Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 08.djvu/258

 PEA BODY

PEAK

ant of Lieut. Francis Peabodv, the immigrant, who settled in Essex county. Slie attended the Girls' Latin school, Boston, and took special courses at Radcliffe college, 1894-96, giving particular attention to literature. She became well known through her poems, many of which appeared in the Atlantic Montltly and other magazines. In November, 1901, she was made a member of the faculty of Wellesley college, having charge of two courses in English poetry. Among her books are: Old Greek Folk Stories (1897); The Wayfarers: a Book of Verse (1898); Fortune and Men's Eyes; Xews Poems with a Play (1900); Marlowe: a Play (1901).

PEABODY, Nathaniel, delegate, was born in Topsfield, Essex county, Mass., March 1, 17-11; son of Dr. Jacob Peabody. He attended school at Leominster, Mass.; studied medicine with his father, and was licensed to practise in 1761. He established himself in Plaistow, N.H., and was commissioned a lieutenant-colonel in the Royal army in 177-4. He resigned his commission on account of political opinions and joined the patriot army. He engaged in the capture of Fort ^Villiam and Mary at Newcastle, Del., and served on many of the early Revolutionary com- mittees and conventions. He was a member of the committee of safety, Jan. 10, 1776, and became its cliairman; was appointed adjutant- general of the state militia, July 19, 1777, and served in Rhode Island in 1779. He was a dele- gate to the convention held at New Haven to regulate the price of labor, produce and manu- factures in 1779, to the Continental congress, 1779-80, and to the convention to frame the State constitution, 1783-83, serving as chairman of the committee. In 1786 he was again elected a delegate to the Continental congress, but did not take his seat. He was a representative in the state legislature for eight j'ears, and served as speaker of the house in 1793. He was major- general of militia, 1793-98. The latter part of his life was spent in a debtor's prison, under the harsh law then enforced. He died in Exeter, N.H., June 27. ^S^2^.

PEABODY, Selim Hobart, educator, was born in Rockingham, Vt., Aug. 20, 1829; son of the Rev. Charles Hobart and Grace Stone (Ide) Peabody; grandson of Dr. John and Kezia (Hobart) Peabody, and a descendant of Lieut. Francis Peabody. the immigrant. He attended the Boston Latin school, 1842-43; afterward obtained employment as a carpenter; tauglit school during the winter months, beginning in 1840, and was graduated from the University of Vermont, A.B. 18.52, A.M., 18.>j. He was married, August 9, 1853, to Mary Elizabeth, daughter of David Knapp Pangborn, of Burlington, Vt., where he was principal of the high school, 1853-54. He

was professor of mathematics and civil engineer- ing at the Polytechnic college, Philadelphia, Pa., 1854-59; principal of the higli school at Fond du Lac, Wis., 1859-62; superintendent of public schools at Racine, Wis., 1862-05, and teaclier of physical science in the high school at Chicago, 111., 180.5-71. During 1865-71 he conducted the first evening schools for working men in Chicago. He was professor of pliysics and civil engineering at the Massachusetts Agricultural college, 1871-74; returned to the Chicago high and evening schools in 1874; was professor of mechanical engineering at the Illinois Industrial university, 1878-80, and was president of that institution, 1880-91. During bis presidency the university was greatly enlarged and the name was changed to the University of Illinois. In 1891 he resigned to become chief of the liberal arts department at the World's Columbian exposition. He was editor and statis- tician, U.S. commission to the Paris exposition, 1899-1900. He was secretary of the Chicago Academy of Sciences, 1874-88; president, 1892- 95; president of the national council of education, 1889-91; superintendentof the Division of Liberal Arts at the Buffalo exposition in 1901, and super- intendent of education and of awards at the Charleston exposition in 1902. The honorary degree of Ph.D. was conferred on him by the University of Vermont in 1877, and thatof LL.D. by the University of Iowa in 1881. He was one of the editors of the International Cyclopcedia, and is the author of: Natural Histoid (3 vols. 1869); Astronomy (1871); New Practical Arithme- tic (1872); Amencan Patriotism (1880); Charts for Teaching Reading (1899); Juvenile Arithmetic (1900). He died in 1903.

PEACOCK, Dred, educator, was born in Stan- tonburg, N.C., April 12, 1864; son of Dr. Calvin Casswell and Ava (Heath) Peacock; grandson of Zadock and Sallie Peacock and of William and Elizabeth Heath. He was graduated from Trinity college, N.C., A.B., 1887, A.M., 1888; and was married, June 9, 1887, to Ella, daughter of pro- fessor Obed William and Roxana (Moriah) Carrof Trinity, N.C. He was principal at the Lexington, N.C., Female seminary, 1887-88; professor of natural sciences in the Greensboro Female college, 1888-94, and president of the college, 1894-1902. The honorary degree of Litt.D. was conferred upon him by Trinity college, Durham, N.C, in 1897.

PEAK, John Lee, diplomatist, was born in Scott county, Ky., in April, 1839; son of Jordan J. and Eliza A. (Bradley) Peak; grandson of Presley and Judith Peak, and of John W. and Sallie Bradley, and a descendant of John Peak, who came from England early in the eighteenth century, and settled at Fairfax Court House, Virginia. He was graduated from the George-