Peabody Institute Library Archives

The official blog for the archives at the Peabody Institute Library in Peabody, MA, which highlights the City of Peabody, the people and places throughout its history.. 

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William Siner, born about 1854 in South Danvers. He was the son of William and Eliza A. Siner. His father was born in England in 1818 and worked as a carpet weaver in Danvers. Eliza was born in Massachusetts, c. 1826. Richard Parke and Rica (?) Parke lived with them, also working as carpet weavers.

By 1880, William Siner worked in a shoe shop and by 1886 had become a farmer and had a house on Winona Street, near Pine Street.

The studio that took the picture was Taylor & Preston Photographic Studio, which was located on Essex Street in Salem, MA.

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https://archive.org/details/CuniceCookLettersFromSouthChurch18611865/mode/2upA black and white photograph of Almira L. Fales (d. 1868). Almira Fales was one of the first women to actively provide aid to the wounded in Washington. The Fales’s letters present a vivid account of the conditions they encountered among the wounded. 

In her Feb. 7, 1863 letter to Eunice Cook, Almira Fales promised to reserve some butter for Fitch Poole’s son, Horace. The July 22, 1863 letter to Eunice Cook expresses the Fales’s gratitude for the sympathy extended upon the death of their son at the Battle of Chancellorsville. In response to Eunice Cook’s request, Almira Fales included her photograph in the letter.

For additional information see the South Church Records Finding Aid and the digitized Letters to Eunice Cook of the South Congregational Church, 1861-1865.

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A stereoview of the Peabody Institute in Peabody, MA form February of 1870. This is part of a series of eleven images for George Peabody's funeral Obsequies (funeral service) that was held in February of 1870 in Peabody. George Peabody's body was lying in repose in the Library with federal soldiers standing guard. Above the front portico the entrance is draped in black with the American and the flag of Great Britain, though it looks like the variant of the flag or the Blue Ensign.

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A stereoview of Main Street in Peabody taken sometime in late January or February 1870 for George Peabody's funeral. The images was taken and published by G.K Proctor who had a studio at 206 Essex Street in Salem, MA.

This view is part of a 17 stereoview set that all relate to George Peabody Obsequies.

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Peabody Institute Library Archives turned 5 today!

Made it to the five year mark. Looking forward to may more.

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Aaron F. Clark Lumber Yard. Aaron Clark was born c. 1816 and died in Peabody in 1901 at the age of 85. He established the lumber mill which was located at the rear of 19 Grove Street. He married first Augusta Tapley of Danvers and second Sarah Adams Northend. They lived at 40 Washington Street. The mill was in operation when South Danvers separated from Danvers in 1855. After Clark's death in 1901, the mill remained in operation under his name.  In 1925, it moved to the rear of Howley Street and it closed in 1929.

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One Carte-de-Visite.

Charles E. Bradford, born in Turner, Maine c. 1831. He attended a Lewiston, Maine academy before beginning teaching at the age of 17. He came to South Danvers in 1852 and was elected a teacher of the Center School. In 1860, he became the principal of the Wallis School.

When the Civil War broke out, he enlisted in the 23rd Massachusetts Regiment in Portland, Maine. He served until Jan. 2, 1863, when he was discharged for disability. He returned to South Danvers in 1866, again because the Wallis School Principal until his death in 1879.

His wife, Josephine, was born in New Hampshire. They had one daughter, Nellie. After Charles' death, Josephine and her daughter appear to have returned to New Hampshire.

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A Carte-de-Visite Dr. Joseph Osgood born Dec. 31, 1804, in Salem, the son of Joseph and ----- Osgood. He married Maria Winchester of Salem on Oct. 24, 1832. Their children were:

Joseph Henry, born Aug. 31, 1833. He died Aug. 7, 1839. William Newell, born April 8, 1835 Sally Winchester, born April 12, 1837 Joseph Henry, born Sept. 12, 1839 George Frederick born July 13, 1842 Charles Sewell, born Sept. 4, 1846

He was South Danvers' first Postmaster, serving from 1831 to 1845. He also served as Library Trustee from 1852 to 1856 and was instrumental in those years in helping in the building of the Library.

He died Sept. 20, 1876.

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Fire Chief Thomas F. Murray, c. 1900.

He was born March 1851 in Charlestown, Massachusetts. His parents, John and Ellen (Hennessey) Murray came from Ireland. His wife was Mary A. (Conroy) Murray, born in May 1862 and was the daughter of Daniel C. and Julia A. (Reagan) Conroy. She worked as a housekeeper in Peabody at the time of their marriage. He and Mary were married on Feb. 9, 1899. Thomas served as Chief of the Fire Department from around 1903 on.

Was a house painter and lived on Harris Street, his business located on Nichols Street.

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A class photo of Myrtle Smith Begg, who was a graduate of Peabody High School, class of 1915.

Born in Peabody on Feb. 8, 1897, daughter of Foster and Mabel (Galeucia) Begg. Foster worked as a butcher and later as a provision dealer. They lived at 49 Lynn Street.

After her graduation, she worked as a bookkeeper in a leather factory. She married sometime after 1922.

She died in Castle Rock, Colorado in 1988.

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An issue of the December 1952 issue of the "Observer" published by Peabody High School. This is volume 30, number 1. In the inside cover states that the journal is a member of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association. The editor-in-chief was Joanne Witham and assistant editors were Frances Glebus and Theodora Karakudas. There is an illustration that was done by Jacqueline Gray, class of 1955. The issue was digitized to the @internetarchive and can be read at https://archive.org/details/TheObserverVol30No11952

Table of contents:

Frontispiece The Last Wreath Twinkle Toes Joyful and Triumphant Alicia Peace on Earth, Good Will To Men Christmas Eve The Answer Humble Offering The Christmas Carol A Resolution A Christmas Prayer Kathy's Christmas Present Christmastide The Return of My Christmas Spirit Joyful Season The Lonely Star A Christmas Eve at the Gregsons' Massachusetts Girls' State Massachusetts Boys' State Editorials School Notes Athletics Class Notes

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All true!

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Knowledge is power.

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Although it is still fall, here in Massachusetts it looks like winter with the first snow of the year.

To celebrate here is a photo the courtyard at the Peabody Institute Library that was taken by a staff member sometime in the early 1980s. 

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George E. Meacom Druggist, 128 Main Street.

The house was probably built in 1664 by Daniel Southwick. Daniel married Esther Boyce and the house was then owned by their son, Daniel. Daniel's son John owned it next. By 1769 it had been sold to Nathaniel Fitz. And then by 1779 it was owned by General Gideon Foster.  In 1816, Joseph Shed bought the property from Foster and lived there until 1853, when he died.  While Dr. Shed lived in it, it was used by the Jordan Lodge from 1816 until 1834. After Shed's death, it was used by his grandson, George Meacom as an apothecary. It had various owners, a Dr. Frost, William T. Lee and then the Meacoms who ran it until 1917 when it was sold to Stanley Gallagher. It was last owned by Frederick Lawrence. It burned down in 1963.

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A black and white photograph of W. M. Jacobs & Son's business that was located on Main Street.

Begun by Warren Martin Jacobs. He was born on Nov. 19, 1807 in South Danvers, the son of Ebeneezer and Phebe (Martin) Jacobs. He married Rebecca R. Procter on March 22, 1831. He had apprenticed in the leather trade under Squires Shove and opened his own business in the early 1830s. By 1838 or so, he entered into business with Fitch Poole. They were partners until 1852, when other demands on Poole caused the dissolution of the partnership. Jacobs then went into business with his son, Edward, until his death in 1868.

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A slide of the Sutton Estate, which was located on 59 Main Street. Eben and Eliza Sutton lived here. It would later be sold to the Pevear family. 

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A first grade class photo from Kiley School in Peabody, MA. The year of the photo is 1947-1948. Kiley School was the last wooden school in Peabody. It did not become a modern building until 1955.