Throwback Thursday…
I was born at Warsaw, Kentucky, April 5, 1845. Moved with the family in 1855 to Dallas, Texas, which we reached on June 10th of that year. We were soon comfortably located in a good 2-room log house, with a fine well of water, etc.
Shortly after our arrival in Dallas, father bought 229 acres of fine land two miles East of the Dallas County court house, paying $110.00 cash on this land. My father at once began building the first brick house in Dallas County for his house, and in which he died.
The early part of April, 1878, I was commissioned by the Governor as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Texas Frontier Battalion for the purpose of destroying the Sam Bass gang of train robbers, and was promoted to Captain in May following.
By July of that year I had succeeded in disposing of the entire band, excepting Bass, Barnes and Jackson, driving these out of North Texas into the trap arranged by Major John B. Jones at Round Rock. I was immediately ordered to the Frontier where I found the Indians very active, especially in 1879.
A detachment of seven Rangers from my Company, on the 20th day of June and 2nd day of July had the last two engagements with Comanche and Kiowa Indians on the Texas frontier, at the head of the North Concho River and on the Plains 80 miles West, where Ranger Anglin was killed and the two pack mules lost on June 28th recovered.
Please mail me 20 copies of your September issue, with bill for same enclosed.
Sincerely yours,
June Peak
4409 Worth Street, Dallas
talya
Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.
Dee-lightful. Love to read little known history . D
Thank you Dot! I love this sort of thing as well:))
Very interesting.
I love history too. Old documents are fascinating.
For some reason, I’m just getting this. Interesting history about early Dallas. Prosperous family from the look of the house and ladies. Junius had some true adventures!
I like history, too. I especially like old photographs. What a difference, the digitals! 🙂
I have been trying to get information on the Peak families from Ky. and Dallas. They are my kin. My grandmother Lula Pearl Peak was from Ky.too. Her father was Isiah Berry Peak. I would love to have any info. you might have on any of them. Do you know Jefferson Peak’s fathers’ name? I would be ever so grateful for any info. Thank you so much!!!!!!!!! I was amazed at Junius’s letter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sincerely, Jean Stock
Dear Ms.Stock, I am a distant relative of yours as i am a direct descendant of Jefferson Peak & his wife,Martha Malvina Reser Peak,both of whom were from Gallatin County ,Kentucky.They were my Great-Great-Great-Grandparents.Their son,Junius W. Peak or Uncle June,was one of their 12 children.In the paragraph above Uncle June’s letter,there is some misinformation as he had only 2 children,Victor who died in infancy,and Florence Chalfant Peak who never married .In fact,she lived in her father’s house on Worth Street until she died in at the age of 98.Uncle June’s brother,Dr.Carroll Marion Peak, was my Great-Great-Grandfather & was the 1st & only Doctor in nearby Fort Worth.His son,Howard Wallace Peak, was the 1st Caucasian child born in Fort Worth,He was also my Great-Grandfather & father to Howard W.Peak,Jr.,my grandfather. my own father,Howard W.Peak,III,was raised in Fort Worth by his grandparents,Howard,Sr.& Alice Burke Peak.I do have a Geneology list .If you would be interested in contacting me,I give this site permission to give you my Email upon your request.
Sincerely, Gabrielle D. Peak
Thank you for commenting! I have emailed Ms. Stock to inform her of your comment. I would like to correct the misinformation you refer to but I’m not sure I follow you. I spoke of Captain Jefferson Peak’s 12 children but never mentioned Junius’ children.
Dear Ms.Boerner, Thank you so much for passing along the information to Ms.Jean Stock.I do stand corrected regarding the statement that I misinterpreted about Uncle June having 11 children.I read Capt.Peak & thought of Uncle June who was a Captain in the Texas Rangers versus. my Great-Great-Great Grandfather,Jefferson Peak,Sr. I apologize for my mistake & would gladly edit my comment if you would like me to.The comment notes the time of submission as 3:16 a.m. and I plead “brain drain” from insomnia.I can see quite clearly that your statement makes perfect sense as it names Uncle June & some of his brothers-one of whom was my Great-Great Great-Grandfather,Carroll Marion Peak,M.D. It is the Peak family custom to repeat names generation after generation.My brother’s name is Howard W.Peak,IV and my sister’s name was Virginia Chalfant Peak.At any rate,I am thrilled at your kindness in being the conduit of information & appreciate it more than you know.
Most sincerely,Gabrielle D. Peak
No problem. So glad to hear from you and happy to help!
Last year a developer dug up an old well and a brick site while the brick is so early its history is so close as the burnt brick is from the Old Peak home that burned in 1887… And brought to the site and so 8 art work brick shadow boxes with history are made from this great find…A.T Urban History and Archaeology.
Talya,
My name is Dick Johnson and my wife, Julie, was named after Juliette Fowler and is a direct decendent of the Jefferson Peak family. We live in Fayetteville and have in our possession several pieces of furniture that belonged to the family as well as other historic pieces. I enjoyed your blog and thought it interesting that you wrote about Julie’s Texas family from here. Keep up the good work.
Dick
Thank you so much for reaching out to me. I sent you a private email.
Dick
I am not a Fowler, but I work at Juliette Fowler Communities, named for Juliette Peak Fowler and founded by Sarah Peak Harwood, her sister. Juliette Fowler Communities is planning its 125 anniversary in 2017 and we would be so happy for members of the Peak family to be in attendance at our anniversary celebration on May 12 2017. Please contact me at [email protected] so that I can add you to the list of invitees.
Dear Dick, Gabrielle, and Jean,
I am a distant relative also! I’m a descendant of Sarah Peak Harwood. My family has stayed in Dallas, and we have lots of photos and family history to share too 🙂 I would love to get in touch with all of you-Talya, please do share my email with the others, and thank you for this post!
How exciting! I’m glad you found this post. I will share your email with the other descendants on this thread and those in charge of Munger Place Historic District as I am sure they would love to add your information to the history of the neighborhood. Thank you!
Talya – I would love to meet with you – please contact me at 214.515.1336. Juliette Fowler Communities would love to reconnect with all the Peak descendants – we are so proud of your heritage and work hard to maintain the legacies of Juliette, Sarah and all the Peaks.