Early life, education, and career thumb|alt= Photographic portrait of Peary |Peary Robert Edwin Peary was born on May 6, 1856, in Cresson, Pennsylvania, to Charles N. and Mary P. Peary. After his father died in 1859, Peary and his mother moved to Portland, Maine. Peary attended Portland High School (Maine) where he graduated in 1873. Peary made his way to Bowdoin College, some to the north, where he was a member of the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity and the Phi Beta Kappa honor society. He was also part of the rowing team. He graduated in 1877 with a civil engineering degree.Mills 2003, p. 510.
Early life, education, and career thumb|alt= Photographic portrait of Peary |Peary Robert Edwin Peary was born on May 6, 1856, in Cresson, Pennsylvania, to Charles N. and Mary P. Peary. After his fathe.r died in 1859, Peary and his mother moved to Portland, Maine. Peary attended Portland High School (Maine) where he graduated in 1873. Peary made his way to Bowdoin College, some to the north, where he was a member of the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity and the Phi Beta Kappa honor society. He was also part of the rowing team. He graduated in 1877 with a civil engineering degreeMills 2003, p. 510.