Arthur S. Beede

BEEDE, HUGHES

Posted By: Allamakee county coordinator (email)
Date: 6/16/2004 at 03:45:33

The gentleman above named is known throughout the locality in which he resides as an energetic and prosperous agriculturist, and has for the past ten years been engaged in bringing his valuable estate to a high state of cultivation.

Mr. Beede was born on a farm in Allamakee county, Iowa, in 1858. His father, John C. Beede, is of American stock, born and raised near Moosehead Lake, and was by trade a shoemaker. At the time the family located in Iowa, they were the fifth family to settle in Allamakee cuonty, which was then practically a wilderness. Our subject is the eldest of a family of eight children, and he lived at home assisting his father in breaking up the new land and getting it in shape to raise crops. At the age of twenty-two he came west but did not settle permanently, and in 1880 he went back to Iowa, locating in Osceola county, where he worked on a farm for a year and a half. He went north then, landing in Chamberlain, South Dakota, and drifted around in that part of the country for about two years. In 1884 he struck Valentine, Nebraska, going all over this part of the state, and then traveled on to Kansas where he picked corn for aliving during the fall and winter months. In 1885 he came to Sheridan county, his first location being on a pre-emption two miles east of Rushville. This he soon afterward sold, and took a homestead in this locality. In 1897 he purchased his present home, comprising three hundred and twenty acres, of which he farms about one hundred acres, raising enough hay and grain on the balance to keep his stock. He has thirty head of cattle and twelve horses. During the poor years he farmed at a loss, and when he came to figure up after giong through many discouraging times, found that he was two thousand dollars in debt. He was about ready to quit the, but his wife was determined to stay and try to make this up, so they went to work again with a will and as times became better he was able to grow good crops, and things began to look brighter. He is now free from all debt, is the owner of a fine farm; well improved with good buildings and all fences, and is classed among the substantial citizens ofh is locality. He has gained all this by dint of perseverance and hard work, as he had very little money to start with, and was obliged to do all kinds of rough work, such as freighting, teaming, etc., in order to make a living for his family in the early days.

Mr. Beede was married in 1886 to Miss Mary E. Hughes, a native of Allamakee county, Iowa. Her father and her mother were both born and raised in Ireland and came to this country as a young married couple. They located in Iowa, where they remained until their children grew up. eight children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Beede, who are named as follows: John, Roy, Nellie, Elizabeth, Angie, Thomas, William and Clarence, all born and raised in this locality. The family occupy a pleasant home, and is highly respected in the community. Mr. Bede was raised a Republican, voted the Greenback ticket in his younger days, and now his sympathies are with the Independent party. He keeps abreast of the times in all public matters, but has never had any time to devote to taking an active part in politics.

-source: Compendium of History Reminiscence and Biography of Western Nebraska Containing a History of the State of Nebraska. Chicago: Alden Publishing, 1909; pg. 874-875