Toponymie | Canton de Potton | Place Names

This road is named for the Peabody family, who, according to early records, were “one the early families of South Potton of that name”.  “The Peabodys came from Orford, N.H”.^[1] 

Our earliest records are that of Francis B. Peabody (1771-1861), son of Richard Peabody (1731-1820) and his wife Jemina Spofford, who married Fanny Stickney and together had 13 children here in Potton.

Albert S. Peabody, was one of the 13 children referred to above, and it was he who owned the property surrounding what is now known as Chemin des Cheminots and the road bearing his family's name.  It seems he also owned one of the three stores in Mansonville, in the mid 1800's.^[2]  The Belden Historical Atlas of the Eastern Townships, 1881, lists a Samuel Peabody as “a general merchant. (…)  He owns 100 acres in the township and was born here in 1833.  Has held office as a Councillor.”  United Church records circa 1887, researched by Mary F. Bailey, indicate the participation of several Peabody families in the life of their Church and community.  She notes that on July 10, 1878, Francis Peabody was one of the seven Trustees who, on behalf of the Methodist Society of Mansonville, “purchased from Frederick Nick, a tinsmith of Mansonville, a piece of land, for the sum of $400.00 for the purpose of building a Church and dwelling house”^[3].  James A. Peabody was Mayor of this Municipality in 1904. 

During the era of the Orford Mountain Railway and earlier, the tracks crossed Peabody Road.  The intersection with what is now called Chemin des Cheminots, was called Peabody Crossing.  In fact, Chemin des Cheminots is built for its entire length on the rail bed of the former Orford Mountain Railroad.