GEORGE W. PECKHAM, a representative business citizen of Troy, vice- president of the Peckham Coal and Ice Company, and doing business both at Troy and at Piqua, was born in Huron County, Ohio, March 20, 1835, where he attended school until he was fifteen years old.

From Huron County, Mr. Peckham went to Darke County; he later lived at Sidney, Piqua, Springfield, going from the latter place to Illinois. When he returned to Ohio he came to Troy, in June, 1863. In the spring of 1864 he enlisted in Company H., Ohio Volunteer Infantry, but received his discharge the same year and this county has since remained his chosen home. For a few months he was with the sash and door factory and then, in partnership with his brother, W. C. Peckham, he engaged in the marble business for about four years, after which he resumed work as a carpenter, a trade he had learned in early manhood. Some four years later he bought a farm west of Troy, on which he resided for twenty-two years and then returned to the city, where be conducted the old Peckham Hotel for one year. Later he bought out the coal and ice business of Evan Makepeace, which he conducted for several years before organizing the Peckham Coal and Ice Company and developing the present very large enterprise. The company has built a modern ice plant, of twenty-tons capacity, at Troy and a sixty-ton plant is almost completed at Piqua, in order to handle the business at that point. The company is made up of Mr. Peckham and his four sons, F. J. Peckham being president, and Charles Peckham secretary.

In 1866 Mr. Peckham was married to Miss Lovina J. Shilling, and they have six children: David H., who is cashier of the Peckham Coal and Ice Company; George, who is engaged in the automobile business at Dayton; P. J.; Charles; Daisy, and Jennie. Mr. Peckham and family are members of the Baptist Church at Troy.