Scope and Content Note
The papers of the Wheeler Hazard Peckham family span the years 1815-1910, with the bulk of the material dating from 1842 to 1868. The papers are arranged alphabetically by type of material and topic.
The majority of the collection consists of correspondence to Wheeler H. Peckham written by his father, Rufus W. Peckham (1809-1873), lawyer in Albany, New York, United States congressman from New York, and judge of the New York Court of Appeals; his brother, Rufus Wheeler Peckham (1838-1909), lawyer in Albany, associate justice of the New York Supreme Court, and justice of the United States Supreme Court; and his business associates. Most of the letters relate to social, financial, legal, and political matters, including secession by the South from the United States and the state of the country during the Civil War. Included are letters of Rufus W. Peckham, Sr., to his wife, Isabella, 1838-1847, pertaining to domestic concerns and his travel experiences. The early correspondence also includes a few letters from Isabella's parents, Mr. and Mrs. William B. Lacey, and her sister, Kate, who lived in Jackson, Louisiana. The business correspondence to Wheeler Peckham ranges mostly from 1857 to 1861; his associates were located mainly in Dubuque, Iowa; St. Paul, Minnesota; St. Louis, Missouri; and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Wheeler H. Peckham moved to Dubuque from Albany in 1857 for health reasons.
Other papers in the collection relate to Wheeler H. Peckham's finances, mostly 1858-1869, and his unsuccessful nomination to the United States Supreme Court in 1894. His brother Rufus Wheeler Peckham was nominated to the same bench in 1895 and assumed his duties as associate justice in 1896.