SECOND GENERATION

4. John Kenelm Peake ⁽²⁾⁽¹⁾ was born on 11 Mar 1760 in St. Mary's County, Maryland. He died in 1814 in Nelson Co., Ky. Some records for this entry is from St. Andrews Episcopal Church 1744-1816, St. Mary's Co. Md. Chronical Vol 6, P. 232. He was christened in St, Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Newtown, Maryland.
The Pioneer Peake's

Although a few Peakes were already living in the original large Nelson County area at the time of the 1785 migration, the only two confirmed to have arrived with the Maryland Catholic movement were the sons of Edward Peake and Ann Wheatley, Kenelm and Francis. Both moved to the Pottinger's Creek settlement. Although only Francis is mentioned in the original
record of the League of Catholic Families, it is his older brother Kenelm whose presence is first documented in the Kentucky tax lists.

John Kenelm Peake was born in St. Mary's County on March 11, 1760, and his baptism duly recorded at St. Andrew's Anglican Church, as required by the law of the time. His actual baptism may have taken place at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Newtown, Maryland. His wife Ann (surname unknown, possibly Barber or Gent) may have accompanied him to Kentucky. His name first appears in the Nelson County tax rolls in 1788 under the spelling Canelum Peck. In the subsequent tax lists from 1789 to 1796 his name is variously rendered as John Canelah Peck, Kennollam Peck, Kaynellam Peek, Canellem Peek, Kenellum Peak, Kanellum Peak, and Kelly Peak. His holdings, as described in the tax lists, were modest. In the 1792 tax records his farm is listed at 100 acres, with one horse and seven head of
cattle. This assessment should have cost him ten shillings for himself, two shillings for the horse, and three pence each for the cattle. He owned no slaves. By 1794 he had acquired another horse, and in 1795 he added another 100 acres to his farm.

Kenelm and his wife Ann had nine known children: Edward, Charles, John, Mary, Monica, Hina, Jane, Philip and William. By the time of his death in 1814 his holdings had grown considerably, as he left four horses to his children and more to his wife. He also left cattle, furniture and other property to his children, some of whom were still minors at the time. His
will, probated on Feb. 21, 1814, is included in the Appendix. An executor's bond for the estate was filed by his son Edward Peak on Feb. 21, 1814, with Walter Boone as surety. His personal property was inventoried and appraised by Joseph Fogle, Ignatius Thompson, and James Hagan on March 10, 1814 and recorded in Nelson County on May 16, 1814. It
was valued at 116 pounds, 19 shillings, and 6 pence.

The distribution of the estate of John Kenelm Peak was contested in court shortly after the death of the administrator, Edward Peak. The suit was filed on July 11, 1825 by all the children of Kenelm Peak except Charles, and listed Walter Boone, Charles Peak, and Edward's children Nancy, Mary Ann, and Elizabeth Peak as defendents (see Appendix). The court papers stated that Ann Peak died a few days after Kenelm's death in 1814. The
documents further identify Ann Peak as the "mother, stepmother, or grandmother" of all persons involved in the suit except Walter Boone. This statement raises the possibility that Kenelm Peak may have had a previous wife who was the mother of some of the children.

Ann Barber or Gent ⁽¹⁾ died in 1814 in Nelson Co., Ky. John Kenelm Peake and Ann Barber or Gent had the following children:

+9 i. Philip Peak.
+10 ii. Charles Peak.
+11 iii. Jane Peak.
+12 iv. Monica Peak.
+13 v. William Peak.
14 vi. John Peak⁽¹⁾. John Peak was listed among the complainants in the Nelson County court
action of 1825, which sought to make final disposition of the property of
Kenelm Peak. It is of interest that although his name is included in the
documents, he did not sign the final dismissal of the case in 1826 (see
Appendix). This suggests that he may have left the area by that time.
+15 vii. Edward Peak.
+16 viii. Mary (Polly) Peake.
17 ix. Hina Peake⁽³⁾.