John Overly Peck

{{Short description|American politician (1900–1979)}}
{{use mdy dates|date=April 2026}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = John Overly Peck
| office = Member of the [[Nebraska Legislature]] from the 26th district
| term_start = January 6, 1959
| term_end = January 1, 1963
| predecessor = [[August Wagner]]
| successor = [[Fred Gottschalk]]
| birth_date = {{birth date|1900|8|11}}
| birth_place = [[De Kalb, Missouri]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|1979|3|29|1900|8|11}}
| death_place = [[Columbus, Nebraska]]
| party = [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| spouse = {{marriage|Mary Riley|1926}}
| children = 2 (JoAnn, John)
| occupation = Banker
}}

'''John Overly Peck''' (August 11, 1900{{spaced ndash}}March 29, 1979) was a [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] politician from [[Nebraska]] who served as a member of the [[Nebraska Legislature]] from the 26th district from 1959 to 1963.

==Early life==
Peck was born in [[De Kalb, Missouri]], in 1900, and graduated from De Kalb High School.{{cite book|title=Nebraska Blue Book 1960|publisher=Nebraska Legislative Council|date=1961|url=https://govdocs.nebraska.gov/epubs/l3000/D001-1960.pdf|access-date=April 20, 2026}} He settled in [[Columbus, Nebraska]], where he worked as a banker, serving as the president of the Nebraska Bankers Association.{{cite news|title=Noted state banking figure John Peck dies in Columbus|newspaper=[[Lincoln Journal Star|Lincoln Star]]|date=March 30, 1979|location=|page=13|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-lincoln-star/195978914/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=April 20, 2026}} Peck was active in the [[Nebraska Republican Party]], serving as U.S. Senator [[Hugh A. Butler]]'s finance chairman during his [[1952 United States Senate election in Nebraska|1952 re-election campaign]], and as [[Victor Emanuel Anderson|Victor Anderson]]'s campaign manager during his [[1956 Nebraska gubernatorial election|1956 gubernatorial campaign]].

==Nebraska Legislature==
In 1958, State Senator [[August Wagner]] declined to seek re-election, and Peck ran to succeed him in the 26th district, which included [[Nance County, Nebraska|Nance]] and [[Platte County, Nebraska|Platte]] counties.{{cite news|title=Cheatle, Smith In Race For Commissioner Here|newspaper=Alliance Times-Herald|date=April 3, 1958|location=|page=1|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-alliance-times-herald/195979802/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=April 20, 2026}} In the nonpartisan primary, he faced farmer George Louis,{{cite news|title=George Louis, Columbus, in Unicam Race|newspaper=[[Lincoln Journal Star|Lincoln Star]]|date=January 22, 1958|location=|page=3|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-lincoln-star/195979939/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=April 20, 2026}} and placed first, winning 56 percent of the vote to Louis's 44 percent.{{cite book|title=Official Report of the Board of State Canvassers of the State of Nebraska, Primary Election, May 13, 1958, General Election, November 4, 1958|last=Marsh|first=Frank|publisher=Nebraska Secretary of State|year=1958|url=https://govdocs.nebraska.gov/epubs/S1200/S001-1958prim_gen.pdf|access-date=April 20, 2026}} They advanced to the general election, where Peck narrowly defeated Louis, winning 51–49 percent.{{cite news|title=Democrats Show New Strength in Many Up-sets in Tuesday's Voting|newspaper=Nance County Journal|date=November 6, 1958|location=[[Fullerton, Nebraska]]|page=1|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-nance-county-journal/195980083/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=April 20, 2026}}

Peck ran for re-election in 1960,{{cite news|title=Omahan Files For Governor|newspaper=[[York News-Times|York Daily News-Times]]|date=February 15, 1960|location=|page=1|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-york-daily-news-times/195980139/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=April 20, 2026}} and was challenged by Louis in a rematch of their 1958 race.{{cite news|title=Congress And Unicam Post Being Sought|newspaper=[[Alliance Times-Herald]]|date=March 11, 1960|location=|page=6|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-alliance-times-herald/195980170/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=April 20, 2026}} In the primary election, Peck placed first over Louis, winning 57 percent,{{cite book|title=Official Report of the Board of State Canvassers of the State of Nebraska, Primary Election, May 10, 1960, General Election, November 8, 1960|last=Marsh|first=Frank|publisher=Nebraska Secretary of State|year=1960|url=https://govdocs.nebraska.gov/epubs/S1200/S001-1960prim_gen.pdf|access-date=April 20, 2026}} and they advanced to the general election.{{cite news|title=58 'Rocking Chair' Candidates Are in Finals|newspaper=[[Lincoln Journal Star|Lincoln Evening Journal]]|date=May 11, 1960|location=|page=14|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/lincoln-journal-star/195980247/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=April 20, 2026}} Peck defeated Louis to win re-election, receiving 55 percent of the vote to Louis's 45 percent.{{cite news|title=At Least Three of 31 State Senate Incumbents Ousted|newspaper=[[Kearney Hub]]|date=November 10, 1960|location=|page=11|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/kearney-hub/195980338/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=April 20, 2026}}

In 1962, Peck ran for re-election,{{cite news|title=J. O. Peck Files For Re-Election|newspaper=[[Lincoln Journal Star|Lincoln Star]]|date=January 31, 1962|location=|page=13|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-lincoln-star/195980374/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=April 20, 2026}} and was re-elected unopposed.{{cite news|last=Shasteen|first=Don|title=Most Active Races to Be for Congress|newspaper=[[Omaha World-Herald]]|date=March 17, 1962|location=|page=46024|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/omaha-world-herald/195980426/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=April 20, 2026}}{{cite book|title=Official Report of the Board of State Canvassers of the State of Nebraska, Primary Election, May 15, 1962, General Election, November 6, 1962|last=Marsh|first=Frank|publisher=Nebraska Secretary of State|year=1962|url=https://govdocs.nebraska.gov/epubs/S1200/S001-1962prim_gen.pdf|access-date=April 20, 2026}} However, Peck declined to serve his third term, citing a desire to spend time with his family.{{cite news|last=Shasteen|first=Don|title=Senator Peck Resigns to Be With His Family|newspaper=[[Omaha World-Herald]]|date=December 27, 1962|location=|page=6|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/omaha-world-herald/195977780/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=April 20, 2026}} Governor [[Frank B. Morrison]] appointed [[Fred Gottschalk]] to serve out Peck's term.{{cite news|title=Columbus Man Peck's Successor|newspaper=[[Lincoln Journal Star|Lincoln Evening Journal]]|date=January 1, 1963|location=|page=1|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/lincoln-journal-star/195977870/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=April 20, 2026}}

==Death==
Peck died on March 29, 1979.

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Peck, John Overly}}

[[Category:1900 births]]
[[Category:1979 deaths]]
[[Category:Nebraska state senators]]
[[Category:People from Columbus, Nebraska]]
[[Category:Nebraska Republicans]]
[[Category:American bankers]]
[[Category:20th-century Nebraska politicians]]