The Supreme Court of Vermont. was a learned and sound lawyer, not as quick and ready as some of his brethren, but his arguments were exhaustive. He deserved and acquired an enviable reputa tion for ability, learning and unyielding integrity. He was faithful and conscien tious in the discharge of his judicial duties, examining questions with great learning, fairness and impartiality. He was deliberate and orderly in the transaction of business in nisi prizes courts, but exceedingly slow in the trial of jury cases, sometimes taking weeks for the trial of a single cause. He took full notes of all the testimony, and if he made any mistake in the formation of a letter, his penknife was brought into requisition and the examination of the witness stopped until he could have his i's dotted and his t's crossed; but so excellent and estimable a man was he that no one could object to such idiosyncrasies. He never married, and with the exception of the time he resided in Rut land during his judgeship remained at the ancestral homestead in the family of his brother. He donated his law library to be kept in the Court House at Rutland for the use of the courts and the profession attend ing them. Asahel PECK was a descendant of Joseph Peck, who came in 1638 with a company of Puritans from England; his ancestry is traceable through twenty generations to John Peck of Belton, Yorkshire. Squire Peck, the father of Asahel, came to East Montpelier when the latter was three years old. Entering the University of Ver mont, when twenty-four years of age, "one year advanced," he remained one year and then left from " inability to support himself." He taught school, and after his college life studied French in Canada. He began his legal studies with his brother Nahum in Hinesburgh, then entered the office of Bailey and Marsh. He was in his twenty-ninth year when admitted to the Bar in March, 1832.
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He began practice in Burlington, and was associated with Archibald W. Hyde under the name of Hyde & Peck, though it is said that Hyde had no interest in the busi ness but lent his name for the prestige it had. From the time of his admission until elected judge of the circuit court in 1851, his practice was extensive. He was very irregular in his habits, would often work in his office until the late hours of night; he seemed to have no idea of time, and often, after visiting with some friend until past midnight, would be surprised to learn the hour. His law students, who usually slept in the room adjoining the office, were often disturbed by his coming to the office at any hour of the night. He was of great physical endurance and would often pass the night upon the office table with Coke or Blackstone for a pillow. He would start from his boarding place in the morning and might reach his office by noon, and he might go without his dinner unless some one suggested that it was dinner time. When in court he seemed to think the day was not long enough, and seldom adjourned before six o'clock and often held evening sessions until eleven o'clock. He was unmindful about his dress; wore the old-fashioned standing collar annexed to the shirt, and once amused the crowd in Chelsea by appearing in the court room arrayed in two shirts with collars promi nently in sight. A Democrat in politics, he early joined the Free Soil party and was often its candidate for official positions. In 1851 he was elected judge of the third circuit, and served in that position until the change in the judiciary system in 1857. He then resumed practice until 1860, when he was elected State senator, and at the session of the legislature was elected judge, Redfield, C. J., having declined a re-election. In 1874 he was elected Governor, resigning the judge ship on the last day of August. Without a peer as a lawyer, he was one of
