OBITUARY NOTICE. 
Ir is our painful duty to announce the death of the President of the 
Essex Institute, which took place at his residence in Salem, on 
Thursday evening, October 31, 1867. 
Francis PEABODY, born at Salem, December 7, 1801, was a son of 
Joseph Peabody, an eminent merchant of Salem during the close of 
the last and the beginning of the present century. Soon after leaving 
school he made an excursion to Russia and Northern Europe, and on 
his return settled in Salem, where he continued to reside until his de- 
cease, except during occasional visits to Europe. He was early in- 
terested in the study of chemistry and the kindred sciences, and their 
application to the useful arts. He was the first President of the Board 
of Trustees of the Peabody Fund for the promotion of science and 
useful knowledge in the County of Essex; a member of the American 
Academy of Arts and Sciences, and other institutions. 
In November, 1827, the Essex Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons, 
in Salem, of which body he was an honored member, voted to have a 
course of Literary and Scientific Lectures; about the same time the 
Salem Charitable Mechanic Association appointed a committee to 
Provide for the delivery of lectures before the members and their 
families. Before both of the above-named institutions Mr. Peabody 
delivered several lectures on the Steam Engine, Electricity, Galvan- 
ism, Heat, and similar subjects. At the organization of the Salem 
Lyceum in January, 1880, Mr. Peabody took a leading part, and was 
on the first board of management, and delivered several lectures on 
Scientific subjects. These several institutions may be considered as 
having made thé first movement in the general introduction of pop- 
ular and instructive lectures, which have been so universally adopt- 
ed in this country. 
About 1826 Mr. Peabody engaged in the manufacture of white lead, 
which business he pursued until 1843. During that period he was also 
interested in the manufacture of paper and linseed oil, and owned es- 
tablishments for the refining of sperm and whale oils. From that 
