“Joel Peck, son of Joshua and Rachel (Mallory) Peck, was born probably in Sandgate, Vermont. He married Rosamond Purmort, daughter of John and Sarah (Walworth) Purmort. She was born on December 9, 1797 in Jay, New York. Joel enlisted into the military on June 2, 1813 at Westport, New York (North West Bay) and was assigned to Captain C.G. Jones (then later Captain Peter B. Van Buren)’s 1st company in the 29th U.S. Infantry, Major John E. Wool’s Regiment, commanded by Colonel Isaac Clark. Joel’s younger brothers Lyman and Andrew were already members of this unit, prior to his enlistment. He was involved with the operations and skirmishes against the British prior to the battle of Plattsburgh, New York and was honorably discharged on June 2, 1814. He was described as 5ft. 10in. in height, dark hair, brown eyes with a light complexion and was said to have a birth mark on his left thigh. Prior to Joel’s enlistment into the miltary, he listed his occupation as a mechanic. He became a member of the First Baptist Church of Jay on May 26, 1816. After serving as its clerk and a powerful preacher of the gospel for several years, Joel was officially ordained a minister of the church in 1827. On February 5, 1829, Joel and Rosamond sold their land for the benefit of the church to Hiram Finch for the sum of 290 dollars. The present day First Baptist Church was built on this site in 1830. Joel and his family moved to Ohio about 1834 and then on to Illinois by 1838. Joel died at Bear Creek near the town of Plainsfield, Illinois in 1839. Rosamond and her children returned to Jay, New York about 1850 to be with her family. With the help of her brother-in-law, Andrew Peck, she applied for and received a land bounty of 160 acres of land from the government in 1851 and a widow’s pension in 1878 for Joel’s service during the War of 1812. Rosamond again returned to Illinois about 1855 and she and her daughter Mary continued on to Iowa about 1860. Rosamond died in Homer, Iowa in 1879.”96