Sheldon Peck (1797 - 1868)Sheldon Peck grew up in Vermont, the ninth son of a blacksmith and his wife. Peck married Harriet Corey in 1824. Four years later he, his wife, and two sons moved to New York state. There are 24 known portrait paintings done by Peck from 1820 to 1830.In 1836 the Peck family, now having four children (and two others had died) moved again, this time to Chicago, where Mr. Peck bought land. The next year they moved west to Babcock's Grove (now called Lombard), Illinois. They lived in their wagon and in one room of their house for two years while Peck finished building it. By 1840, Peck had finished about 15 additional portraits. He worked the majority of his time on building up his farmland. In 1850 he listed his profession in the census as portrait painter. In 1854 he advertised himself in Chicago as a decorative painter with a studio at 71 Lake Street. He always farmed from the spring to the harvest, and he did his painting in the off-season. To get enough customers to make a living, he traveled to the houses of his clients in northern and north-central Illinois. He charged $50 (plus housing and food) for each painting. He managed to support his wife and ten children by farming and painting. He worked until he died of pneumonia at the age of 71.
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