The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1869-11-08
lFrom the elnelnnatl aazette ]
GEORGE Peabody.

Of Philanthropist-F of Human
ity. An American by birth, an Eng
lishman by adoption, neither America
nor England can claim him as pecu-
liarly her own, nor his fame can she
appropriate. For bis benefactions
have been to the men of other
lands, his charities to the
world. 10 the poor of London
he has been more than friend; to
the destitute of the South, he has ex-
tended with more than royal hand
the blessings which wealth alone can
provide; to the causes of literature
and arts he has been a more prineely
patron than was ever Mecanas in the
Augustan days; to the explorers of
Arctic seas he has contributed with
munifcent generosity; to America IN
the dark days of 1887, when ruin
seemed inevitable, he pledged his
than chief of the Republic, more
than statesman, more than .diplo-
matist, he has contributed to the
universal welfare. That monument,
more lasting than brass, more
lofty than the pyramids, which
the wasting storm can not destroy,nor
the wind, nor the swift flight of time,
nor the innumerable series of years, +"
that everlasting and immortal place
| in the memory of men, he he's reared
| to himself. Nobler is his glory than
even the glory of Pericles, for he has
deserved we'll not of his country, but
of the world.
/ He was born in Danvers, Massa-
/ chusetts, February Is, 1895. His pa
rents were poor, and his early and only
education was acquired in the district
schools. While still in his boyhood,
at the tender age of eleven years, he
was placed as q clerk with a grocer in
| his native town. This place, how
ever, he retained for but foC- years,
when he went to Thetford, Vermont,
where he spent year with his grand
/ father. At the end of this time,
we next find him In Newburyport,
Mass, where he was employed in the
/ haberdashery store of an elder brother.
| The burning, however, of the build
| ing, compelled another change, and
he went with an uneleto Georgetown,
ID. c., where for two years, although
he was still minor, he conducted
| the business. He found at last that
be was in danger of being held re-
sponsible for debts that he had not
contracted, and accordingly, in 1874,
he withdrew from this partnership,
and removing to Baltimore. he soon
after formed a business connection
with Mr.. Elisha Riggs in the whole
sale dry goods business, Mr.. Riggs
furnishing the capital and the man
agement being intrusted to Mr.. Pea
body. From this time forth his sue
cess was marked and distinguished.
His business soon increased to such
| dimensions that In 1922 branch
houses were established in New York
and philadelphia. In 1927 Mr.. Pea
body first crossed the Atlantic, the at
that time long and Wearisome voyage
being made for the purpose of buying
| goods. So successful was he In the
discharge of this important duty, that
at last the entire foreign business was
given over to his charge, and at
length, in 1929, by the retirement of
Mr.. Riggs, he became the senior part
ner Of the house. Early in 1887 he
| took up his residence permanently in
London, and in 1913, withdrawing
from the firm OF Peabody, Riggs &
Co., he established himself as a pri-
vate banker His fortune was rapidly
accumulated. His answering integ-
rity, his indomitable industry, his
great business capacity won for him
the confidence and esteem of the cit
liens OF his adopted country, and re-
tanned TO him the friendship and sup
port of Americans. In the midst of
all his success and his greatness he
he forgot not the land Of his birth.
| Through his exertions, the confidence
| in American responsibility, which
had .well.nigh failed in the disastrous
period of 1887, was maintained. Re
| peated and important favors he rem
/ dered to Maryland. Especially was
he mindful of his native town, and
generous in his donations. In 1852.
on the two hundredth anniversary ofits
settlement, he sent a toast in a sealed
! envelope, not to be opened until the
day of the anniversary. That toast
| was: Education. debt from
the present to future generations"
and that he might pay his share Of
that debt, he inclosed q check for
$4,000, to be used for the founding
of an Institute, Lyceum and LibrarY
for the town. Subsequent gifts have
| AUCIEGcGQ Ills sun ~ rOOsOOO1 R1U,-
600 he contributed to the first Grin
mel expedition; $500,000h he gave to the
City Of Baltimore, to establish an In
/ stitute for the Promotion of Science,
Literature and Fine Arts; $150,000
he gave to Yale College, and an equal
sum to Harvard for purposes of sci
entifc schools. Nearly 81 100000 he
gave to the City of London, to be ap-
| piled to the benefit Of the poor of the
great metropolis. Most munifcent
and far-sighted of ali, he gave al
most a million and halfto the South,
to aid in the general work of common
school education.
He died at time when his wears
were full, and when he had been hon
ored in every way that the gratitude
of nations could suggest. He had lust
returned to England, from a long and
pleasant visit TO his native country.
and the echoes of the thanks of q
grateful people had not yet died away.
He had just witnessed the uncoyering
of the Peabody statue, In London.
News came two or three days ago that
he was Ill, but the sickness was not
| thought to be dangerous. The glad
tidipgs came next that he was i'm
nroving. And late last night the dis
/ hatch was flashed across the Atlantic
Chat brings grief to the heart Of every
man in the nation:
LONDON, Nov. 4-Midnight.-Geo
Peabody died at half-past II O'Clock