Captain Benjamin Peckham
Society of the Cincinnati
Olney’s Rhode Island Continental Battalion · Original Member, 1783
Research Dossier
Printable/mailable PDF prepared for Society of the Cincinnati outreach. The officer, the extinction (1848), the collateral descent via Benoni Gardiner, and every source citation — on four pages.
The Officer
- Name
- Captain Benjamin Lawton Peckham
- Born
- July 1, 1753, Newport, Rhode Island
- Died
- August 15, 1821, Wickford, Rhode Island
- Service
- Captain, Olney’s Rhode Island Continental Battalion
- Served to
- November 3, 1783 (Original Member)
- PID
- K4NQ-B7N
- Source
- Peckham Genealogy (Stephen Farnum Peckham, 1922, p. 271)
Benjamin Lawton Peckham served as a Captain in the Rhode Island Continental Line. Olney’s Battalion saw action throughout the war, including the Battle of Rhode Island (1778). As an Original Member of the Society of the Cincinnati, his seat passes through hereditary succession — and when direct descent is extinct, Society rules may permit collateral succession.
Extinction of Direct Line
Capt. Benjamin Lawton Peckham (1753\u20131821) K4NQ-B7N
+ Hannah Wall (d. 1805)
Elizabeth Peckham (1789\u20131820) L4QZ-ZC4
+ Capt. Christopher Low Phillips (1787\u20131855, M2WZ-QK7)
Hannah W. Phillips (1813\u20131848) 9DM7-69C— no spouse, no children
Dorothy Phillips (1814\u20131820) L4QZ-HJT— died age 6
Samuel Phillips (1818\u20131819) 9DM7-69Z— died as infant
All three grandchildren died without issue. The direct line has been extinct since 1848.
Collateral Descent — Two Branches from Benoni Gardiner
Benoni Gardiner (ca. 1640–1729, LVF7-5YN) is the nearest common ancestor. Two of his children founded the two branches — our line through William Gardiner, and Benjamin Peckham’s line through Penelope Gardiner.
Our Line — Through William Gardiner
Benoni Gardiner (ca. 1640\u20131729) LVF7-5YN
William Gardiner (1671) LVF7-R41
John Gardiner (1696) LZKQ-TQ5
Hannah Gardiner (1723) LCJR-J7W
Elizabeth Westcott (1760) KNWZ-LNK
Mary Peckham (1792) LR79-JWN
Fanny P. Harrison (1813) 9F78-WDW
Richmond C. Winter (1839) L4ZL-SXH
Fanny Harrison Winter (1869) 9VNZ-J6H
Rachael Winter Swift (1896) 9JGN-43B
Francis Swift Perry (1923) L1V1-8D2
Carol Perry (1953) GB2W-HX5
John Francis Long (1976) GDML-4MK
Officer’s Line — Through Penelope Gardiner (Extinct)
Benoni Gardiner (ca. 1640\u20131729) LVF7-5YN
Penelope Gardiner (1689) LZNL-4DY
Mary Lawton (1730) LH81-7RQ
Benoni Peckham (1729) MQLQ-S3T
Capt. Benjamin L. Peckham (1753\u20131821) K4NQ-B7N— Cincinnati Original Member
Elizabeth Peckham (1789\u20131820) L4QZ-ZC4
Hannah W. Phillips (1813\u20131848) 9DM7-69C— no issue
Dorothy Phillips (1814\u20131820) L4QZ-HJT— died age 6
Samuel Phillips (1818\u20131819) 9DM7-69Z— died as infant
Line extinct since 1848
Research implication:Because Benjamin Peckham’s direct line is extinct, the nearest living collateral line descends from their common ancestor Benoni Gardiner — via the William Gardiner branch documented above. Every person in both branches is PID-linked to FamilySearch.
Sources
- Peckham Genealogy (Stephen Farnum Peckham, 1922), p. 271 — Documents Captain Benjamin Lawton Peckham, his descendants, and their extinction.
- FamilySearch.org — PID-verified records for all individuals in both branches. Birth registrations documented for generations 3–8.
- American Revolution Institute — Officers Represented in the Society of the Cincinnati.
- Rhode Island Town Deaths and Burials Index — Death records for Hannah W. Phillips, Dorothy Phillips, and Samuel Phillips confirming no issue.
Research Status
Extinction of direct line documented. Collateral descent chain via Benoni Gardiner (MRCA) documented with FamilySearch PIDs across every generation. Research ongoing.
Research Confidence
Officer service record
Confirmed Original Member per American Revolution Institute registry and Peckham Genealogy(1922, p. 271). Olney’s Battalion, served to November 3, 1783. PID: K4NQ-B7N.
Extinction of direct line
All three grandchildren PID-verified with death records. Hannah (d. 1848, no issue), Dorothy (d. 1820, age 6), Samuel (d. 1819, infant). RI Town Deaths and Burials Index.
Collateral descent chain
Every person in both branches PID-linked to FamilySearch. Birth registrations documented for generations 3–8. Common ancestor Benoni Gardiner (LVF7-5YN) confirmed.