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John W Peel

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John W Peel

Birth
Livingston County, Kentucky, USA
Death
5 May 1894 (aged 87)
Benton County, Arkansas, USA
Burial
Bentonville, Benton County, Arkansas, USA GPS-Latitude: 36.3686433, Longitude: -94.2189326
Memorial ID
View Source
John Wilson Peel was a pioneer resident of Independence, Carroll and Benton counties, Arkansas.

Born in Livingston County, Kentucky, John moved to Independence County, Arkansas, with his father's family sometime around 1815.
He is the son of Richard and Elizabeth 'Wilson' Peel.
He is the grandson of Thomas Peel who was a native of Ireland and who immigrated to the colonies previous to the Revolutionary War and was a soldier in the same under Gen. Washington.
He married Elizabeth West in 1828 and the couple had three children before Elizabeth's death in the mid 1830s: Alice, Harriet, and Samuel.
In 1838, Wilson moved to the northwest portion of the state, marrying Malinda Wilson of Washington County and establishing a home on Crooked Creek, Carroll County.
Here the couple raised eleven children while John engaged in farming, merchandising, and real estate speculation. Among their children were two who enlisted in the Confederate Army during the Civil War: James Wilson "W.J." Peel and Richard M. "Dick" Peel. James joined Company K, First Arkansas Mounted Rifles, and Richard joined Company E, Sixteenth Arkansas Infantry.
Both died before the end of the war.
Another member of the Sixteenth Infantry, Captain James A. Walden of Company K, was apparently a family friend and wrote to Peel family after the death of James in 1862.

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Mr Peel's grave is in a local cemetery, I visit that cemetery often and always visit his grave and those of his family. Something that I've always found interesting, the home he built and lived in til his death is just across the way from where his grave is located in the cemetery.
I've often sat at his grave and wondered if he picked the site for his final resting place or if family did.
It's both peaceful and lonely to sit and be able to see the home that housed so many of his memories and the small piece of earth that now cradles his body.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

03.24.2016
I was sent the following info from fellow gravers, Jenn and Jade. Thanks so much to you both. Bev

The Springdale News
May 11, 1894

Bentonville, Ark., May 5 - Hon. John W. Peel, father of ex-Congressman S.W. Peel, died this evening at 6 o'clock from apoplexy. The deceased had been remarkably active for a man of 87 years of age until stricken with apoplexy Wednesday and a second stroke visited him Thursday. Mr. Peel bore the rather unique distinction of having lived in the territory of Louisiana, territory of Missouri, territory and state of Arkansas, all while living in the same door yard. Mr. Peel spent a great part of his life in the northern counties of this state and was one of the organizers of the state out of the territory. He leaves several children and grand-children and a large circle of friends.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

John W. Peel was one of the old and highly respected citizens of Bentonville and was a native of Livingston County, Ky., born November 17, 1806, and was a son of Richard and Elizabeth (Wilson) Peel and grandson of Thomas Peel, who was a native of Ireland, and who immigrated to the colonies previous to the Revolutionary War, and was a soldier in the same under Gen. Washington. At an early date, about 1790, he moved to Christian County, Ky., and in 1815 he, with his family, together with fourteen other families, immigrated to Arkansas and located in what is now Independence County. Here Thomas Peel died. His son, Richard Peel, was a native Virginian, born January 6, 1780, and was but a small boy when his parents moved to Kentucky. He was married in Livingston, Ky., and was one of the fourteen families who immigrated to Arkansas in 1815. In this State he passed his last days, dying in 1864. He was one of the leading spirits of Northeast Arkansas for years, and was judge of the court of common pleas for some time, and was afterward judge of the county and probate court for twelve years. His wife was born in South Carolina in 1797 and was the daughter of John Wilson, who was born in South Carolina three days after his father landed in the United States from Scotland. John Wilson was a colonel in the Revolutionary War, under Gen. Washington. Mrs. Elizabeth Peel died in 1871. She was the mother of twelve children [four of whom were living at the time of this biography], John W. being the eldest. He was thirteen years of age when his parents moved to Arkansas, was there reared on a farm and remained with his parents until twenty-two years of age.

In 1828 he married Miss Elizabeth West, who was born in Rutherford County, Tenn., in 1809. She was the mother of two children, Alice, widow of D. W. Hull, who lived in New York City; and Samuel W., a member of the United States Congressional District of Arkansas, and who resided in Bentonville.

Mr. Peel removed to Carroll County. Ark., in 1837, and here followed farming and also speculated in lands. In 1848 he was elected county clerk, circuit clerk, exofficio recorder, and held the office ten years. Mrs. Peel died in 1835, and in 1838 Mr. Peel married Miss Malinda Wilson, a native of Lincoln County, Tenn., born in 1813. They had nine children living [at the time of this biography]: Elizabeth, wife of W. G. Rice: Thomas; Margaret, wife of Judge J. M. Pittman, judge of the circuit court: John C., attorney-at-law; Alfred M., Joseph H. and Ellen, wife of J. C. Knott. In 1873 Mr. Peel became a resident of Bentonville, Ark., and in 1875, while his wife was on a visit to Fayetteville, she was taken sick and died.

Four years later Mr. Peel married Mrs. Elizabeth M. Caldwell, nee Phipps, who died in 1880. Mr. Peel was deputy circuit clerk for two years for Benton County, and for the next thirteen years he served as justice of the peace of Bentonville. Mr. Peel was never a member of any secret society, church or any other organization. He was a lifelong Democrat, casting his first presidential vote for Van Buren in 1836. He was one of Benton County's eldest citizens, and was a man universally respected. He had a large circle of friends, and was known as Uncle John throughout the entire northern part of the State. Mr. Peel died May 5, 1894, in Bentonville. He was buried in the Bentonville city cemetery.

Adapted from Goodspeed – History of Benton County - 1889
John Wilson Peel was a pioneer resident of Independence, Carroll and Benton counties, Arkansas.

Born in Livingston County, Kentucky, John moved to Independence County, Arkansas, with his father's family sometime around 1815.
He is the son of Richard and Elizabeth 'Wilson' Peel.
He is the grandson of Thomas Peel who was a native of Ireland and who immigrated to the colonies previous to the Revolutionary War and was a soldier in the same under Gen. Washington.
He married Elizabeth West in 1828 and the couple had three children before Elizabeth's death in the mid 1830s: Alice, Harriet, and Samuel.
In 1838, Wilson moved to the northwest portion of the state, marrying Malinda Wilson of Washington County and establishing a home on Crooked Creek, Carroll County.
Here the couple raised eleven children while John engaged in farming, merchandising, and real estate speculation. Among their children were two who enlisted in the Confederate Army during the Civil War: James Wilson "W.J." Peel and Richard M. "Dick" Peel. James joined Company K, First Arkansas Mounted Rifles, and Richard joined Company E, Sixteenth Arkansas Infantry.
Both died before the end of the war.
Another member of the Sixteenth Infantry, Captain James A. Walden of Company K, was apparently a family friend and wrote to Peel family after the death of James in 1862.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mr Peel's grave is in a local cemetery, I visit that cemetery often and always visit his grave and those of his family. Something that I've always found interesting, the home he built and lived in til his death is just across the way from where his grave is located in the cemetery.
I've often sat at his grave and wondered if he picked the site for his final resting place or if family did.
It's both peaceful and lonely to sit and be able to see the home that housed so many of his memories and the small piece of earth that now cradles his body.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

03.24.2016
I was sent the following info from fellow gravers, Jenn and Jade. Thanks so much to you both. Bev

The Springdale News
May 11, 1894

Bentonville, Ark., May 5 - Hon. John W. Peel, father of ex-Congressman S.W. Peel, died this evening at 6 o'clock from apoplexy. The deceased had been remarkably active for a man of 87 years of age until stricken with apoplexy Wednesday and a second stroke visited him Thursday. Mr. Peel bore the rather unique distinction of having lived in the territory of Louisiana, territory of Missouri, territory and state of Arkansas, all while living in the same door yard. Mr. Peel spent a great part of his life in the northern counties of this state and was one of the organizers of the state out of the territory. He leaves several children and grand-children and a large circle of friends.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

John W. Peel was one of the old and highly respected citizens of Bentonville and was a native of Livingston County, Ky., born November 17, 1806, and was a son of Richard and Elizabeth (Wilson) Peel and grandson of Thomas Peel, who was a native of Ireland, and who immigrated to the colonies previous to the Revolutionary War, and was a soldier in the same under Gen. Washington. At an early date, about 1790, he moved to Christian County, Ky., and in 1815 he, with his family, together with fourteen other families, immigrated to Arkansas and located in what is now Independence County. Here Thomas Peel died. His son, Richard Peel, was a native Virginian, born January 6, 1780, and was but a small boy when his parents moved to Kentucky. He was married in Livingston, Ky., and was one of the fourteen families who immigrated to Arkansas in 1815. In this State he passed his last days, dying in 1864. He was one of the leading spirits of Northeast Arkansas for years, and was judge of the court of common pleas for some time, and was afterward judge of the county and probate court for twelve years. His wife was born in South Carolina in 1797 and was the daughter of John Wilson, who was born in South Carolina three days after his father landed in the United States from Scotland. John Wilson was a colonel in the Revolutionary War, under Gen. Washington. Mrs. Elizabeth Peel died in 1871. She was the mother of twelve children [four of whom were living at the time of this biography], John W. being the eldest. He was thirteen years of age when his parents moved to Arkansas, was there reared on a farm and remained with his parents until twenty-two years of age.

In 1828 he married Miss Elizabeth West, who was born in Rutherford County, Tenn., in 1809. She was the mother of two children, Alice, widow of D. W. Hull, who lived in New York City; and Samuel W., a member of the United States Congressional District of Arkansas, and who resided in Bentonville.

Mr. Peel removed to Carroll County. Ark., in 1837, and here followed farming and also speculated in lands. In 1848 he was elected county clerk, circuit clerk, exofficio recorder, and held the office ten years. Mrs. Peel died in 1835, and in 1838 Mr. Peel married Miss Malinda Wilson, a native of Lincoln County, Tenn., born in 1813. They had nine children living [at the time of this biography]: Elizabeth, wife of W. G. Rice: Thomas; Margaret, wife of Judge J. M. Pittman, judge of the circuit court: John C., attorney-at-law; Alfred M., Joseph H. and Ellen, wife of J. C. Knott. In 1873 Mr. Peel became a resident of Bentonville, Ark., and in 1875, while his wife was on a visit to Fayetteville, she was taken sick and died.

Four years later Mr. Peel married Mrs. Elizabeth M. Caldwell, nee Phipps, who died in 1880. Mr. Peel was deputy circuit clerk for two years for Benton County, and for the next thirteen years he served as justice of the peace of Bentonville. Mr. Peel was never a member of any secret society, church or any other organization. He was a lifelong Democrat, casting his first presidential vote for Van Buren in 1836. He was one of Benton County's eldest citizens, and was a man universally respected. He had a large circle of friends, and was known as Uncle John throughout the entire northern part of the State. Mr. Peel died May 5, 1894, in Bentonville. He was buried in the Bentonville city cemetery.

Adapted from Goodspeed – History of Benton County - 1889


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