Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-09-08

cans neither of whom was aware OF
the movements of the other.
Just as DIR. Cook notified his wife, SO
Commander Peary took advantage Of
the brief stop at Indian Harbor to as
sure Mrs. Peary Of his safety.
In reaching the north pole, Com
mander Robert Edwin Peary has
achieved the ambition of lifetime.
As boy, his day dreams were of an
unexplored land far to the northward
and such printed matter concerning
the polar regions as fell into his hands
was read with absorbing interest.
He was born at Cresson, Pa, May 6,
1858, but in his early youth the family
removed to Maine, where he received
his education. His parents. Charles
N. and Mary (Wiley) Peary saw to 1t
that he received an early training be.
fitting life which promised to be FILL
ed with wholesome activity.
Instructed first in private schools, he
subsequently entered Bowdoin college.
from which he was graduated with the
class of 1877. Throughout his college
career and in the years following he
made a close study of. arctic explora-
ton. the peculiar fascination which the
subject held for him deepening as he
mstured.
Engineer by Profession.
AS a means of livelihood he adopted
the profession of civil engineer, enter
| ing the United States navy in that
capacity, Oct. &c. 1881. Three years
| later he was appointed an assistant
engineer on the board which surveyed
the route of the Nicaraguan ship canal.
In these years his interest in the
mysterious north had not abated and
in 1886 he applied for leave of alb
sence from the navy which would per-
nit him to visit Greenland His appli-
cation was granted, and in July of the
same year he began what proved to be
the first of seven expeditions to the
north, all attended with hardship and
some of them with actual suffering and
want, but persevered In with atenacity
of purpose that challenged the admira-
ton of the world.
Beyond the daring of his exploits,
Peary'ss expeditions have had scien-
F, tific and geographical usefulness that
has been generally recognized: and
he has won the medals of the Ameri.
can Geographical society, the Royal
Geographical society of London and
the Scottish Geographical society
honors never accorded in equal mum
Der to any other American.
| In the navy he won the title oil
commander and the government hal,
recognized the value of his explora.
tions by granting his repeated leaves
OF absence In 1903 he was made
president of the American Geographi-
cal society and is member of many
other kindred bodies.
Wife With Him on Trips.
Commander Peary's domestic life
has been so happy that absence from
his family has been one of the greatest
| hardships of his adventures. In 1888
two years after the return from his
first visit to Greenland. he married
Miss Josephine Diebitscn, who, from
! the day of their union. has given his
ambitions her unselfish sympathy and
cooperation.
In fact, Mrs. Peary has upon differ.
ent occasions accompanied her hus.
band for a considerable distance north
ward and upon one of these trips a
daughter was born to them. This
child. who has always been called by
her father 1.-THE Snow Maiden" held for
a time fame, 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 absent four years and hope of his
survival had been abandoned by many
Mrs. Peary accompanied relief expe
dition which met and brought him
home.
In the intervals between expeditions
,Peary has iectured frequentlyiand also
has written several books of scientific
and geographical value.