Volume 6, Number 1 Fall 2011 The South Danvers Observer "The Peabody Effect" The South Danvers —While George Peabody wasn't Josephine Preston Peabody and Observer is published the first person from South Massachusetts Governor quarterly. Danvers (now Peabody) to extend Endicott Peabody. his influence to the world at However, it isn't only those born Written by large, the size and extent of his into the Peabody family who went Nancy Barthelemy, donations certainly awards him a onto to exert significant influence Archivist place of prominence in our city's in the world. Many of those native history. to the city of Peabody also Published by the Without George Peabody, after followed in George Peabody's Peabody Institute all, Peabody wouldn't be footsteps. Library Peabody. The exhibit, The Peabody Of course, every community Effect, explores twenty Peabody can lay claim to famous and, at natives who left their home and Inside this issue: times, infamous citizens. It is went on to create some change noteworthy to mention that many within our country. Among these Marcus 2 of George Peabody's cousins men and women are artists, Percival followed in his footsteps by publishers, politicians, musicians, Bennett, exerting a positive influence on soldiers and merchants. George Peabody, 1795-1869 1854-1925 the world. Among these relatives There are more stories than c. 1860 were Salem ship-owner, Joseph can be presented in the exhibit. D. Webster 2 Peabody; banker, George Foster Not every one effected great King, 1833- Peabody; the minister, William change. Many simply worked hard 1918 Bourne Oliver Peabody; early and did the best they could in a James Edward 3 Transcendentalist, author and new state or in a new venture. Mahoney, teacher, Elizabeth Peabody; They, too, contributed to The educator and author Mary Peabody Effect. 1859-1926 Peabody Mann; artist Sophia Here are some of their stories. Orwin 4 Peabody Hawthorne; poet Bradford Griffin, John Atkinson Leighton, 1861-1956 Maurice Mann, 4 1929-1990 —John Atkinson Leighton was born played the centerfield position in South Danvers (now Peabody) on with the Stars. He also worked as October 4, 1861, the son of John A. a minor league manager for and Harriet E. Leighton. John Sr. several years in Lynn where he worked as a shoemaker in town. lived with his wife, Lillian. John Atkinson followed in his For many years after his early father's footsteps, working as a career, he was often listed as a morocco dresser, but his true love baseball player in the city of was baseball. He showed a good Lynn's census. deal of talent as a lefthander and in John Atkinson Leighton died in 1890, John's dream came true. He Lynn on October 31, 1956. He is was drafted to play Major League buried in the Pine Grove John A. Leighton, Baseball with the Syracuse Stars of Cemetery. c. 1890 the American Association. He Page 2 Marcus Percival Bennett, 1854-1925 —Marcus Percival Bennett was Anderson, the daughter of a born in South Danvers (now former sheriff of Eldorado County. Peabody) on July 22, 1854, the Marcus and Mary had 8 children— son of James and Sarah Helen, b. 1881, Juliet, b. 1883, Edith, (Heselden) Bennett. After b. 1884, Mabel, b. 1886, Georgia, b. attending the town's elementary 1887, Marie, b. 1888, Gladys, 1891 schools, his parents sent him to and Marcus Jr., b. 1900. Boston's Chauncy Hall School, In 1886, Marcus P. Bennett was located on the site of the present elected district attorney of Eldorado day Macy's in Downtown Crossing. County and in 1891, he was elected a From there, he went onto Harvard, judge of the superior court. graduating in 1876. Sadly, though, tragedy struck in Desiring to enter the practice of 1904. Their only son, Marcus, who law, Marcus spoke with Horace was in the care of the nanny, fell Greeley who advised him that down the stairs and broke his neck. California was the place to go. The distraught nanny then hung Chauncy Hall School Marcus settled in Placerville, herself. This traumatic loss seems to where Marcus P. Bennett California to begin his study of the be the reason Marcus stepped down attended school law. In 1878, he was admitted by as judge and returned to private the State of California into the bar. practice. He continued to work as a Below In 1881, Marcus married Mary lawyer until his death on January 14, Marcus P. and Mary (Anderson) 1925. Bennett's Home in Placerville, CA Daniel Webster King, 1833-1918 —Daniel Webster King was born March 1, 1833, the second son of Daniel Putnam and Sarah (Page) King. Daniel Putnam King was elected to Congress in 1843 and served until his death in 1850. Daniel Webster King attended the town's schools and then was sent to Gates Academy in Marlborough, Massachusetts until his graduation. In 1861, he served one year as a Massachusetts State Representative. The next year, he settled in Boston, forming the D. Webster King & Co. Glue Manufacture. A few years later, he merged with several partners to create the American Glue Company. He married first Mary Harwood of Salem, who died in 1859. D. Webster married second Jane W. Purinton in 1866. They had five children, Tarrant Putnam, Bessie, Caroline, Anne and Grace. In 1902, he retired from business to focus on his real estate concerns. D. Webster King died in Annisquam, a part of Gloucester on October 21, 1918. Boston Advertisement for D. Webster King & Co. 1869 Page 3 James Edward Mahoney, 1859-1926 —James Edward Mahoney was born in South Danvers (now Peabody) on December 15, were attacked. The assault 1859, the son of William and continued for the next three days, Asanora Mahoney, recent after which battalion went on the immigrants from Ireland. He offensive and drove the Spanish graduated from the U.S. Naval forces out of the bay's western Academy at Annapolis in 1881. shore. His career seemed During these battles, Mahoney unremarkable until the Spanish distinguished himself by his American War. In 1898, like so bravery and clear-headedness. many other U.S. Marines, First He was awarded the Brevet Lieutenant James E. Mahoney Medal for "for distinguished was dispatched to Cuba with conduct and public service in the the recently formed 1st Marine presence of the enemy." Battalion, which was a In 1904, he was promoted to combined force, consisting of Captain and eventually reached both infantry and artillery. The the rank of Colonel. He later 1st Marine Battalion was sent served in Panama and Vera Cruz, to Guatanamo Bay in Cuba. Mexico. Before retiring in 1919, Their job was to keep the bay he was given the temporary rank free of any Spanish attacks to of Brigadier General. Colonel James E. Mahoney c. 1919 allow other Navy vessels to be James E. Mahoney died June re-supplied. Just after their 9, 1926. He is buried in Arlington, June 10, 1898 arrival, they Virginia. Officers of the 1st Marine Battalion First Lieutenant James E. Mahoney is seated at the far left Last But Not Least Orwin Bradford Griffin, 1893-1965 —Orwin Bradford Griffin was born he taught Latin, French, English and in Peabody on May 29, 1893, the Commerce. The following year, he decided son of George A. and Julia B. to continue his education and was (Bradford) Griffin. George A. Griffin accepted as a Jacob Sleeper Fellow at BU worked as a bookkeeper and the for his Master's Degree in the History of family lived in their home on Education. After completing this degree, he Washington Place. taught high school English in Hartford, Orwin attended the local Connecticut. In 1928, he finished his schools and passed the entrance doctorate degree at Columbia University. examination to attend Peabody His dissertation was entitled, The High School and elected the evolution of the Connecticut state school Classical Course of study. In those system: with special reference to the days, graduation from our high emergence of the high school. During his school guaranteed acceptance at studies he also published many papers on Boston University. Orwin was one education. In 1929, he was elected the of 47 graduating students and one superintendent of schools in Litchfield, of the 23 Peabody Scholars for the Connecticut. year of 1911. He accepted the On June 28, 1921, he married Olga admission to BU, majoring in Lillian Swenson, a recent graduate of law Economics and Latin. To help school. She went onto become a Probate support himself during his college Court Judge. They had two children, Orwin years, he taught night school for Bradford Jr. and Laura Griffin. the Peabody High School. Orwin Bradford Griffin died in Litchfield, Upon completing his Bachelor's Connecticut in 1965. Degree, Orwin accepted a teaching position in Portsmouth, NH where Works consulted for this newsletter: ∗ The encyclopedia of the Spanish- American and Philippine-American ..., Maurice Mann, 1929-1990 Volume 1 by Spencer Tucker ∗ Baseball-Almanac.com ∗ peabody.k12.ma.us/ —Maurice Mann was born in Peabody on February 22, 1929. He georgepeabody/ graduated from Northeastern University in 1951, majoring in economics. merit_scholar_list.htm From there, he went onto Boston University for his Master's Degree and ∗ Ghost Hunter's Guide to California's then received his Ph.D. from Syracuse University. Gold Rush Country By Jeff Dwyer He rose quickly in the financial world and by the late 1960s was vice ∗ Harvard College, the class of 1876: report of the Secretary chairman of Merrill Lynch Capital Markets. It was this prominence, no ∗ Findagrave.com doubt, that drew the eye of the new president, Richard M. Nixon. Maurice ∗ New York Times Mann was asked to become the assistant director of the Bureau of the ∗ Peabody School Reports, 1835-1920 Budget. In 1972, he resigned this office to accept the position of CEO of ∗ Peabody Enterprise, 1912-1930 the Federal Home Loan Bank in San Francisco. ∗ South Danvers Wizard, 1859-1868 Early in his career, he married Betty Melnick. They had two daughters, ∗ Vital Records to 1855, Danvers ∗ History of the Town of Danvers From Deborah and Pamela. Its Earliest Settlement to 1848 by J. After his work at the Federal Home Loan Bank, Mr. Mann then became W. Hanson the chairman and chief officer of the Pacific Stock Exchange. ∗ Federal Census, 1790-1930 Maurice Mann died in November 1990, while returning home from a ∗ History of Essex County, trip to Florida. Massachusetts by Duane Hamilton Hurd, 1888. ∗ Historical Collections of the Danvers Historical Society, v.6, 1918. ∗ Account of the Centennial Celebration in Danvers, June 16, 1852. For more articles and information, go to: www.peabodylibrary.org/history/index.html