Version 6.01

06 March 2021

David March © 2019

Charles Williams was born on 10 March 1895 in Toledo, Lucas, Ohio to David Frederick Williams (1877-1935) and Cora Nisbet Peckham (1873-1901). Charles had one sister, Irma Johnson (1901-1974).

Charles’ mother, Cora Nisbet Peckham was born on 8 June 1873 in Springfield, Hampden, Massachusetts to Elijah White Peckham (1838-1904) and Elizabeth Nisbet (b 1852). Cora died in 1901, possibly of complications at the birth of her second child, Irma. Charles was adopted by his maternal grandparents and took their surname. He seems to have added ‘Williams’ to his first name and was subsequently know as Charles William or Williams Peckham. Irma was adopted by her paternal uncle, William Henry Williams (1874-1931) and wife Emily Matilda Coddington (1873-1952).

Charles enlisted for WWI on 1 June 1917 and travelled to Toronto, Canada to join the Royal Flying Corps. By 1 November 1917, Charles had trained as a pilot and been promoted to Second Lieutenant. He travelled to France and was stationed near Bapaume, Arras when on 23 June 1918 his DH4 biplane was shot down. He and his air gunner, AJ Cobbin suffered serious burn injuries and were captured. AJ Cobbin died on 14 July 1918 whilst a prisoner of war.

Charles is reputed to have escaped from prison camps five times only to be recaptured due to his injuries. He was repatriated to England in December 1918 and received treatment for his burns at Queen Hospital, Sidcup, Kent. He returned to the US and was living in Scranton, Pennsylvania when he applied for a passport to travel to England for further treatment for his injuries. He was in England for over a year and returned on SS ‘Acquitania’ in June 1921.

In 1930, Charles was living at 198 Gramercy Place, Los Angeles and working as a salesman for a rubber company. He served with the US Air Force during WWII attaining the rank of Major.

Charles died on 24 December 1951 in Los Angeles and is buried in the military cemetery, San Diego, San Diego County, California.

This family tree can be found on Ancestry under the title 6517 Peckham Tree.

CHARLES WILLIAMS PECKHAM

Charles Williams Peckham courtesy of Frederic Stevenson, his great nephew