Benjamin Nicholas Peck was born July 25, 1856, the son of B.B. and Mary E. Peck of Gonzales. Ben’s father and grandfather came to Gonzales in 1833, and Grandfather Nicholas fought with Sam Houston at San Jacinto. On December 19, 1882, Ben married Willie Monroe, born April 13, 1881. Willie died May 3,1887, during the birth of their only child, Willie Ben Peck. Almost ten years later, on February 4, 1896, he married Josephine Kokernot and they had three children. Josephine was born April 14, 1871, the daughter of L.M. and Sarah E. Littlefield Kokernot. L.M. had huge cattle interests and the family lived at Big Hill, ten miles southeast of Gonzales. Ben, in partnership with W.M. Fly, operated a general store in the beautiful three story red brick building, known as the Peck & Fly Building, which still stands on the west side of what is now Confederate Square.
The Peck’s Victorian style house was completed in 1884 and may have been built around an old log cabin constructed by John and Nancy Cooksey who owned the property from 1854 to 1856. It was remodeled in the 1920’s to reflect the popular architectural style of the period. The house is unique in that it has the original light fixtures as well as some of the original wall coverings and draperies. Much of the furniture is original to the house. The woodwork is oak, walnut and longleaf pine. It has an ornate hand-carved walnut staircase leading to a large hall on the second floor and to deep airy screened-in porches. There are impressive pillars between the entryway and the living room and also in the dining room. As of 1999 the house was owned by descendants of the Pecks.
Ben continued to operate his successful general store until he died of appendicitis January 7, 1913. Josephine died February 14, 1944. Ben and both of his wives are buried in the Gonzales Masonic Cemetery.
