The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-11-06
Deatbor George Peabody,

4 cable dispatch announces the death of
George Peabody, an announcement which
will be received with the deepest regret
wherever his name and benevolent deeds
have become known.
Mr. Peabody was born in Danvers. Mass,
February Is, 1895. lie was the sou Of poor
parents, and his early education was ac-
Quired in the district schools. He was placed
&c assistant 10 grocer in his native town at
the age OF eleven, and in his sixteenth year
went to Newburvport rs clerk TOR his elder
brother, who had opened q dry goods shop
there. This establishment being burned
down, he went with an uncle to George
town, District of Columbia, where. for the
following two years, the business was con-
Quoted in his name, Though Il minor. In
1914 he withdrew from the business, and
became partner of Mr.. Elisha Riggs in the
wholesale dry goods trade. Mr.. Riggs fur
nishcd the necessary capital, and entrusted
the management 10 MIR. Peabody. The next
wear the house was removed to this city.
Here it attracted 4 large business, and in 1922
branch houses were established in New York
and Philadelphia. Mr.. Peabody's first visit
TO Europe was in 1927, going to buy goods.
In 1870 Nr. Riggs retired, and Mr.. Peabody
became senior partner in the house. On his
visits 10 Europe the State Of Maryland re-
peatedly entrusted him with important
negotiations, which were invariably con-
Quoted with success. In io5i ne took I'D his
permanent re%$tuence IN England, and in
lSij-..avIng withdrawn from the firm of
c2aDodv, Riggs & C0.--he established him
,s.lt In London as a merchant and banker.
3jS eXertions are said TO have con-
Jributed greatly 20 maintaining the conf
dcncc il American responsibility which had
well nigh failed ii the disastrous period OF
1881. and his repeated and Important taVorS
in this respect 10 line State of Maryland were
gratefully acknowledged, but he refused all
compensation for them. In 1868. he gave
the sum of $500. GOO, with 4 pledge to in
crease it 10 800, 900, to found an institute in
Baltimore now known as The Peabody In
Stitutc) for the promotion OF science, litera-
turc. and the fine arts. He subsequently,
Increased it 10 II 100000, and more recently
added the sum Of 500, i'll Virginia and
Tennessee bonds.
The list of his charities to benevolent and
educational purposes, including his munili-
cent contributions to institutions III his ma
Tive town Of Danvers, for iodging-house>
for the poor Of London, for profcsSOrShips
in Yale and other New England colleges,
aud lastly. but not least, his great donation
For education in the South, reaches. in the
aggregate, to about ten millions Of dollars.
Mr.. Peabody is said to have long ago
avOwcd that benciiCcncc was the end for
which wealth should lie sought. III carry
ing out this object he has wisely acted upon
the conviction that charitable gifts made
during the lifetime Of the donors arc likely
10 be much more scTviccable than money
left by will. The annals of history may be
searched il vain for a man who has made
more benevolent use OF great wealth, and
been more iudicious and practical i'll the
distribution Of it.
Could it bayc been possible for this man
TO have been happier il he Ind used riches
to panpcr his bodily nppctites or perpetu-
ate the OStentatlon OF wealth, rs seems too
often the vain purpose of men, or could his
executors, if they had employed n! his
wealth in rearing a monument over his re-
mains, have built 4 structure which could
he seen as far or he eutwined by the aifec-
lions aud admiration OF such myriads OF
the human race as the good and generous
deeds which have been restricted by no
boundaries Of section, or sect, or nation,
and which have associated so many throbs
of happiness and gratitude with the vene-
rablc and beloved name Of George Peabody!
.BdItLnlpre San.