George W. (George Wilbur) Peck

Born in 1840, George Wilbur Peck was an American writer best remembered for his comic storytelling and sharp newspaper wit. He worked as a printer and journalist before rising to prominence as an editor, and his humorous sketches about an unruly boy made him widely popular with readers.

His best-known creation was the Peck’s Bad Boy series, which helped define his public reputation as a funny, accessible writer with a gift for everyday mischief and satire. The success of those stories made him one of the most recognizable humor writers of his time.

Peck’s life also reached well beyond literature. He served as mayor of Milwaukee and later as the 17th governor of Wisconsin, giving him an unusual career that combined publishing, popular writing, and politics. He died in 1916.