No information was found on where or when Nathaniel Pecke was born or any information on his parents' origins.
Nathaniel Pecke was one of seven children of Joseph Pecke Sr. He had five brothers and one sister who were mentioned in his father's will of 1663. Joseph, John, Samuel, Israel, and Nicholas Pecke all signed and witnessed their father's will. Nathaniel Pecke married before 1670 to Deliverance Bosworth who died in April 1675 shortly after the birth of their son, Elisha, on April 19th.
No profession is listed in the Plymouth records, but one can determine by the listing of farming implements and variety of animals that Nathaniel Pecke was a man who lived off his land. He appears to have been a moderately wealthy man with most of his estate's value tied up in land that he inherited from his father in 1663. The further Court records of the life describe Pecke as a citizen of Swansey when his father lived in Rehoboth. Before 1670, he must have migrated from Rehoboth to the town of Swansey, a close neighbor as he is listed as a freeman of Swansey in May of that year. He was a constable of Swansey in 1668 and a surveyor of the highways for the town in 1671.
1663. 3 March 1663. Simmons, 1996: 394. The Last will and Testament of Joseph Pecke Sr. was exhibited at Court. Nathaniel Pecke was bequeathed all the lands purchased of John Adams and Mr. Bradford including the meadow called the long beach, which was between Mr. Newman and Pecke Sr. These lands were to be divided between Nathaniel and Israel. Nathaniel was given all the meadow at Squamquammett between John Allin and Pecke Sr. He was bequeathed a few personal items including his father's biggest silver cup, a gold ring, and his best feather bed.
24 December 1663. Simmons, 1996: 395. A further amplification of Joseph Pecke Sr.'s will was made upon his deathbed. Nathaniel was given two hundred pounds plus him and Israel were to be given equal shares of the corn raised for the following year from the land bequeathed to Samuel.
1668. 3 June 1668. Plymouth Colony Records (PCR) 4: 181. Nathaniel Pecke was appointed Constable of Swansey.
1670. No Specific Date. Anderson 1995, I: 190. Married by 1670 to Deliverance Bosworth (born Hingham 4 August 1650).
29 May 1670. PCR 5: 279. Listed as a freeman of Swansey.
16715 June 1671. PCR 5: 58. Surveyors of the Highways for Swansey were Nathaniel Pecke, Joseph Carpenter, and Zacariah Eedey.
5 June 1671. PCR 5: 60. Peck and Nicholas Tanner were appointed by the Court to inspect the ordinaries, or any other place suspected, for abuses of the drinking of liquors on the premises and to make a report to the Court.
167315 September 1673. PCR 5: 135. Served at Court as a Deputy.
167519 April 1675. PCR 8: 61. Elisha, the son of Nathaniel Pecke was born.
30 April 1675. PCR 8: 61. Deliverance, wife of Nathaniel Pecke died.
1 May 1675. PCR 8: 63. Deliverance Pecke was buried.
167625 August 1676. PCR 8: 63. Nathaniel Pecke was buried.
14 September 1676Plymouth Colony Wills 3(2): 29-31. Inventory of Nathaniel Peck of Swansey listed. Phillip Walker appraised his personal estate to the total of 111 pounds and fourteen shillings. His lands were appraised at ninety pounds by Nathaniel Paine and Daniel Smith.
1 November 1676. PCR 5: 212. In reference to the estate of Nathaniel Pecke, Jonathan Bosworth Sr. and Samuel Pecke were appointed to administer the estate. One son and one daughter were listed with the son receiving a double portion and the daughter receiving a single portion of the lands and estate that appears the most suitable for him and her. The land was not to be divided until they come of age or chose their own guardians.
16785 June 1678. PCR 5: 259. Daniel Smith and Sergeant Thomas Reed were appointed by the Court, along with the guardians of Pecke's children to make a decision on the lands in partnership between Nathaniel Pecke and Israel Pecke and between Israel Pecke and the deceased's children.
16801 March 1680/1681. PCR 6: 56. The Court allowed Jonathan Bosworth Sr. and Samuel Peck, administrators of Nathaniel Pecke's estate, to sell a piece of land, eight-and-a-half acres lying next to Anthony Lowes' land, upon the neck of land called Phebeys Necke and the commonage on New Meadow Necke with the addition of “the forty rodd”.
168128 October 1681. PCR 6: 73. Bosworth Sr. and Smith were allowed to sell a small parcel of land, being a fourth of a ten-acre lot at Papasquash or Mount Hope Necke for the use and benefit of the children of Nathaniel Pecke.
Bosworth, Jonathan Sr.: Administered Pecke's estate with Samuel Pecke 1 November 1676. Court approved them to sell lands in March 1680/1 and October 1681.
Carpenter, Joseph: Surveyor of the Highways with Pecke and Zacariah Eedey, 5 June 1671.
Eedey, Zacariah: Surveyor of the Highways with Pecke and Joseph Carpenter, 5 June 1671.
Paine, Nathaniel: Appraised Pecke's lands with Daniel Smith, 14 September 1671.
Pecke, Deliverance: His wife. She died, 30 April 1675.
Pecke, Elisha: His son born, 19 April 1675.
Pecke, Israel: His brother.
Pecke, John: His brother.
Pecke, Joseph Sr.: His father.
Pecke, Joseph Jr.: His brother.
Pecke, Nicholas: His brother.
Pecke, Samuel: His brother who with Jonathan Bosworth Sr. administered Nathaniel Pecke's estate.
Reed, Thomas: Appointed by the Court in June of 1678 to oversee the lands in partnership between Israel Pecke and Nathaniel Pecke's children.
Smith, Daniel: Appraised Pecke's lands with Nathaniel Paine, 14 September 1671. Appointed by the Court in June of 1678 to oversee the lands in partnership between Israel Pecke and Nathaniel Pecke's children.
Tanner, Nicholas: Ordered to inspect the ordinaries with Pecke, 5 June 1671.
Walker, Phillip: Appraised Pecke's personal estate, 14 September 1676.
PCR. The Records of the Colony of New Plymouth in New England, edited by Nathaniel B. Shurtleff and David Pulsifer (Boston: William White, 1855-61; New York: AMS Press, 1968). 12 v. in 6.
Simmons, 1996. Plymouth Colony Wills and Inventories, Vol. 1: 1633-1669, ed. C.H. Simmons (Rockport, Me: Picton Press, 1996).
Anderson, 1995. Anderson, Robert Charles. The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England 1620-1633 (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1995). 3v.