Jonathan Peck

Jonathan Peck (1725-1797) was the fifth child of Jonathan Peck and Hannah Loring. In 1757, he married Mary Throope. Jonathan and Mary had 11 children: Abigail, Jonathan, Nicholas, John, Sarah, Mary, William, Lydia, Hannah, Elizabeth, and Nancy. In 1760, Jonathan was appointed as ensign of the Bristol Militia Company. He was promoted to lieutenant in 1761 and captain in 1762. In 1774, as part of a town-wide effort, he sent a sum of one pound, four shillings to support the people of Boston (that city’s port having been recently closed by the British). As of the 1774 Rhode Island Census, there were three black people (likely enslaved) living in the Peck household. By 1780, Jonathan had reached the rank of major in the militia. A man named Nero (born circa 1740), described as a “negro servant of Capt. Jonathan” died in 1785. A woman named Belinda (born circa 1752), described in the same way, died in 1822. As of the 1790 United States Census, there were seven enslaved people living in the Peck household.