1891, Peter and Elizabeth produced nine children in all: WALTER PECK HANBY*, LEE THOMAS HANBY*, NORA (NONA) McCHESNEY HANBY, AUGUSTA LEIGH HANBY BOYD*, ALMA VAWTER HANBY*, CARL FREDERIC, CLINARD JOSEPH HANBY, HENRY LLOYD HANBY, and JEAN KATHLEEN HANBY*. When Jean Kathleen was only three weeks old, Peter Sharp Hanby died at the age of 43 leaving Elizabeth a widow at 36 with nine children.
John and Emma Hanby were also very productive during this time. Their ten children were born between 1879 and 1898 including: FRANCIS HENRY HANBY, JULIA LLOYD HANBY JONES, MARY GRAY [GAY] HANBY, JOSEPH ALFRED [BON] HANBY, BEVERLY BANE [DIMP] HANBY, JOHN WALTER HANBY, JR.*, ROBERTA LEE HANBY*, WINNIFRED DAVIS HANBY, HUGH LAWRENCE HANBY GUGGENHEIM, and VICTOR RAYMOND HANBY.
Two of Joseph and Ellen's sons, Walter Beverly and Henry Augustus remained single all of their lives. Joseph Vawter married LAURA FRANKLIN, bought land near his parents, and built a house. Joe and Laura had four children: an infant who died at three weeks*, JEAN VAWTER PECK*, ELIZABETH LLOYD PECK*, and EMMA LEIGH PECK. The youngest son, Robert Edward Lee Peck married RUTH BURCH on December 12, 1906. They were the parents of three children: ELISE, ROBERT, and HENRY.
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