This week, we continue our popular series on Peabody’s parks with a dive into the history of Carroll Savage Park. It is located at the intersection of Cashman Road and Lynnfield Street, abutting the playground of the South Memorial Elementary School.
Carroll Savage was born on March 24, 1894 to Frederick and Martha Savage, who had emigrated from England. He had nine siblings: Ada E., Henry J., Beatrice E., Frederick, Alice, Thomas, Francis, Chester A. and Madeline.
In the 1900 Census, the Savage family lived on Boston Street in Salem, where Frederick was a leather currier. By the 1910 Census, the family had settled in Peabody at 27 County Street and Frederick was listed as a farm laborer.
Prior to enlisting in July of 1917, Carroll Savage held several jobs, as a shipper at the electrical works, teamster and a motorman on Lynn’s street cars.
Private Carroll Savage died on board the ship the Orca, on December 3, 1918, of pneumonia. The Orca had departed from Liverpool, England on November 23, 1918, in order to transport soldiers back home. He was buried at Cedar Grove Cemetery.
The Boston Globe, December 6, 1918
In October 1919, the Peabody City Council proposed a number of streets be re-named for Peabody servicemen who died in World War I. Initially, Farm Avenue was going to be re-named to Savage Avenue, but it was ultimately decided to name a park after Private Carroll Savage, who had attended the South School.
The Salem News, June 29, 1930
References
Peabody Census, 1900 and 1910. Accessed via Ancestry.com.
The Boston Globe, December 6, 1918.
The Peabody Enterprise, October 3, 1919
The Salem News, June 29, 1930.