Peabody action
The Liberian 600 Peabody rifles were bought in 1910, during the war with the Grebo tribe, from the German government via the Woermann Co. (de).
They had been captured from the French army during the Franco-Prussian War and were sold along with tonnes of gunpowder, 200,000 rounds of ammunition, and 400 Mauser M1888 carbines.
72,076, issued on Dec. 10, 1867) obtained by Mr. Peabody was on an action system specifically designed and constructed for use in converting military muzzleloading muskets into breech-loading arms.
By the end of the American Civil War the self-contained metallic cartridge was well-established; conversions of muzzle-loading rifles had already commenced, and it seemed to be a profitable venture to get into.
Evidently with this in mind, Peabody developed such an action based on his original idea of the rear-pivoted breechblock, for use with Springfield and Enfield muzzle-loading muskets.
His will directed the executor of his estate to establish a trust to fund creation of the Henry O. Peabody School for Girls, using his King Gay Farm and $350,000 in additional assets.
The school closed in 1989, with the trustees establishing the Henry O. Peabody School for Girls Scholarship Program to provide annual renewable scholarships to women who reside in Norfolk County, Massachusetts to continue part- or full-time seeking bachelor, associate or vocational education.
