Muscogee County GaArchives Photo Person.....Peabody, George Foster ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Christine Thacker http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00033.html#0008100 April 23, 2007, 10:48 pm Source: Special Sesquicentennial Supplement II Name: George Foster Peabody Photo can be seen at: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/muscogee/photos/peabody12649gph.jpg Image file size: 138.1 Kb George Foster Peabody Peabody Aided Area Schools By Jim Houston Special Sesquicentennial Supplement II Ledger- Enquirer, Sunday, April 23, 1978. S-24 In 1865, a 13 year-old Columbus boy moved to New York with his family. He was forced by financial circumstances to leave school at that early age and worked as an office boy in a wholesale dry goods house. From that $8-a-month beginning, the young boy grew to manhood. As he grew, his fortune grew, until he retired at the age of 53 – a millionaire. GEORGE FOSTER PEABODY gave away most of his fortune, but he achieved some in return – a reputation as an unselfish man devoted to improving the quality of education and life for mankind, without regard to race or sex. His reputation still lives, although he died in Warm Springs on March 4, 1938. During his 85-year life, GEORGE FOSTER PEABODY was a friend of presidents, a lover of education, a political force, a benefactor to young people’s organizations and a financial wizard. What kind of a man would build a fortune and give most of it away, expecting nothing in return? He was born in Columbus in 1852, one of three sons of GEORGE H. and ELVIRA CANFIELD PEABODY. His father was a merchant on Broad Street in Columbus, until the family moved to New York City. While in Columbus, part of his education was acquired at home, and part of it at a girl’s school, where his mother sent him to become more “gentle and mannerly.” With the end of the War Between the States, the Peabody’s left their home at 1445 second Ave., and headed north. GEORGE FOSTER PEABODY enrolled in school for six months, then was forced to take up work in support of his family. The 48-a-month job at 14 led to more jobs at better pay, while the youngster attended a YMCA night school. He became friends with another rising light in the financial world of New York City. SPENCER TRASK began an investment firm and was soon joined by PEABODY, who became a full partner in the widely- recognized SPRNCER TRASK and Co. brokerage. By 1906, PEABODY had amassed a fortune and retired from business – but not from an active life. He and his brothers, ROYAL CANFIELD and CHARLES JONES PEABODY, put up almost $ 86,000 to build the YMCA building that continues in active use at the corner of Columbus’ 11th street and second avenue. It is reputed to be the only marble YMCA in existence. GEORGE FOSTER PEABODY also built the brick Ninth Street YMCA for use by the then-segregated black youths of Columbus. PEABODY was a prime force in education in the beleagured post-war South. He contributed money for the building of Industrial High School (now Jordan High School), the first industrial high school in the nation. In addition, he contributed money for construction of Spencer High School for the education of Columbus’ black children. GEORGE FOSTER PEABODY was the largest single contributor to the university of Georgia. Over the years he gave more than $250,000 to the school., with a particular interest in development of the university’s agricultural and forestry schools. The university’s GEORGE FOSTER PEABODY School of Forestry is a reminder of the man’s role in development of the education institution. He was also a major contributor to Tuskegee, Ala., and was a trustee of the black school from 1900 to 1911. In addition to being an advisor to such giants as J.PIRPONT MORGAN, PEABODY was a believer in development of new technologies. He was instrumental in organizing and floating securities for the Edison companies in Boston, Brooklyn, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit and New York City. “This man loaned me $10,000 when everyone thought I was crazy as a galloot,” THOMAS EDISON once said of PEABODY. He was active in politics, and served as treasurer of the National Democratic Party in 1903. That did not stop him from bolting from the Democrats on occasio9n, such as when he supported the third-party candidacy of a man who advocated keeping the U.S. on a gold monetary standard. He introduced FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT to Warm Springs, years before FDR went on to prominence as governor of New York and three-time President of the United States. At the University of Georgia GEORGE FOSTER PEABODY’s actions of philanthropy did not go unnoticed. He received an honoray Masters of Arts degree from Harvard, an honorary L1. D. from Washington and Lee, and an honorary doctorate from the University of Georgia. A living memorial was established at the University of Georgia, where the “PEABODY Awards’ are bestowed each year on the nation’s top workers in radio and television. In Columbus, the GEORGE FOSTER PEABODY Apartments still bear a plaque noting the attribute most fitting to this man who gave away a fortune to better the lives of others. “ GEORGE FOSTER PEABODY – Lover of men,” states the plaque’s inscription. 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