Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1909-09-15
Personal SKETCH OF PEARY.
Interest i'm the NOrtb-POIar Lust.
The "SnOw Maiden" Child.


printed matter concerning the Polar
regions as fell into his hands was
read with absorbing interest. He
was born at Gresson, Pa, May 9th,
1858, but in his early youth the
family moved to Maine, where he re-
ceived his education. His parents,
Charles n. and Mary (Wiley) Peary,
saw to it that he received an early
training befitting life which prom
ised to be filled with wholesome &C
tivity.
Instructed first in private schools,
he subsequently entered Bowdoin
College, from which he was gradu-
ated with the class Of 1877. Through
out his college career and in the
years following he made close
study of Arctic exploration, the pc
culiar fascination which the subject
held for him, deepening as he ma
tured.
AS means of livelihood, he ad-
opted the profession Of civil engi-
neer, entering the United States
navy in that capacity October 26,
1881. Three years later he was ap-
pointed assistant engineer on the
board which surveyed the route of
the Nicaraguan Canal.
interest III the North.
In these three years interest in
the mysterious north had not alb ted
and in 1886 he applied or ieave
OF absence from the navy, which
would permit him to visit Green
land.
His application was granted, and
In July of the same year he began
what proved to be the first Of seven
expeditions to the north, all attend
ed with hardShips and some of them
with actual suffering and want, but
he pcrsevered with tenacity Of pur-
pose that challenged the admiration
of the world and finally brought him
unstinted fame.
Beyond the daring Of his exploits,
Peary's expeditions have had a sci
entific and geographical usefulness
that has been generally recognized,
and he has won the medals of the
American Geographical Society, the
Royal Geographical Society of Lon
don, and the Scottish Geographical
Society, the latter honors never hav-
ing been accorded in equal number
to any other American.
In the navy he won the title of
commander" and the government
has recognized the value Of his eX-
plOrations by granting him repeated
leaves of absence. In 1908 he was
made president of the American Geo
graphical Society and is Il member
OF many other kindred bodies.
Pcary'S "SnOw Maiden" Child.
Commander Peary's domestic life
has been so happy that enforced alb
sencc from his family has been one
of tho bo r5c him. Of IA ,l
ventures. In 1888. two years after
the return from his first visit to
Greenland, he married Miss Jose
phine Diebitsch, who FROM .hc 3a,
of their union, has given his ambi-
tionS her unSelfsh sympathy and CO.
operation.
In fact, Mrs. Peary has upon diff
ferent occasions accompanied her
husband for a considerable distance
northward, and upon one of these
trips a daughter was born to them.
This child, who has always been
called by her father THE Snow Mai
den,' held for time notoriety
riValing that Of the commander, as
the only white child known to have
been born within the Arctic circle.
In 1902, after Peary had been alb
sent four years and hope OF his sur
vival had been abandoned by many,
Mrs. Peary accompanied a relief ex-
pedition which met him and brought
him home.
1t is at this point in his history
one finds the first note Of DISCOURAGED
n'cnt. The absence from his family
had borne heavily on the explorer.
and on his return to New York he
declared that the trip just concluded
to the Arctic seas was undoubtedly
his last.
Grippcd by Polar Lust.
Asked to what he attributed his
failure at that time, Commander
Peary said:
1T was a matter OF funds. In or
der to be successful one must be
provided with funds to enable him
TO go as far as possible. and then be
able TO wait there until the season
and other circumstances allow him
to proceed"
When asked if he would try
again, he replied:
'Indoubtedly | have made my last
attempt. My time is up and ! am
going back to my work in the navy"
However, the polar wander-lust
again gripped him and his work was
continued. Moreover. the funds
were forthcoming when needed and
his last and successful expedition
was better equipped than those
which preceded it.
with no hint of his plans for the
future, some OF Pcary'S friends, new
"rthclcss, believe he will soon pine
for new worlds to conquer and that a
south Pole expedition may be antici-
patcd.
in fact, it was announced more
than a year ago, that Peary had