City Clerk Hopes To Return 1916 Peabody Medal To Family

PEABODY (CBS) -- Tim Spanos, the City Clerk of Peabody, has always had a side project he wished to complete before he retired.

He wants to return a medal hanging in his office to a family descendant of the recipient.

For as long as Spanos can remember, throughout his 12 years as City Clerk and another 30 working in the office, the medal has been there.

The back of the medal reads "Presented by the Town of Peabody David J. Harrigan 1916." The front says "Border Service U.S.N.G. 1916."

"The trouble is we only get so far as far as research and then hit a dead end," said Spanos.

He told The Salem News that his search to find someone from Peabody, by that name, and who served in the National Guard in 1916 has provided him with two leads, but no confirmation. One with the name David J. Harrigan was a private in the guard during World War I, but records show he lived in Beverly. The other was a Horrigan in Peabody at the time with no recorded military service.

"Hopefully, the news story can make some family member aware of it," he explained. "Hopefully, there is a family descendant out there somewhere."

Spanos' reasoning for the mission was simple. "I think the family deserves to have it," he said.