b'OLD WEST LEGENDSReverend PeabodyBy Dakota LivesayI t required a special Manrosy picture. In his letter, he called Tombstone to be easily of God to minister to wildthe rottenest place you ever saw. intimidated, frontier towns. In the Oldsolicited West, there were few towns as wild as Tombstone,Although Reverend Peabody was only in his firstdonations on Arizonaand there were few ministers who wereyear of seminary, he accepted the invitation and onboth sides of capable of bringing God to a town like TombstoneJanuary 28, 1882, arrived in Tombstone. Tombstones than Reverend Peabody. Dead Line.Endicott Peabody was an unusual choice for In 1882, Tombstone, Arizona was a wild frontierTombstone. Even though he was born in Boston, atHe went into town. Of every three downtown businesses, twothe age of 13 his family returned to his fathers homea hotel-casino, were either saloons or gambling dens. At this time,country, England. After his college education, Peabodywalked up to a high-stakes poker game, introduced Tombstone had approximately 4,000 residents. Onlyreturned to the United States to attend seminary. Athimself, and asked for a donation for the church. a few citizens were interested in attending church.this time he got marriedto his first cousin. One player handed over $150 in chips and told The churches were usually a tent. And, the sound ofeveryone else to do the same. The local musical the honky-tonk pianos and the nearby saloons wouldAs one can imagine, Reverend Peabody wasnt asociety put on the opera H.M.S. Pinafore with the drown out the minister. typical minister. He weighed around 200 pounds,proceeds going to the church building fund. It raised enjoyed boxing and baseball, and worked out every$250 because saloons bought a lot of tickets that The Episcopal Church did have a small building thatday. As one contemporary said, He had muscleswere never used.is until it burned down. Looking for a change in theof iron. While not tending to his parish, Peabody status quo, Tombstone resident Grafton Abbott wroteumpired baseball games and refereed boxing matches. Six months after Reverend Peabodys arrival, St. a Reverend Endicott Peabody back in Boston, invitingPauls Episcopal Church was completed. Right after Reverend Peabody to come out west and take overWhile they were laying the foundation of the its completion, Peabody went back to Massachusetts. this floundering church. Mr. Abbott didnt paint anew church, Reverend Peabody held services in Reverend Peabody is known as being a minister who the courthouse. had gathered the most fame for the briefest ministry of any man in the history of the Episcopal Church. The Episcopal women began holding raffles for theSt. Pauls is still in Tombstone, and as one of Arizonas building fund, while their husbands worked onoldest Protestant churches is on the National Register the church. Progress was slow. Peabody, not oneof Historic Places. Only a few citizens were interested in attending church. The churches were usually a tent. And, the sound of the honky-tonk pianos and the nearby saloons woulddrown out the minister.10 September 2021'