I have recently been working with new information researched by family members, and with a source we haven't worked with before: A Genealogical History of the Descendants of Joseph Peck, by Ira B. Peck. Not only does this add four generations of Pecks to our family tree, it provides new details which connect to "A Plan of the Town of New Haven With all the Buildings in 1748" by James Wadsworth.
The History traces back to a Henry Peck (1618-1651, my tenth great grandfather) who supposedly emigrated to Boston in 1637 in the company of Gov. Theophilus Eaton, Rev. John Davenport, and others, aboard the ship Hector. Henry and a Deacon William Peck (probably a relative) were among the first settlers of New Haven in 1638.
Henry's home lot was on the first of the eight unnamed streets which were laid out to form the town's grid plan. That street would be called Brick Street, then Leather Lane, then in 1784 George Street (after George Washington). The lot was to the south of what was called Market Street, then in 1784 renamed Church Street.
The History provides details on how the "George Street Estate" was passed down through the generations, pointing out that at the time of publishing (1868), at least part of it was still occupied by Henry Peck's descendants. In 1720, it had at least an old house, a new house, an orchard, and a barn.
By 1748 the "new house" was owned by Stephen Peck (1730-1802, a direct ancestor), who is shown on the Wadsworth map as a blockmaker. In 1753 he married Esther Munson, daughter of Israel Munson (whose inn is also shown on the map, in the upper-right-hand part of the grid). They had seven children. Esther passed away in 1768 and Stephen remarried Lydia Miles, apparently not having further children.
Also worth noting here: Stephen's half-brother James Peck, Jr. was an innkeeper. His inn is shown on the wharf on the Wadsworth map.
Two of Stephen and Esther's sons: Henry (1755-1802, a direct ancestor) and John (1759-1805) lived on or near the George Street Estate. The History states that Henry lived on the estate, building a house which in 1868 was still occupied by Lewis Mix (1821-1906, brother of my fourth great grandmother Mary). Henry and John "were spar and blockmakers; their shop was upon the same lot near their dwelling." I suspect they inherited their father's shop.
Sources:
A Genealogical History of the Descendants of Joseph Peck, appendix: Descendants of Henry Peck, of New Haven, Connecticut, by Ira B. Peck (Alfred Mudge & Son, Boston, 1868)
A Plan of the Town of New Haven With all the Buildings in 1748, by Hon. Gen. James Wadsworth, Thomas Kensett Engraver. Excerpt taken from the digital copy in Yale's archives.
