Person Info
- Name: Stephen PEABODY
- Sex: M
- Birth: 21 Apr 1829 in Orange, Vermont b
- Death: 13 May 1909 in Rapid City, South Dakota d
- Burial: Hermosa, South Dakota u
Parents:
- Father:
- Lewis Franklin PEABODY
Birth: 13 Sep 1798 in Mont Vernon, New Hampshire
Death: 4 Feb 1861 in Orange, Vermont
Mother:
- Frances BRUCE
Birth: 16 Feb 1799 in Mont Vernon, New Hampshire
Death: 23 Mar 1867 in Orange, Vermont
Family:
Marriage:
Children:
- Lucy Frances PEABODY Birth: 26 Apr 1854 in Newport, Vermont
Death: 26 Apr 1934
- Charles Miller PEABODY Birth: 13 Jan 1857 in Newport, Vermont
Death: 17 Sep 1923 in Ekalaka, Montana
- Louis Franklin PEABODY Birth: 14 Aug 1860 in Newport, Vermont
Death: 3 Feb 1923 in South Dakota
- Stephen PEABODY Birth: 31 May 1862 in Newport, Vermont
Death: 8 Feb 1865
- Flora Helle PEABODY Birth: 11 Aug 1867 in Newport, Vermont
- Ralph Merton PEABODY Birth: 25 May 1875 in Bolton, Quebec, Canada
Death: 14 Dec 1944 in Rapid City, South Dakota
Bibliography
Sources for birth and parent Information
- date:
- [Ref: PeabodySH PEABODY p231],
- place:
- [Ref: PeabodySH PEABODY p231],
- parents:
- [Ref: PeabodySH PEABODY p231]
Sources for death Information
- date:
- [Ref: Erik Hanson 2/16/2009],
- place:
- [Ref: Erik Hanson 2/16/2009]
Sources for burial Information
- place:
- [Ref: Erik Hanson 2/16/2009]
Sources with Information about marriage to Josephine MILLER
- date:
- [Ref: PeabodySH PEABODY p391],
- child:
- [Ref: PeabodySH PEABODY p391]
Research Notes:
The Vital Records and Town Records of Newport, Orleans, Vermont (courtesy
LDS), show Stephen Peabody serving as surveyor for the town shortly after he
was married, in February, 1853. At the time, his father in law, Freeman, was
serving as one of the Selectmen (a town commissioner). One could speculate as
to whether or not his father in law was instrumental in getting his son in law
a potentially well paying career. Before Stephen and Josephine located to the
northern border of Vermont, around 1860, Stephen was making $25/month, the
highest paid public servant in Newport. The timing of Stephen and Josephine's
move is curious, it was just prior to the Civil War, and Stephen was an
academy graduate. Josephine was born in Canada, and it just so happened that
Stephen managed to buy/build a house that straddled the US and Canadian
Borders. When Plummer Davis and Lucy (Peabody) Davis headed west for Dakota
Territory in 1876, Stephen followed, and later joined by Josephine and their
other children. The narrative about their life in Dakota Territory is detailed
below. [Ref: Erik Hanson 2/16/2009]
From 'Peander', compiled by Ada Peabody:
Josephine Miller and Stephen Peabody
As told by their son Ralph
Josephine Miller was born April 20 1835 [and grew up] on the shores of Lake
Memphremagog, --"the most beautiful lake in the world" in the heart of the
Green Mountains of Vermont. Newport was the town. There she lived an
uneventful life until the advanced age of seventeen years, when she married
"to escape spinsterhood" as she herself said many a time with a twinkle in her
eye.
Stephen Peabody was also a New Englander. He was well educated for his time,
for he attended the Academy. When he was a young man, he industriously cleared
himself a farm and when it was ready, found himself a wife. The events I
record here will have to do with his life with Josephine, his wife, --during
the great "trek" westward to the Black Hills.
Josephine was never wholly reconciled to the westward move. I remember from
my earliest years her wishful longing for the homeland of Vermont. She used to
wish for a cyclone or anything to happen, so she could go back east. However,
after her people died, -- she did not again mention her homesickness.
During the winter of '73, father left for the "west". Reaching Sioux City
Iowa, he found work there. He was joined by mother and the children, who came
from Vermont sometime in the spring of '77. I remember she packed lunch for
the entire train trip in a big buttermilk vat, -- which Charlie and Frank
ingeniously had to carry between them every time they changed trains. One
could not manage it alone, -- and it was indeed a "tug of war" until the
family were settled in their next train.
Sometime in 77-78, the family moved to Vermillion, South Dakota. Incy had
married and lived in Meckling, about six miles away. The Peabodys always
seemed to want to be together, so the older ones came to be near the daughter.
Father rented a place. I remember the hard times during the winter of '78.
Butter was only six cents a pound, and eggs were six cents a dozen. During the
winter father secured a job "on the river" and was gone about six months. He
went up the Missouri to Fort Benton, Montana, and came back in time for
spring's work. Later when I (Mert) had the toothache, I would get father to
tell of his trip up the river on the freighter, --how the buffalo crossed in
front of the ship, of the bears, the Indians, and other wildlife which he saw.
The big winter of 80-81 was called the terrible winter of the deep snow".
Drifts covered the haystacks, barns and other outbuildings. Strange enough,
the house did not become completely covered. I would stand at the window and
watch for Flora to come home from school. The[y] had a road made for her, and
rode a little rean [?] pony.
It was an interesting sight to me, for all I could see was her head, which
seemed to be gliding gracefully along the snow bank.
Frank and father had to feed the stock together. They had 125 sheep which
they never saw from the time the snow drifts came in the fall until spring.
The sheep were in a shed of [logs] covered with hay. Father dug a hole through
which hay was shoved, near the top of the snow-covered shed. The sheep thus
ate the hay, lapped snow for water, and hibernated all winter.
The Peabodys lived in Vermillion until '82. May 20th of that year, Mrs.
Plummer Davis having already gone to the Black Hills, the family started west
in covered wagons. The front wagon was drawn by a team of horses, driven by
mother, and containing household furniture. Behind came two unbroken bulls
yoked together, and tied to the back of the first wagon, --so they had to go
when the horses did. Flora who was fifteen, sat in the bullock wagon,
flourishing a stick with a nail in it, with which she goaded the oxen onward,
so that they would not pull back on the team of horses. I, seven year old,
rode the two-year old pony and drove forty head of cattle with father's help.
Charlie and Frank remained on the original farm in Woodbury, Iowa.
The back wagon had three pigs, some hens, -- butter making paraphernalia and
milking things. The Peabodys milked six cows all the way out, made their own
butter, and took care of the pigs and chickens. When they made camp, the older
folk slept in the front wagon, --while it fell to the lots of Flora and me to
rest in the bullock wagon-temporarily vacated by the livestock and poultry.
Every other morning mother would say, with black eyes snapping: "Every step I
take is taking me further from Vermont. I won't go another step Steve
Peabody!" A heated argument would then take place, lasting about ten minutes.
Finally father would take the blacksnake and start the team, which started the
whole procession. Mother then would be forced to take the lines and drive.
Nevertheless, the Peabody menage moved slowly but surely westward with no
mishaps save the loss of four head of cattle [--------] due to blackleg.
There were no Indians east of the river, but several families traveled
together for safety once the river was crossed in the westward journey. I
remember the McCready's and the Knowles, who went with us to the Cheyenne
River. The cross could not have been made in this way, except that the Indians
for the moment were peaceable. That is, -- they had been given their
reservations and wee merely smoldering. The family came across Crow Creek
Reservation, which the Indians there did not like very well.
While crossing the reservation, camp was made on a knoll about one hundred
yards from the creek. The Knowles boy and I went over to the creek to play
around and explore. Just as we stepped on the little bridge, -- suddenly, from
nowhere, came an Indian, silent, --noncommittal. We looked into the water to
be nonchalant, and the Indian stepped to the opposite side of the bridge and
stared down into the creek on his side. Whenever I would look up, the Indian
would do the same, --when I would look into the creak, the Indian did
likewise. Upon looking around to see how the Knowles boy was taking it, I
found him gone, -- running by this time nearly to the wagons, -- his feet
showing their full bottoms each step. I started to run, too but I made myself
look one more time into the water, -- one more time at the Indian, -- then
though my feet would hardly stay on the ground, --with great deliberation, I
walked to the wagons. The Indian went his way.
East of the river, in the lake region of South Dakota, wild duck were
extremely plentiful. The folks gathered enough duck eggs to last them the
trip. Flora and I, in our shirt tails, waded waist deep in the water,
gathering them. We were told to take eggs only from those nests which had six
[to] eight eggs in them as there were "no little ducks" in those eggs. Nests
having from 16-18 eggs we were to leave unmolested.
We came west to Ft. Chamberlain, found no crossing. Then we went north along
the river to Ft. Pierre (named after a French trapper). After crossing the
river and leaving Pierre, we knew the next town would be Rapid City, -- with
the exception of Peno Springs which was not on our route. Peno, or probably
Pinoux Springs was famous watering place. It was named after a Frenchman who
married a squaw. All the cowboys used to try and make that spring, as did all
the Indians, -- for the Frenchman found himself related to or connected to
many tribes.
As I have said, the folk did not go near those springs, but as they traveled
along the trail after leaving the Cheyenne Bed, they found an old buffalo head
with a sign saying, "Spring to the Right". They sprang, and found fine water,
-- which was welcome, as most of the water in this region was alkali. This
spring was called Washta (good water) by the Indians, and from this same
spring the town of Washta now gets its water supply.
The last night on the trail, camp was made just where the road comes over
the hill from Box Eldar. The next morning we came into Rapid City. The
"gateway to the Black Hills" was made up of seven saloons, the First Nat'l
Bank, a hotel called the American House, the Gramberg Store, the Morris Store,
and another hotel which went the American House one better, and called itself
the International. Most of the town lay in the block between the present Rapid
City Nat'l Bank, and the First National Bank, --except Gramberg's store and
the International house. I recall that this International House stood where
the Elks building now stands.
We climbed the big hill to where the Rattlesnake Tower now stands. There our
spotted cow gave birth to a calf. However, being fond of father, who would not
stay with the calf, -- but followed the procession to Spring Creek. She we
back the next day from Spring Creek, which by the way, was journey's end for
us, -- but the calf had gotten too hungry-and ate too much and died. This cow
was sort of self-designated pet of father's. She would chase the dog until he
ran between father's legs, --thus making of father an unwilling buffer. She
never did get afraid of father, no matter how much he had to beat her off.
Later when the herd of cows was turned on the range, -- some nights they
couldn't be found. But the spotted cow would sooner or later come home to be
milked. If father had gone to bed, she would stand outside his bedroom window,
and bawl until he gave in, got up, and milked her.
During the years of 1890-91, there was an Indian scare. From their home on
Spring Creek, the Peabodys could look off toward the Bad Lands and see the
haystacks burning from Indian depredations. During that winter men took their
women into Rapid for safety. Mother was among those to move to town where she
stayed until danger was past. The settlers called it time to move when the
fires showed up this side of the river, thirty miles away. [Ref: Erik Hanson
2/16/2009]
Pedigree of Stephen PEABODY
/-----
John PAYBODY
/-----
Francis PAYBODY
| \-----
Isabell (PAYBODY)
/-----
William PAYBODY
| \-----
Lydia (PAYBODY)
/-----
Stephen PEABODY
| | /-----
Thomas HALE
| \-----
Hannah HALE
| \-----
Mary HUCHINSON
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William PEABODY
| | /-----
Richard SWAN
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Hannah SWAN
| | /-----
William STORY
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Hannah STORY
| | /-----
Renold FOSTER
| \-----
Sarah FOSTER
| \-----
Judith WIGNOL
/-----
Stephen PEABODY
| | /-----
Samuel SMITH
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Rebecca SMITH
| \-----
Sarah CURTIS
/-----
Stephen PEABODY
| | /-----
Thomas CHANDLER
| \-----
Hannah CHANDLER
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Hannah GOFFE
/-----
Lewis Franklin PEABODY
| | /-----
Joseph TROW
| \-----
Martha TROW
| \-----
Martha DODGE
Stephen PEABODY
| /-----
John BRUCE
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Frances BRUCE
\-----
Lois WILKINS
Descendants of Stephen PEABODY
2nd generation
3rd generation
4th generation