Charles H. Beebe

CHARLES H. BEEBE.

This well-known and essentially representative farmer of Blackman township is a schon of two of the sterling pioneer families of the county, within whose borders he has passed practically his entire life, and from both an individual and an ancestral viewpoint he is thus well entitled to consideration in a work of the province assigned to the one at hand. Mr. Beebe was born on the old homestead farm in Blackman township, on the 20th of January, 1842, being a son of EHsha P. and Diadema (Jackson) Beebe, both of whom were born in the city of Syracuse, New York. The father of the subject was born in the year 181 3, and was reared and educated in his native city, where he learned the trade of carDenter and joiner, and where he continued to reside until he had attained the age of about twenty-three years, when he came to Jackson county, locating in what was then the little village of Jacksonburg, where he devoted his attention to the work of his trade as opportunity presented. Thereafter he resided on the farm of Anson Jackson, whose daughter Diadema he married. They for a time resided on a farm west of the Jackson homestead and later removed to the old place on which the subject of this sketch was born, the same being located in section 8, Blackman township. Here Elisha P. Beebe secured a tract of eighty acres, while his wife became the owner of forty acres of her father's homestead. The entire tract was wild and covered with a heavy growth of the native timber, but he set himself valiantly to the task of reclaiming the land and eventually brought the same under effective cultivation, while he also continued to work at his trade at such times as his services in the line were in requisition in the pioneer community. He was a man of excellent mentality and progressive ideas and became one of the influential citizens of the township, ever showing a lively interest in public affairs of a local nature and being specially active in the promotion of educational affairs. In politics he was a stanch advocate of the principles and policies of the Democratic party. He was a man of unbending integrity and ever commanded the unequivocal confidence and esteem of all who knew him. He was summoned into eternal rest on the loth of January, 1890, in the fullness of years and well earned honors.

Anson Jackson, the maternal grandfather of the subject of this sketch, came from Syracuse, New York, to Jackson county in 1834 or 1835, his wife having died in the old Empire state. He secured a large tract of government land in Blackman township, being one of the first settlers in this now favored section of the county. Here he erected a log cabin in the midst of the forest and with the passing years the results of his labors were manifested in the transformation wrought, since he cleared a large amount of his land and placed it under cultivation. During his later life he resided for a number of years in the village of Eaton Rapids, Eaton county, where his death occurred when past eighty, his remains being now interred in the Bond cemetery in Blackman township. Of the eight children of this honored pioneer only three are living at the present time, Diadema Beebe, the mother of the subject; Marian, widow of David Ferine, who resides with the former on the old Beebe homestead; and George, who resides near Elgin, Illinois. Elisha P. and Diadema (Jackson) Beebe became the parents of four children, namely: George Edgar, who is a resident of Platte, South Dakota; Charles H., who is the immediate subject of this sketch; Mary, who died at the age of fourteen years, and Helen, who is the wife of William Mayo, a successful farmer of Blackman township.

Charles H. Beebe Ayas reared to the sturdy discipline of the old homestead farm upon which his mother still resides, and his educational advantages were such as were afforded in the public schools of the locality and period. He continued to assist in the work of the home farm until he had attained the age of twenty-four years, when he assumed marital responsibilities, his marriage to Miss Sarah Caroline Mayo having been solemnized on the 15th of May, 1866. Mrs. Beebe is likewise a native of Blackman township, being a daughter of William and Sarah (Plant) Mayo, both of whom were born in Buckinghamshire, England, where they were married. In the year 1833 they came to America and located in Jackson county, Mr. Mayo purchasing forty acres of land in Blackman township and reclaiming the greater portion of th€ same from the virgin wilderness. He eventually sold this place and purchased one hundred and sixty acres in section 7, same township, where he continued to be engaged in agricultural pursuits until he took up his residence in Jackson, where he had his home for the ensuing seventeen years, having there lived retired until the time of his death, which occurred on the 9th of December, 1882, his cherished and devoted wife having preceded him into eternal rest by only a few months, her demise occurring on the 5th of July of the same year. Mr. Mayo gave his allegiance to the Democratic party. This worthy couple became the parents of ten children, namely: George, who is a member of the police force of Minneapolis, Minnesota; John, who is a retired contractor, residing in the city of Portland, Oregon; Mary and James, who are deceased; Sarah C, who is the wife of the subject of this review; Helen, who is the wife of L. C. Hoyt, of Rives township; William, who resides in Blackman township; Flora, who is the wife of Harry Harmon, of Hillsdale county; Joseph and Daniel, who are residents of the city of Jackson. William Mayo, father of Mrs. Beebe, was born on the 17th of August, 18 10, and in 1833 he emigrated to America in company with his wife and their one child. They first located in Dexter township, Washtenaw county, Michigan, but soon afterward took up their above in Ann Arbor, that county, whence they came over into Jackson county and resided one year in Sandstone township, from which section of the county they removed to Blackman township, locating on the old homestead to which reference has already been made in this contest. To Mr. and Mrs. Beebe have been born seven children, concerning whom brief mention is as follows: Minnie is the wife of John Van Home; of Blackman township, and they have one child, Floyd; Frederick is a resident of Jackson; Herbert remains at the parental home; Archibald, who married Miss Helen Chanter, is engaged in farming in Blackman township; Lee married Ilo Allen and is likewise a successful farmer of this township, and Flora and Roy remain beneath the parental roof.

Shortly after his marriage Mr. Beebe removed to Rice county, Minnesota, purchasing sixty acres of land near Morristown, where he remained one year, at the expiration of which he went to Pine Bend, Dakota county, that state, in which locality he was engaged in farming for the ensuing three years, then returning to his native county. Here he effected the purchase of forty acres in section 5, Blackman township, the place being partially improved. There he continued to reside until 1875, when he purchased his present well improved and valuable farm of one hundred and twenty acres, in sections 7 and 18, same township, while he has added

H to the original area of the farm until he now owns two hundred and five acres in the township, while of the original place ninety-five acres are maintained under most effective cultivation. It stands to Mr. Beebe's credit and honor that he has attained prosperity and definite success through his own efforts, since he started out in life with no further reinforcement than that implied in a stout heart, willing hands and a determination to win independence through honest and earnest endeavor. He has shown distinctive business acumen and has been an excellent manager, and today is known as one of the substantial and progressive farmers and stock growers of his native county and as a citizen well worthy of the high regard which is so uniformly accorded him. In politics he is arrayed as a stanch supporter of the Democratic party, and while he has not been ambitious for official preferment he served for several years as a member of the board of review of his township.

Major Anson W. Jackson, the maternal grandfather of the subject, was born in the state of New Hampshire, on the 3d of October, 1773, and his wife, whose maiden name was Hannah Brook, was born in Herkimer county, New York, on the ist of February, 1780. His father, Jeremiah Jackson, was a soldier in the war of the Revolution, having p-one forth as a member of the Continental army from Rhode Island, while he lived for some time at Great Barrington, Massachusetts. After the close of the great struggle which determined the independence of the nation he removed to Montgomery county. New York, whence, in 1796, he removed to Onondaga county, that state, and there devoted the remainder of his life to agricultural pursuits, his death occurring on the 20th of January, 1852. He was born in Rhode Island, and on the 13th of August, 1839, he was united in marriage to Miss Phoebe Murray, of Connecticut, a relative of Brigadier General Murray, who fought, under Wolfe in the battle of Quebec, Canada. Jeremiah Jackson was a sergeant in the English armyand came to the United States from Canada after the war, and he and his three sons, John, aged eighteen, Jeremiah, sixteen, and Nathan, fourteen, all enlisted for service in the Continental line during the Revolution, continuing in the ranks until the close of the war and having been with Washington at Valley Forge. Phoebe (Murray) Jackson died on the 4th of January, 1842. Major Anson W. Jackson, who was a captain in the war of 181 2 and a member of the organization known as the minute men, was made a major in the state militia of New York in 1833. In 1836 he left his home in the Kmpire state and came to Jackson county, Michigan, settling on a tract of wild land in sections 4 and 5, Blackman township, while of his later life mention has already been made in this connection.

As printed in De Land's history of Jackson county, Michigan; embracing a concise review of its early settlement, industrial development and present conditions, together with interesting reminiscences ... To which i (1903). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.