[3] Appleton received a liberal education in New York and then traveled abroad to study, particularly in Leipzig, Germany.
[2] After his studies in Germany, he returned to the United States and for a number of years was an independent publisher and a book seller in Philadelphia.
[4] Employees included Joseph Sabin, later compiler of Bibliotheca Americana: A Dictionary of Books Relating to America[5] In 1860, he joined the family publishing business, D. Appleton & Company, with his brothers and acted as the de facto press agent of the firm.
[2][6][7] In 1865, George moved his family to New York and became a partner with his three brothers, John, William, and Sidney in his father's publishing business, D. Appleton & Company.
[2] Appleton died of cerebro-spinal meningitis on July 8, 1878, at the home of his brother in Riverdale, Bronx.