▁and ▁judge , ▁and ▁a ▁representative . ▁His ▁older ▁brother , ▁Whe eler ▁Haz ard ▁Pe ck ham ▁( 1 8 3 3 – 1 9 0 5 ), ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁law y ers ▁who ▁pro sec uted ▁B oss ▁Twe ed ▁and ▁a ▁failed ▁nom ine e ▁to ▁the ▁Supreme ▁Court . ▁His ▁other ▁brother , ▁Joseph ▁Henry , ▁died ▁at ▁ 1 7 . ▁ ▁Biography ▁ ▁Pe ck ham ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Alb any , ▁New ▁York , ▁to ▁R uf us ▁Whe eler ▁Pe ck ham ▁and ▁Isabel la ▁Ad eline ▁L ace y ; ▁his ▁mother ▁died ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁only ▁nine . ▁Following ▁his ▁gradu ation ▁from ▁The ▁Alb any ▁Academy , ▁he ▁followed ▁in ▁his ▁father ' s ▁foot steps ▁as ▁a ▁lawyer , ▁being ▁admitted ▁to ▁the ▁bar ▁in ▁Alb any ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 9 ▁after ▁teaching ▁himself ▁law ▁by ▁studying ▁in ▁his ▁father ' s ▁office . ▁ ▁After ▁a ▁de cade ▁of ▁private ▁practice , ▁Pe ck ham ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁Alb any ▁district ▁att orney ▁from ▁ 1 8 6 9 ▁from ▁ 1 8 7 2 . ▁ ▁Pe ck ham ▁then ▁returned ▁to ▁private ▁legal ▁practice ▁and ▁served ▁as ▁coun sel ▁to ▁the ▁City ▁of ▁Alb any , ▁until ▁being ▁elected ▁as ▁a ▁trial ▁judge ▁on ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁Supreme ▁Court ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 3 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 8 6 , ▁Pe ck ham ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁Court