Thanks to all you who have been patient with me during 1999. I was already working two jobs. Then in February, I became the Music Director of my church. Along with that, I was in the midst of writing my latest book, THE PEACH TREE HANDBOOK, VOL.III, the Marblehead, Massachusetts Branch.

This book will be about 400 pages and will only be available to those who preorder it. The price will depend on how many orders I get, but I refuse to publish it if the price is over $69. If you would like for me to reserve a book for you, a verbal commitment would all I would need for now.

I will be visiting Marblehead next month to get all my updates on the rough draft. Also, I will be organizing the Peach Reunion 2000 to be held there next summer. All Peach/Peachey relatives are invited. I will keep you updated on this as the plans unfold.

We have been stuck in Dorset for quick awhile now. So now we will be heading for new territory. While we are in what is called the West Country (of England), we need to realize that the two counties to the furthest extreme of southwest England, Devon and Cornwall, is not really known as Peach or Peachey country. This in spite of the fact that Plymouth is the main port in Devon, and I believe not only the Pilgrims sailed from Plymouth, but also John Peach, Jr., the forefather of the Marblehead Peaches.

As we leave Dorset, we are traveling first to Somerset, heading north. We have several on our tour who descend from ROBERT or ANDREW PEACH of Somerset, believed to be brothers, just prior to 1800. I want to spend some time trying to find some info. there on their roots.

From there, we will head northeast toward Northamptonshire because MARTIN PEACH of Canada has requested we spend some time researching there. On the way, if there is any other county you want to visit, please let me know.

Along the way, I will be responding to email I have received from Peach and Peacheys for the past few months. There's an old saying that says, "The squeaky wheel gets greased." In other words, the ones I concentrate on in this research are the ones who keep reminding me and keeping me abreast of their latest info. they have discovered.

As we leave Dorset, we exit the home of the Marblehead, Mass. Branch. Here in Symondsbury John Peach, Sr. was born in 1599, one of the two founders of Marblehead. However, John Sr. had no offspring. This left the door open for his second cousin, John Peach, Jr., born in Symondsbury in 1613 to become the emigrant ancestor of the Marblehead Branch of Peaches. Since he arrived in America in the 1630s, there has been 14 generations of his descendants, spread throughout the northern part of the U.S.A.

Those on tour with us who have been helping with this branch lately are
BETTY DEARING of California and MURIEL LUCAS somewhere in New England. Keep up the good work. If anyone else has any updates or info. on this branch, please let me know A.S.A.P. if you want it to be a part of the new Marblehead book I am writing.

Two others have continued to remind me about their concern to find the roots of Robert and Andrew Peach, brothers who left Somerset, England prior to or about1800 and landed in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland respectively. Thanks, BARB CAMPBELL and ELAINE BOUTILIER. Elaine has shared that Robert and Andrew also had sisters, Sarah and Ann, who came to Cow Bay, South Head, Nova Scotia. She married John David Boutilier on Nov. 30, 1811 and settled on a land grant next to James and Robert Peach. This will all help with the research. I only wish I had some good news to share about their parentage.

We do know that the Peaches of the West Country must have descended from those of Selwood Forest at the city of Frome, Somerset. On p.82 of THE PEACH/PEACHEY MIGRATIONS, I refer to the Keepers of Selwood Forest. Sir Nicholas Peche I, Sheriff of Dorset and Somerset, married Sabina, daughter of the keeper of Selwood Forest and other forests in Somerset. Lady Sabina Peche held the position of "keeper of Selwood" from 1290 to 1324.

This would make those of Marblehead, Mass. and Newfoundland and Nova Scotia related back to the thirteenth century. If there is anyone who can research the records in Somerset, they should start at Frome (Selwood Forest) and work forwards. Frome is near the western county line of Somerset, adjacent to the county of Wiltshire. This may mean that any Peaches from Wiltshire might have the same genealogical background as those in Somerset and Dorset, and perhaps the Isle of Wight.

SHARLEE KUHNS is looking for her Great Grandmother, IDA CATHERINE PEACH, b. 2/8/1869 San Jose, Calif., daughter of Joseph Peach. She married WM. DOTY VAN SICLEN. He was an architect and worked in New York and Texas, dying in Brownsville, TX. Any clues available?
MURIEL LUCAS found a HENRY A. PEACH b.ca.11/5/1864 Lynn, Mass. and died as a widower on 4/21/1936 in Exeter, N.H. His parents were John Peach and Eliza Jane Norwood. I have not been able to tie these to the Marblehead, Mass. Branch. Any clues?

MARILYN WOODWORTH submitted a query on 3/30 on the OneList for CHARLES PEACH b. 1871 de.3/31/1946. He married Elfreda Hollett b.1876 d.8/17/1942 of Newfoundland. She would like to know anything about his parentage. Has anyone been able to help her?

CARLA HORNE put out a query on her line from Benjamin Peachey in New Jersey on 4/26. Has anyone responded to her? I appreciate the fact, Carla, that you put a spark in many of us to start communicating with one another while we are touring together.

On page 320 of THE PEACH/PEACHEY MIGRATIONS, I report on the 1850 census of Salem Co., New Jersey, that in Pittsgrove Township, there was a family of BENJAMIN PEACHEY, b.ca.1817 and his wife Ann, b.ca.1818. He was a laborer. They had children: George, b.ca.1841; Samuel, b.ca.1842; Martha, b.ca.1845; and Lydia, b.ca.1848. This has so many similarities to Carla's Peacheys that it is funny. However, although she also shows Benjamin marrying Ann in New Jersey about this time, the children don't match.

But the name "Benjamin" for Peachey or Peachee seems to be a New Jersey name. The first was a Revolutionary War Soldier who left Kentucky and then went onto Indiana, with some of his descendants ending up in Texas. Another Benjamin was born in about 1835 in Salem Twp., NJ, son of William and Elisabeth Peachey (see also p.320).

We're glad to see KEVIN SARTORELLI of New Zealand inquiring about his Peacheys from the Mildenhall area, Suffolk, England, where so many of the Peacheys who left England trace their ancestry. His roots go back to Lakenheath, just north of Mildenhall. Has anyone been able to help him?

KENNETH PEACH of Texas shared his roots traced back to a Peach in Tennessee and how most of the family wound up in Palo Pinto, Texas. Has anyone been able to connect with his family?

LEE POTTER was looking for more info. on SAMUEL PEACHEY of Virginia, whose daughter was Catherine, married to Josiah Ryland. Samuel is related to several of you on board. Has anyone been able to share with him your common ancestry?

WILLIAM PEACHY of Saudi Arabia asked, "Would it be a boring waste of time & money to give family stories or obituaries?" Not at all. In fact we encourage you share these with all those on the Peach OneList stories and info. on the Peach/Peachy/Peachey family history. Thanks, Bill, for this suggestion.

We are now on our way to Northamptonshire. As we head northeast, is there anyone who would want us to stop and visit any of the following counties: Wiltshire. Gloucester, Oxford or Bucks?

Now that summer is here, and my school counseling job will be on vacation for the next three months, I will commit more time to this Peach/Peachey Project. Once again, thanks to all of you who have been patient and stayed on tour even though you didn't hear that much from me.

I see every advantage to staying on the Peach OneList and no disadvantages. What have you got to lose? After all, it's a free service continuously provided by TODD PEACH. We all really appreciate him for doing this. Even if you don't get news every week or get another Peach Tree newsletter from me, you never know what tidbit of info. may turn up.

We now have 89 on the list, and I hope that soon we can have at least 100 and then keep that as a minimum. So stay on board, and we will continue to try to provide the trip of a lifetime!

Sincerely, Captain John H. Peach

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