The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1869-11-11
GEORGE PEABODY.

residence in London, died George Pea
body, the eminent and loved benefactor
ofthe two hemisphercs. He was born
in 1875 at Danvers, Massachusetts,,
whose institute and library he has SO
munifcently endowed; and from whose
people in his declining years he has re-
ceived more than one tribute of honor
and gratitude. He was a grocer's clerk
at Danvers from l 1 to Is, when, after
spending year with his grandfather
at Tbetford, Vermont, he went to New
burypeft as clerk for his elder broth
er, dry goods merchant Next we hear
of him in Georgetown, d. c., whittier he
went with his uncle after the Burning of
his brothers store, and there, conduct
ing the business of his house, although
a minor, his mercantile genius developed
itself But fearing that if he continued
business in his own name he would be
held responsible for the debts of some
relatives which he never contracted, he
withdrew in 1914 to become the part
ner of Mr.. Elisha Riggs in the whole
sale dry goods trade, that gentleman
supplying the capital, the management
of which he con6ded to the voting mer-
chant. At Baltimore, the next year,
the new house fourished in large and
growing business, insomuch that in '22
it could afford to establish branches in
New York snd Philadelphia. From
such beginnings Mr. Peabody derived
| the opportunity to make personal ac-
qunintsnce with Europe in thepurchase
of goods, and several times, on his trans
atlantic journeys, was entrusted with
affairs of moment by the State of Mary
land By the retirement of Mr.. Riggs
in 1929 he became the head of his firm
and in 1897 settled in London, four
years afterwards withdrawing from the
firm of Peabody, Riggs & Co., and estab
fishing himself as a banker. 1t wa!
then that through his efforts faith il
the American credit, greatly damagct
in the crisis of 1887, was resuscitated
and maintained; and that the State o.
Maryland was SO well favored in trans
actions for which he refused any com
pensation whatever. His house IL
London became the headquarters o
Americafiism III news, and intelligence
!, and acquaintance, and, in further proc
of his undiminished 1--we of home an,
fatherland, he sent over the water ii
1852, toast for the bicentennial ami
versary of his native town Of Danvers
| Education, debt from the present t
the future generations" and to pay hi
! share of the debt he enclosed chez
1
J., for 500, 900, to be disburse3 in the four
dation of an institute, lyceum and !
o brary subsequently endowed to the e1
4 tent of hundreds of thousands of dollar
e including gift for branch library i
!. North Danvers. His philanthropy hs
been exercised in numerous instance
It To the first Grinnell expedition to th
$ North Pole he gave $4,000; and in 8
!. the magnificent sum of 100000 W;
n given as the first installment of $500
e 900 for the establishment of an inst
# tute to promote literature, science, an
g the arts. His later bounties of $500
900 to the cause of Southern education
! increased after the manner Of the Bait
more and Danvers endowments, are r
. cent and fresh in gratitude.
= But the scheme of philanthroI
% which, from its novelty and extent, vi
% peculiarly distinguish Mr.. Peabody
benevolence, is his gift to the Londc
poor. A sum Of f35O, 600, or 81 ,25(
d 900, was invested by him in the e
pertinent Of alternating the manifo
he distresses of class of people rear,
ID amid all the discomforts, temptatio
a and squalors of that world of a city, Il
< British metropolis. Mr.. Pcabody's o
'f ject, though stated by him as the an,
z elioration OF the condition and augme
y tation of the comforts of the poor &c
re orally, was practically the helping
"a the industrious poor. The most reaso
3 able way of benefting these would b
OF he shought, to provide at very modera
se rent decent homes for them, and
:" secure for the worthy unfortunate
IN London's deluge of humanity an ark
y safety decent enough to entertain hon
e affections. In thss great city, as her
" but under lers hopeful circumstance
In the children of the poor grow up am
NJ surroundings of painful squalor, and
10 habitations where all the virtues are
. danger Of being excluded with fresh a
We and cleanliness. Mr.. Peabody thong
of it no blessing to overweight those who
ne he benefited with sense of their
es pondence, and argued to himself tn
G. the good done would be I'll the great
rs by making the poor free agents in
d. He would not maintain paupers, I
ed that was the work of society by 9th