Owen PEAKE, called Red, was the youngest son of Lee David PEAKE, Sr., and Virgie MARTIN PEAKE. He was born 3 Feb 1936 in South Carolina. The family lived in Richland County, South Carolina.
Red was my first cousin, once removed. His mother, Virgie, and my grandfather, Joel Daniel MARTIN, were siblings.
Red and his older brother, Bobby, were only three years apart in age. They probably chummed around together often.
On 10 February 1946, Red and Bobby went off playing in the woods as kids would do. As they meandered around, they found an old jar with moonshine in it. Red drank it and became very ill. Bobby helped him home.
Virgie took Red to an old doctor in Elgin, South Carolina who said to take him home and keep him warm which she did.
Virgie’s grown daughter, Lillie Mae PEAKE DAVIS, and her husband, John Amos DAVIS, came to the house to check on Red. Virgie was in the bed with Red, all bundled up with him and trying to keep him warm. Lillie and Mae and John could see how sick Red was, and they took him to the hospital. Lillie Mae held Red in her arms on the way there trying to keep him warm.
Red Peake in his casket
When they got the hospital, the doctor examined him and said he was ‘dead as a doornail.’ He had died enroute to the hospital.
According to the death certificate, Red died of alcohol poisoning. It says he drank ½ gallon of corn whiskey. Also, a contributing factor was exposure to rain for 6 hours.
I believe he is buried at Spears Creek Baptist Church Cemetery in Pontiac, Richland County, South Carolina.
Such a sad story. He was just a little boy.
Special thanks for Elaine Davis LaValley, granddaughter of Virgie, for telling me this story.
Copyright © 2015 Nancy H. Vest All Rights Reserved 
Oh, how very sad. The poor little fellow.
It’s just heartbreaking. His poor mother.
Hi Nancy,
This is such a sad story! I also happen to live in Elgin, SC. If you like I can try to find out if there is a marker for Red at the Spears Creek Baptist Church Cemetery. However, if the church is in a certain section of Spears Creek Road that was washed away in the recent flooding here I might not be able to get the photo until the road is open again.
Thank you for offering to do that, Dawn. I would appreciate it, whenever you can get out there.