Muscogee County GaArchives Biographies.....Gideon J. Peacock January 15 1837 - Unknown
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Carla Miles cmhistory@mchsi.com July 29, 2003, 10:03 pm

Author: Memoirs of Ga., Vol. II, 1895

Memoirs of Georgia, Vol. II
Published by the Atlanta Historical Society in 1895
Pages 627-628


Gideon J. Peacock, a leading clothing manufacturer of Columbus, Ga., was born 
in Upson County, Ga., Jan. 15, 1837.  His father was Washington Peacock, a 
native of North Carolina.  He devoted his whole life to agricultural pursuits 
and came to Georgia about 1834, settling in Upson County, thence removing to 
Covington County, Ala., and departed this life there in 1881, at the age of 
eighty-one years.  He was superintendent of schools in that county for several 
years.  He had two sons, both of whom saw service in the Confederate Army, 
viz.: Benjamin, a member of the western army, who was captured after two 
months’ service, was sent to Johnson’s Island as a prisoner of war and was 
never heard of afterward.  It is presumed that he died at that place.  Gideon 
J. Peacock lived in Upson County, Ga., until the age of sixteen.  Attended the 
Hootensville Academy in that county and in 1853 came to Columbus, where he 
began to clerk for Barnett, Ellison & Co., dry goods.  He was with this firm 
until 1860, when Mr. Ellison retired and Mr. Peacock became a member of the 
firm, which was Barnett, Chapman & Co.  In April 1861, Mr. Peacock went into 
the Confederate service as private in the City Light guards of Columbus, Ga., 
which, together with the Macon Volunteers, the Floyd Rifles and the Spalding 
Greys was afterward consolidated into the Second Georgia Battalion.  After the 
Battle of Fredericksburg he was made Lieutenant and served as such until the 
close of the war, but during the last twelve months of the war commanded his 
company. He participated in the battles around Richmond, Seven Pines, 
Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Drewry’s Bluff, Gettysburg, the Wilderness, 
Spottsylvania Court House, Cold Harbor, battles at Petersburg and ten days of 
fighting on the retreat, which ended at Appomattox – one of the fights being at 
Farmville, Va.  Lieut. Peacock, together with Maj. Charles J. Moffett of 
Columbus, Ga., and Lieut. J.W. English, now of Atlanta, Ga., received the 
demand of Gen. Grant on Lee for the surrender of Appomattox Court House.  The 
circumstances were as follows: On the evening of April 7, 1865, two days before 
the surrender, two or three officers of the Federal army came in front of the 
Confederate lines near Farmville, Va., waving a flag of truce.  Maj. Moffett, 
who was in command of that part of the Confederate lines, recognized the flag 
and inquired what was wanted.  The Federal party replied that they were the 
bearers of important dispatches from Gen. Grant to Gen. Lee.  Maj. Moffett 
commanded them to stand where they were until he could communicate with his 
superior officers, and later, the dispatches were taken by Maj. Moffett and 
Adjt.-Gen. Perry.  When Maj. Moffett returned to his command Lieut. Peacock 
held the dispatches in his hand for a moment and saw the address.  The 
dispatches were delivered to Gen. Lee soon afterward.  After the surrender Mr. 
Peacock returned to Columbus, partly on foot, reaching that city May 1, 1865.  
He at once entered the dry goods firm of J.A. Chapman & Co. for two years.  
After that the firm of Peacock, Chapman & Co. was organized, with which he 
remained in business about four years, when Mr. Peacock sold his interest, and 
with E.S. Swift organized a dry goods firm, know as Peacock & Swift, which 
continued for three years.  In 1875 Mr. Peacock sold his interest in the dry 
goods business to Mr. Smith*; and two years later started a clothing 
manufactory with a capital of $2,500.  In 1892 the firm became the G.J. Peacock 
Clothing Company, with a capital stock of $26,000.  They now do a business of 
$65,000 annually, and give employment to more than seventy-five persons.  Mr. 
Peacock is a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and is 
Chairman of the Board of Stewards of St. Luke’s.  Mr. Peacock was married in 
1873 to Miss Josephine, daughter of the late John Banks of Columbus, Ga., the 
founder of the Howard Factory of Columbus, now the Eagle & Phoenix 
Manufacturing Company.  This union has been blessed by the birth of two sons 
and two daughters, viz.: Sarah Watkins Elberta, James G. and John B. Peacock.

*Note – The biography lists Mr. Smith and not Mr. Swift as the buyer of Mr. 
Peacock’s interest in the dry goods business of Peacock & Swift.



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