From The Connecticut River Valley in Southern Vermont and New Hampshire: Historical Sketches by Lyman S. Hayes, Tuttle Co., Marble City Press, Rutland, VT., 1929, page 345:
TWO NOTED EDUCATORS BORN IN ROCKINGGHAM – PEABODY AND SABIN
The town of Rockingham has been the birthplace of a number of persons who have become of national repute in the line of educational matters. Among them have been Selim Hobart Peabody, who became president of the University of Illinois, and Albert Robbins Sabin, who served many years as superintendent of the public schools of the city of Chicago.
Selim Hobart Peabody was born in Rockingham, Vt., Aug. 2, 1829, the son of Charles H. and Grace S. Peabody. His father was a minister of the Baptist Church of Saxtons River, and of him the only further local information found is that during the period of eleven years from June 10, 1822, Charles H. Peabody was one of eight young men from the close-communion Baptist Church of Saxtons River who were licensed to preach. The father died at Randolph, Mass., when the boy was thirteen years of age. The mother's name was Grace Stone Ide.
The lad had already made promising progress in school work when his father died, and was ambitious to prepare for college. He entered the Public Latin School of Boston in 1842, where he remained one year, but owing to his father's death was compelled to quit school and help earn a livelihood for himself and others. For five years he worked at various forms of manual labor and taught school; then at the age of nineteen he entered the University of Vermont, where he graduated in 1852, supporting himself meantime by teaching. For one year he was principal of the Burlington High School. [346] In 1854 he became professor of mathematics and physics in the Polytechnic College of Philadelphia, Pa.
After three years he became chief clerk of the United States Land Office at Eau Claire, Wis.; in 1859 he took charge of the city schools of Fond du Lac, Wis., and in 1862 he became superintendent of schools in Racine, Wis. Three years afterward he removed to Chicago, where he became an instructor in the city high school and prepared a series of juvenile books in natural sciences, and text books upon arithmetic and astronomy.
In 1871 he went to the Massachusetts Agricultural College at Amherst as professor of physics and engineerring, after three years returning to Chicago as secretary of the Academy of Sciences. In 1877 he received the degree of Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Vermont. In 1878 he accepted a position in the Illinois Industrial University (which later became the Uniiversity of Illinois), of which he later became president. In 1880 he was in New York City as editor-in-chief of the International Encyclopedia, and while there prepared a volume of orations and addresses entitled "American Patriotism. " In 1881 he was elected Regent of the University of Illinois. About this time he declined the presidency of Rose Polytechnic Institute at Terre Haute, Ind., and a position as Assistant Secretary of Agricullture at Washington under President Harrison. He was prominent in many parts of the country; manager of the National Educational Exhibit in Chicago in 1887; installed the Illinois exhibit at the New Orleans Exxposition in 1885; in 1889, he was president of the National Council of Education; received the degree of [347 ] Doctor of Laws in 1881 from Iowa State University, and was actively associated with many scientific and educational societies in this country, England and France. He was made Acting Director-General of the World's Columbian Exposition; editor and statistician under Commissioner Peck for the Paris Exposition. He was president of the University of Illinois from 1881 to 1891, where he gained wide popularity. In 1890-91 he was Superintendent of the Division of Liberal Arts of the Pan-American Exposition at Buffalo; and was Superintendent of Awards at the Exposition of Charlesston, S. C. He was in the service on the staff of the Director-General for the Louisiana Purchase Exposition at the time of his death at St. Louis on May 26th, 1903.
Selim Hobart Peabody was a descendant in the eighth generation of John Peabody, who emigrated from England and who settled in Plymouth, Mass., in 1636. William, a son of John, married Betty, the daughter of John and Priscilla Alden.
Albert Robbins Sabin, another widely known eduucator, was born on the ancestral form of the Sabins, just north of the "Sabin's Bridge" between here and Saxtons River village, September 20, 1837, a son of Elisha Stearns Sabin, a lifelong business man of this vicinity. While a student at Middlebury College in 1862 the young man enlisted, was made captain of Company C of the 9th Vermont Regiment and served in the Civil War. After his return he went to Chicago and ultimately became one of the noted and influential educators of that city.
His first connection with the schools of that city was as a teacher in the old Dearborn School located at [348] the corner of Madison and Dearborn Streets, now covered by a huge department store. In 1887 he was made assistant superintendent of the Chicago schools, and in 1899 superintendent, which position he held until his death in 1913. When the news of his death was annnounced all school flags in Chicago were placed at half mast for ten days. Many tributes were paid to his memory, and to his services to the city. A leading eduucator said, "He was one of the greatest men the schools of Chicago have ever known" ; another, "He was a great man, and one of the most useful the schools have ever had. " A beautiful school building erected by the city since his death has been named in his honor "The Sabin School. "
Mr. Sabin was twice married: July 11, 1862, to Mary Barber of Middlebury, Vt., who died in 1891; and he married Helen Mackey of Fredonia, N. Y., in 1893. He had two sons, Stewart and Albert R., Jr.
Florence Rena Sabin, a niece of Albert R. Sabin and daughter of George Kimball Sabin, was a student at Vermont Academy and graduated from Smith College in 1893. She is today reputed to be the most eminent woman scientist of the United States. She is a professor at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, and has been made a life member of the National Academy of Sciences of America, the first woman to be so honored. She is noted for her wonderful success in research work in blood cells. A scientist elected to the Academy is the highest authority in the country on his particular subject.