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A Place in History: Peebles School
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Peebles School in Albany township sits atop a hill on Wisconsin 59 east of Albany. Across the highway is a valley where a new subdivision is expanding into the farmland.

Leading into that residential development is Peebles Road, named after the family which settled the area in 1846.

The current Peebles School, a red brick structure, is now a private residence. It was built after lightning struck the then Peebles School in 1921 and burned it to the ground.

Previous incarnations of Peebles School included a log school house, built in 1852. Phoebe Rockwell was the first teacher. In 1864, a frame building was erected, followed by a brick building constructed in 1884, later hit by lightning.

The school is named after the patriarch of the family, Seth V. Peebles, a native of Massachusetts. He moved to Madison County, N.Y., with his familiy, got married and moved to Chautauqua County, N.Y.

In 1843, Peebles emigrated to Michigan, living there until 1845, when he moved to Boone County, Illinois. He stayed there until 1846.

Peebles and his wife, May Stevens, had four children: William H., Edwin M., Diana E. and Hial. William, the oldest son, married three times. Both William and Edwin farmed in the area.