Sheldon Peck

American, 1797-1868

BiographySheldon Peck,1797-1869, was an American folk artist, abolitionist and social activist, as well as an advocate for temperance, women’s rights, racial equality, public education and pacifism. Peck’s portraiture – with its distinctive style - is a prime example of 19th century American folk art. While working as an artist, Peck was a conductor on the Underground Railroad.

Peck was born in Cornwall, Vermont. Peck’s ancestors were among the founders of New Haven Colony. Peck married Harriet Corey (1806-1887) in 1825 and the couple eventually had thirteen children. The Peck family moved to Babcock’s Grove (now Lombard) approximately twenty-five miles west of Chicago. On his 160 acres of farmland, Peck built a one and one half story timber-frame house (completed in 1839) that still stands today. Peck grew crops and raised Merino sheep, the latter being a way to produce the raw material for clothes without supporting the Southern-based cotton industry and its use of African slave labor.

No records exist to indicate that Peck received any formal art education. Peck primarily painted portraits (although he also dabbled in decorative furniture painting). Peck’s portraiture can be divided into three distinctive periods based on where he lived at the time. Peck was considered a “radical abolitionist” who advocated for the immediate end of slavery as well as equal rights for African-Americans. While living in Illinois he was a volunteer agent for the abolitionist newspaper the Western Citizen, meaning he would collect dues on behalf of the newspaper as well as disseminate the Citizen’s anti-slavery views. In addition to working for the Western Citizen, Peck was a delegate for the Liberty Party – a political party whose main focus was the abolition of slavery. Peck was also a member of the DuPage County Anti-Slavery Society. In 1856, Peck served as a DuPage County delegate to the Illinois State Abolitionism Convention. Numerous accounts exist to confirm that Peck actively worked as a conductor on the Underground Railroad. It is generally believed that Peck would hide freedom seekers on his property and then move them via wagon to Chicago; this would enable the freedom seekers to travel to Canada via rail or the Great Lakes. The anti-slavery and temperance movements were closely linked in the 19th century and Peck advocated for both causes. Prior to the 1820s, free public education was not considered a responsibility of government. The reform movements of the 19th century, however, changed that view and Peck in particular supported free public education as a means to protect democracy against ignorance.

Upon his arrival in Babcock’s Grove in 1836, Peck established a school in his house. He personally paid the salary for the school’s teacher and invited all the children in the area to attend classes. He later erected another building on his property for use as a school and public meeting space.

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