Great Grandma Geiszler's Peak Family Photo Collection

Evaline Townley Peak by the family pump,
several photos of the Peak children appears
near this pump. c 1910s

Evaline Townley Peak was born on 13 Apr 1893 in Bellevue, Campbell, Kentucky.  Evaline was the oldest child of of William Talbot Peak and Evaline Townley. Three more children were added to the family in the span of 8 years. All but one child was born in Kentucky, with the last being born in Ohio.

In 1900, Evaline and her family were living in a rented home on North Sandusky in Columbus, Franklin, Ohio. William and Evaline Peak had been married 8 years and had three children: Evaline 7, Willie 4, and Harry, 3. William was a prison guard. In 1901, Edith Marie Peak joined the in Columbus, Ohio.

The Peak family was living at 545 Walnut Street in Columbus, Ohio in 1910. William continued to work as a policeman for the city of Columbus. Evaline was 17 at the time.

Bud and Harry Peak. c. 1910s

Edith and Evaline Peak c. 1910s

Harry Peak c 1910s

William 'Bud' Peak beside the family pump

During the 1st World War, Evaline's brother William 'Bud' Peak enlisted in the fight. I've just learned that Bud served in this war. So, I have 'Learn More About Bud's Service' on my To Do List. However, I have a few photos of this time period.

William 'Bud' Peak and his mother, Evaline Peak

C 1917

William Talbot Peak, police officer, and

son William Peak, before World War I

I shared much of the life of Evaline after she married George Geiszler. See these posts here. I'll continue her life through the view of her siblings and parents here.

Evaline's brother William Richard Peak married Clariese “Clara” Gerlacher” on 7 Jul 1921. This couple apparently never had any children. Evaline's sister Edith Marie Peak married Earl Wiggins on 20 Oct 1923.

Earl and Edith Wiggins with niece Marguerite Geiszler c 1923

Sometime before 1924, Evaline's father and mother divorced, though a record has not been found to verify this fact. Her father William married Cora Rogers on 18 Dec 1924 in Columbus, Ohio. Cora had been married twice before and had two children from her first marriage. Despite this fact, Evaline's mother Evaline referred to herself as married, and then later the widow of William T Peak throughout her life, at least according to city directories.

Evaline Peak, Earl and Edith Wiggins with niece Marguerite Geiszler c 1926

On 24 Oct 1926, Uncle Earl died in Columbus, Ohio. The death was mourned not only by Evaline's sister Edith but also by Evaline's children. On 3 Mar 1929, Edith remarried Myron Burl Hayes. They later had one son John Richard Hayes. 1926 was also a year of loss for Evaline as Bessie Short died (Evaline's fiance's mother). 

Edith Hayes and who is believed to be John Richard Hayes

 After two years of grieving these losses, a mother's worst nightmare came true as Evaline's son Carl died in her arms of influenza in 1928. And Samuel Barton, her husband's mentor and for whom her eldest son was named, died in 1929 after falling off his roof. Samuel was Evaline's neighbor at this time. Evaline signed Sam's death certificate as no family relation was available to do it.

Evaline Peak nee Townley c 1930

Evaline Townley Geiszler nee Peak and her mother Evaline Peak nee Townley

(yes... their names get confusing)

In 1931, her father William Talbot Peak died on 6 Feb 1931. He father was a Sergeant in the Columbus police since about 1922. The decade ended with the death of Evaline's mother Evaline Peak on 25 Nov 1939.

This post seems so morbid towards the end. However, I don't really know much about the Peak family members. I would LOVE to find a cousin searching for Edith Peak Wiggins Hayes, Henry David Peak, William Richard Peak, or William Townley Peak of Cincinnati, Ohio and then part of the family lived in Columbus, Ohio. I would like to make these sketchy details more rich and full.