"James W. Peckham was educated in the public schools of DeKalb county,M issouri, and followed farming in that State until 1876, when he cameto S umner county, Kansas, locating on Government land near thepresent town o f South Haven. Here he engaged in farming, and duringthe years when th ey had crop failures he was engaged as a Governmentfreighter, hauling s upplies from the nearest railroad to the UnitedStates Indian agencies a nd the military posts, and on these trips hefrequently experienced man y incidents of frontier life. He sold hisoriginal homestead in 1886, a nd now owns several well improved farms,two of which are near South Ha ven. He retired from active business in1907. He has done his work and s ucceeded in accumulating acomfortable fortune and is now enjoying life i n peace and plenty. Mr.Peckham was united in marriage, May 1, 1881, to M iss Ella Cronkhite,daughter of Lansing and Sarah (Gundy) Cronkhite, of W arren county,Indiana. To this union were born three children, all of w hom died ininfancy. Mr. Peckham is a Democrat, but has never aspired t o holdpublic office. However, he served on the city council of South H avenin 1909-10. He is a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons ,Haven Lodge No. 157, and both he and his wife are members of the Christian church."
4/19/1910 S Haven, Sumer Co, KS. The census recorded only James, 56,a nd Ella, 44, in the household. They had been married 28 years with3 c hildren, none surviving. James had his own income rather than anoccup ation.
4/24/1930 Same place. That year the census taker recorded James at77 , married first at 28, to Ella, 64, who married first at 15. Theyowne d their residence which was valued at $1800 and had a radio.
