Bio-Sawyers
SURNAMES: ROSELLE, BERGEN, CLIFT, BAKER, REICK, GRIGSBY, RASMUSSEN

An esteemed citizen prominent in fraternal circles. Walter R Peacock has a record of nearly half a centry of profitable and pleasureable activity in the mystic halls of the I.O.O.F.  He is a republican in matters of national politics, as he is also a veteran soldier; but he is too good an American to Allow partisan politics to cloud his vision, and he endeavors to discharge his civic duties according to the broadest possible platform.  He was born in Philadlphia on October 9, 1856, the son of S. J. Peacock, a native of New Jersey, whose family dates back to the days of the Revolution.  His great-grandfather lived in New Jersey, and his grandfather was a Methodist minister there. S. J. Peacock married Miss Elizabeth B. Roselle, and her family came from England, and she was born in the British Isles. The worthy couple had five children; but today only our subject and a brother, living at Newark, N. J., survive. The father served his full three years as an apprentice to a carpenter and after that he served four years as an apprentice to a staircase builder-in those days a trade by itself.

Walter Peacock attended the local grammar school and then for a year went to the high school, and since his thirteenth year has made his way in the world. He went to work in the iron and sheet-metal works in Philadelphia, and served three years in learning that trade. He continued to follow that occupation until, on December 5, 1873, he joined the U. S. Army, in which he saw thirty years and twenty-six days of active service, being retired on December 31, 1903. He enlisted as a private, and was retired as ordnance sergeant. During the Spanish-American War, he served under various generals, including General Cook, when he was stationed at Fort Apache, Arizona. During the earlier part of the war, he was in the Arizona department, and during the latter part, he was in the Colorado department. In the late World War, he again gave his services to the United States, and he served as sergeant major from March 28, 1918, to August 31, 1919, when he was at Stanford University and was an instructor of the R. 0. T. C. From October 1 to December 15, 1918, he served as an instructor, with the rank of sergeant-major, of the S. A. T. C. at Stanford; and from May 24 to July, 1918, he served, with the same rank, in instruction work at the Reserve Officers' Training Camp at the Presidio. 

In 1903, after having been retired from the army, Mr. Peacock came to San Jose and retired from active life. The next year, he joined the Ancient Order of Foresters, and he has been a member since. He entered this order in the Mount Hamilton Court, but a few years later this was absorbed by the Garden City Court. On December 28, 1878, Mr. Peacock joined the I. 0. 0. F., and the next year he went through the chairs of the order, and he is now a past grand. He has been secretary of San Jose Encampment No. 23 since May 16, 1907, and he is a past chief patriarch of the San Jose Encampment No. 35. He is also a member of Canton No. 9.

On August 28, 1885, at Pierre, then in Dakota Territory, Mr. Peacock was married to Miss Bertha Bergen, a daughter of Gust Bergen, a native of Germany who was born not far from Berlin and when fourteen years old came to the United States. He came West to the Dakota Territory, obtained land and there lived many years; and as he was a good musician, he was widely popular. Five children and seven grandchildren have sprung from this fortunate union. Bertha H. is Mrs. Clift, a widow living with her father in San Jose. She was born in Dakota, and has one daughter, Bertha Lillian. Walter J. lives at Vallejo, Cal. He was born at Madison Barracks, N. Y., and the rest of the family were also born there. Walter married Miss Hattie Baker of San Jose, and they have one daughter, Alma M. D. G. Peacock lives at 515 Twenty-eighth Avenue, San Francisco. He has been twice married, and had two children by his first wife. For his second wife he chose Miss Mabel Reick, and they have one child, Dorothy. Emma M. is at present Mrs. Frank Grigsby of 42 Union Street, San Jose; and they have one daughter, Vivian. Ida M. has become Mrs. W. A. Rasmussen, of 381 Delmar Avenue, San Jose; and they have one son, W. A. Rasmussen, Jr. Since coming to San Jose, Mr. and Mrs. Peacock have made their home at 2 Sanborn Avenue.

Transcribed cferoben, from Eugene T. Sawyers' History of Santa Clara County,California,  published by Historic Record Co. , 1922. page 702

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