Peck, Elisha Wolsey, 1799-1888

Elisha Wolsey Peck was born on August 7, 1799, in Blenheim, Schoharie County, New York. He began the study of law in 1819. Five years later he was admitted to practice in Superior Court at Albany, New York. The following year he was admitted to the bar in Syracuse, New York; he then moved to Elyton (Birmingham), Alabama, around 1825. He married Lucy Lamb Randall (1808-1889), the daughter of Samuel (1770-1840) and Lucy Wheeler Randall (1780-1857) in Talladega, Alabama, in 1828. They had nine children: Edward Wolsey; Roscoe; Henry St. John; William; Lucey Christian; David Lamb (1842-); Lydia Elizabeth; Mary Lee; and Samuel Mintern (1854-1938).

In 1838 he moved to Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Governor Arthur P. Bagby appointed him chancellor of the middle chancery division of Alabama in 1839. He was a candidate for representative to the Constitutional Convention of 1865 but was defeated. In 1867 he moved three times: once to Sycamore, Illinois, then to Rockford, Illinois, and finally back to Tuscaloosa. Upon his return he was elected chairman of the Military Reconstruction Convention of 1867. Later that year he was chosen as the chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, in which capacity he served until retiring in 1874. He died at his home in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on February 13, 1888.

From the guide to the Elisha Wolsey Peck papers MSS. 1120., 1837-1887, (University Libraries Division of Special Collections, The University of Alabama)

Elisha Wolsey Peck was a lawyer and a Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Alabama. He was born in Blenheim, Schoharie Co., N.Y., 1777 Aug. 7 and died in Tuscaloosa, Ala., 1888 Feb. 13. He was the son of David and Christiana (Minturn) Peck.

Elisha Wolsey Peck studied law under Judge Sherwood for five years. In 1825, he went to New York to be examined and was admitted to the bar in Syracuse, N.Y.

In 1867, he was elected chairman of the military reconstruction convention. A few months later, he was chosen Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Alabama.

From the description of Letter, 1868. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 145407771