Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

present parish house and rectory were
built ; also a parish house in the Staddle
Hill district, and on Warwick Street. He
was consecrated Bishop, November 4,
191 5, being the two hundred eighty-third
American Bishop. He received the degree
of Doctor of Divinity from Wesleyan
University and on November i, 1916, this
degree was conferred upon him by Trinity
College of Hartford. His activities in
church affairs are numerous and he has
served as chairman of the Committee on
Church Revision Fund; was vice-presi-
dent of a Church Auxiliary and is a trustee
of Berkeley Divinity School. While a
student at the University of Toronto,
Bishop Acheson was active in the militia
service of the Province, was a member of
Company K, the university company, of
the Queen's Own Regiment, and distin-
guished himself for bravery under fire
during the second Riel Rebellion, for
which he received a medal from Queen
Victoria. During the recent World's War,
his military and patriotic spirit led him
into many activities and he served as
Field Director of the American Red Cross
in this country. At its outbreak he was
stranded in Italy with many other American
tourists, and was appointed by Ambassador
Page on a commission to relieve
American tourists and arrange for their
transportation to this country. Because
of his executive ability and his cheerful
and hopeful disposition, he was particularly
valuable to this organization. He
is affiliated with St. John's Lodge, No.
2, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons
and Cyrene Commandery, No. 8, Knights
Templar, of Middletown.
Bishop Acheson was married, June 8,
1892, in Canada, to Eleanor Gooderhan,
daughter of George Gooderhan, a mer-
chant of Toronto. Mrs. Acheson is a
leader in many of the uplifting activities
;
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
134
of Middletown, among which may be
mentioned the Visiting Nurses' Association,
and has been very active in Red
Cross work, in community service and
other movements along the lines of these
organizations. Mr. and Mrs. Acheson
are the parents of a daughter and two
sons: Margaret C, Dean G., and Edward
C.
PECK, Howard Sydney,
Public Servant.
A scion of one of the oldest Connecti-
cut families, Mr. Peck is an exponent of
the steady virtues which have for three
centuries distinguished the Puritan fa-
thers of New England. Among the first
settlers of New Haven, in 1638, was
Henry Peck, probably a relative of Deacon
William Peck, who settled there in
the same year. They are supposed to
have been members of Rev. John Davenport's
flock that came with Governor
Eaton in the ship "Hector," arriving at
Boston, June 26, 1637. Henry Peck signed
the fundamental agreement of the settlers
of New Haven, and took an active interest
in the management of the affairs of the
colony. A portion of his home lot, on
what is now George Street, is still in pos-
session of his descendants. His will is
dated October 30, 165 1, and he died soon
after that day. His third son, Benjamin
Peck, was baptized September 5, 1647,
and lived in that part of New Haven
known as "Sperry Farms," now the town
of Woodbridge. His will, made March
30, 1730, was proved April 5, following.
He married March 29, 1670, Mary, daughter
of Richard Sperry of New Haven,
born March 14, 1650. Benjamin, eldest
child of Benjamin and Mary Peck, was
born January 4, 1671, in (then) New
Haven, and settled in "Norwich West