The Peach Heroes

About the Book

The Peach Tree Project began 25 years ago with The Peach Tree newsletter. This was just a simple rag sheet of what little I had learned about my research of Peach genealogy. I had no intention of this newsletter going anywhere but to the 24 people who first received it. It was an innocent attempt to try to make contact with others whom I thought might be interested in this subject.  Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine how this would become a lifetime project and touch the homes of thousands of Peach descendants all over the world.  Now 25 years later, the 150^th Issue of The Peach Tree newsletter has become a reality. 

            This book is about our Peach Heroes.  Originally, all I could think about when I thought of heroes were those who had engaged in the military service of our country.  Therefore, this book begins with our dedicated Peach war veterans.  However, after completing the rough draft of the book, I felt there was a gaping hole in the book that had to be filled. I struggled for months to find things to fill this emptiness. As I wrestled with this, I had no solution for my consuming problem.

            Then came the 10^th National Peach Reunion in Chattanooga, Tennessee.  While I was standing before those who came from twelve different states and from as far away as California, Maine and Minnesota, I was struck with the awesome reality that I was looking at my Peach heroes.  Most of these had spent all or a major part of the past 25 years with me helping to sustain and grow this Peach Tree Project.

About the Author

 John Harding Peach

          was born in Nashville, Tennessee on December 22, 1943.    In 1983 he began “The Peach Tree Project” – over 25 years ago. This soon led him to publish a newsletter called “The Peach Tree”, which still goes into homes four times a year throughout the world.    The “Peach Tree Project” involved the gathering of all known materials about the Peach and Peachey genealogy for the purpose of sharing them in publications with others throughout the world.   It has included ten national Peach reunions in all parts of the United States.

For the past 15 years John has served as a high school counselor for troubled teens, particularly those who are suicidal and have substance abuse problems.  His credentials include a B. A. and an M. A. degree.

This is the eighth book published by this author. The others include:

THE PEACH TREE DIGEST, 1985 (now out of print)

THE PEACH TREE HANDBOOK, Vol. I, So. Carolina Branch, 1986

(now out of print)

THE PEACH TREE HANDBOOK, Vol.II. So. Maryland Branch, 1988

THE PEACH TREE HANDBOOK, Vol.III, Marblehead Branch, 2000

THE PEACH/PEACHEY MIGRATIONS, 1066-1990 A.D., 1991

THE PEACH GENEALOGIES, Vol. 1, 2003