Jesse Truesdell Peck (April 4, 1811 – May 17, 1883) was an American bishop of the

Methodist Episcopal Church The Methodist Episcopal Church (MEC) was the oldest and largest Methodist denomination in the United States from its founding in 1784 until 1939. It was also the first religious denomination in the US to organize itself nationally. In 1939, th ...

, elected in 1872.

Birth and family

He was born on April 4, 1811, in Middlefield Center,

Otsego County, New York Otsego County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 58,524. The county seat is Cooperstown. The county's population center is Oneonta. The name ''Otsego'' is from a Mohawk or Oneida word m ...

. His family was of English heritage, traceable back to the 15th century and known in

heraldry Heraldry is a discipline relating to the design, display and study of armorial bearings (known as armory), as well as related disciplines, such as vexillology, together with the study of ceremony, Imperial, royal and noble ranks, rank and genealo ...

. Henry Peck came to

America The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

in 1637. Jesse Peck's grandfather, also named Jesse, died in

Washington Washington most commonly refers to: * George Washington (1732–1799), the first president of the United States * Washington (state), a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A ...

's army. Jesse Peck's father, Luther, was a

blacksmith A blacksmith is a metalsmith who creates objects primarily from wrought iron or steel, but sometimes from #Other metals, other metals, by forging the metal, using tools to hammer, bend, and cut (cf. tinsmith). Blacksmiths produce objects such ...

and lifelong class leader, whose five sons (of whom Jesse T. was the youngest) all became

Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a Protestant Christianity, Christian Christian tradition, tradition whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's brother ...

preachers. The trend in his family toward the Methodist ministry led his great-nephew,

Stephen Crane Stephen Crane (November 1, 1871 – June 5, 1900) was an American poet, novelist, and short story writer. Prolific throughout his short life, he wrote notable works in the Realist tradition as well as early examples of American Naturalism an ...

, to say: "Upon my mother's side, everyone in my family became a Methodist clergyman as soon as they could walk, the ambling-nag, saddlebag, exhorting kind."

Ordained ministry

Peck was converted to the Christian faith at the age of 16. He sensed a call to preach almost immediately. He entered the traveling ministry as a circuit rider of the Oneida Annual Conference of the M.E. Church in 1832. He was ordained by bishops

Elijah Hedding Elijah Hedding (June 7, 1780 – April 9, 1852) was an American bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, elected in 1824. Early life Hedding was born near Pine Plains in Dutchess County, New York, to parents of English origin. He was traine ...

and

Beverly Waugh Beverly Waugh (1789–1858) was an American who was a Methodist pastor, book agent, and Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, elected in 1836. Birth and early years Waugh was born on October 28, 1789, in Fairfax County, Virginia, the son o ...

. Prior to his election to the

episcopacy A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of dioceses. The role ...

, Peck served as a pastor and a presiding elder. As a bishop, he was a delegate to the First Ecumenical Conference, 1881.

Presidency at Dickinson

In 1848, he was elected the tenth president of

Dickinson College Dickinson College is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1773 as Carlisle Grammar School, Dickinson was chartered on September 9, 1783, ...

, in

Carlisle, Pennsylvania Carlisle is a Borough (Pennsylvania), borough in and the county seat of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. Carlisle is located within the Cumberland Valley, a highly productive agricultural region. As of the 2020 United States census ...

. During his presidency, Peck was unpopular with the students. In one student prank, he was detained in an insane asylum in

Staunton, Virginia Staunton ( ) is an independent city (United States), independent city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), U.S. Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 25,750. In Virginia, independent cities a ...

, where he had traveled for a church conference. Students locked Peck in a railroad boxcar overnight and another time, shot, and killed, his dog. On top of all of these problems with the students, Peck proved to be an inadequate fundraiser for the college; in June 1851, he announced his intention to leave the institution the following year, citing his belief that he was ill-suited to the tasks associated with the job. In July 1852, he gave the address to the graduating class, entitled ''God in Education.''

Syracuse University

Though not a college graduate himself, Peck was prominent in the beginnings of

Syracuse University Syracuse University (informally 'Cuse or SU) is a Private university, private research university in Syracuse, New York, United States. It was established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church but has been nonsectarian since 1920 ...

, serving as the first chairman of its board of trustees. He developed what became, in effect, the university's first master plan: a scheme for the construction of seven buildings on land donated by

George F. Comstock George Franklin Comstock (August 24, 1811 – September 27, 1892) was an American lawyer and politician. He was Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals from 1860 to 1861. Personal life Comstock was born on August 24, 1811, in Williamstown, N ...

, also a member of the Board. Each building was to be dedicated to a different academic discipline. Peck's vision for the new campus was one of stylistic eclecticism; on one occasion declaring that the new university should "demonstrate the perfect harmony and indissoluble oneness of all that is valuable in the old and the new." The first building completed under this plan was the Hall of Languages, built at the summit of University Avenue in Syracuse. Nationally renowned architect

Horatio Nelson White Horatio Nelson White (February 8, 1814 – July 29, 1892) was an American architect based out of Syracuse, New York, and became one of New York State's most prominent architects from about 1865 to 1880. White designed many homes, armories, chur ...

was the designer of this

French Second Empire The Second French Empire, officially the French Empire, was the government of France from 1852 to 1870. It was established on 2 December 1852 by Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte, president of France under the French Second Republic, who proclaimed hi ...

structure. Peck died May 17, 1883, in

Syracuse Syracuse most commonly refers to: * Syracuse, Sicily, Italy; in the province of Syracuse * Syracuse, New York, USA; in the Syracuse metropolitan area Syracuse may also refer to: Places * Syracuse railway station (disambiguation) Italy * Provi ...

and is buried there in the Oakwood Cemetery.

Selected writings

*Sermon: ''Talent,'' in Clark, D.W., The Methodist Pulpit, 1897. *The Central Idea of Christianity, 1857. Also, revised, 1876 and later. Also Chapter V of this book a ''pamphlet'' with the same topic, 1902. *The True Woman, 1857. *What Must I Do to Be Saved?, 1858. *Sermon: ''The Life Battle,'' in The New York Pulpit in the Revival of 1858, A Memorial Volume. *Address: ''Centenary Conv.,'' Boston, 1866, Proceedings. *History of the Great Republic, 1868. *Biography of Mary Brison, in Our Excellent Women, pub. by James Miller, 1872. *Addresses State Convs, N.J., 1870, political; N.Y., 1870, Public Schools, N.Y., 1871, Political Reform. *Sermon in Fraternal Camp-Meeting Sermons, Round Lake, 1875. *Reader of the Address published by the First Ecumenical Methodist Conference, City Road, London, 1881. The preparation of the paper was largely in his hands.

Biographies

*Peck, Rev. J.K., Luther Peck and His Five Sons, 1897.

References

Notes

Bibliography

* Leete, Frederick DeLand, ''Methodist Bishops.'' Nashville, The Methodist Publishing House, 1948. {{DEFAULTSORT:Peck, Jesse Truesdell American Methodist bishops Bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church Presidents of Dickinson College American theologians 1811 births 1883 deaths Religious leaders from Syracuse, New York American sermon writers Burials at Oakwood Cemetery (Syracuse, New York) Methodist circuit riders 19th-century American clergy Syracuse University trustees