Silas Beason

BEASON, ASH, BLAIR

Posted By: Marthann Kohl-Fuhs (email)
Date: 5/13/2009 at 11:31:25

1889 BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF
SHELBY AND AUDUBON COUNTIES, IOWA
W. S. DUNBAR & CO., PUBLISHERS
113 ADAMS STREET, CHICAGO

pages 802-803

SILAS BEASON, one of Melville Town-
ship's prominent farmers and stock-
raisers, was a native of the State of
Ohio, having been born in Greene County,
near Xenia, January 28, 1836. He was the
son of John and Elizabeth Beason, the father
being one of Greene County's most prosper-
ous farmers, of English ancestry. The early
boyhood of Silas Beason was passed on the
farm near Xenia, Ohio, and his first lessons
were learned in the district schools. When
a mere lad Mr. Beason moved with his
parents to a farm near Atlanta, Logan County,
Illinois, where he continued to assist on the
farm until about nineteen years of age. He
then attended Wesleyan University, at Dela-
ware, Ohio, a few months, and returning to
Illinois he began the study of law at Lincoln,
Illinois, under Judge Lacy. In the mean-
time Mr. Beason was married October 9,
1856, to Miss Olive Ash, daughter of James
and Ruth Ash, of Scotch ancestry. Mrs.
Beason was born in Indiana, and was brought
with her parents to Illinois when a child.
Mr. Beason moved to Lincoln, Logan County,
Illinois, in 1860, and continued the study of
law under difficulties. He was admitted to
the bar at. Springfield, Illinois, before the
Supreme Court of the State, in March, 1859.
He was elected mayor of Lincoln, and served
five consecutive terms; after an interval of
two years he was again elected mayor, and
served two terms. He was elected a member
of the Legislature in 1868, serving one term,
and taking part in the introduction and pass-
age of several important bills. Having re-
tired from his legislative honors, Mr. Beason
resumed the work of his profession, in which
he had built up a large and lucrative prac-
tice. He held many offices but was not an
office seeker, his disposition being retiring
and modest. He took a lively interest in
politics, affiliating with the Democratic party.
He was a candidate for circuit judge in 1877
on the Democratic ticket; the circuit was
composed of eight counties, and notwithstand-
ing it was strongly Republican he was
defeated by a small majority. Mr. Beason
was a member of the I. O. O. F., and of the
Knights of Honor, of Lincoln, Illinois. The
pressure of business drew too heavily upon
his physical strength and he was at last com-
pelled to go in search of health. Having
previously purchased many valuable acres of
land in Audubon County, Iowa, in 1882 he
retired from the practice of law, and removed
with his family to the farm in Iowa, hoping
to receive benefit in health by the change.
He engaged in general farming and the
breeding of fine live-stock, including short-
horn cattle, horses, and hogs. Under his
management these industries were a success,
and his health was greatly improved. The
farm is traversed by the east fork of the
Nishnabotna River, and the land is of supe-
rior quality, well adapted to the growth of
grain and the raising of live-stock. Mr.
Beason planted many trees on his place,
which serve as a protection from the heat and
winds, and also add greatly to the beauty of
the place. He displayed much judgment in
the management of his farm, as well as great
ability when acting as legal counsellor. He
was cut off in the prime of life, in the midst
of his daily pursuits, by accidentally falling
from a loaded wagon which passed over his
body and inflicted injuries from which he
died in a few hours, November 9, 1884. He
was a devoted husband, a kind father, always
generous toward public enterprises, and his
untimely death was deplored by all who knew
him. He left a large estate to his wife and
children. Mr. and Mrs. Beason are the
parents of the following named children --
Omar, a graduate of Lincoln University, died
December 12, 1881, much lamented, at the
age of twenty-four years; Ida, a graduate of
Monticello Seminary, is the wife of William
S. Blair, of Aurora, Illinois; Ella, a graduate
of Monticello Seminary, Godfrey, Illinois, is
at home; John, who accidentally shot him-
self in crossing a barbed wire fence Septem-
ber 26, 1886, was a promising youth of many
excellent qualities of head and heart; Lewis
assists his mother on the farm; Rose and
Olive are at home. Mrs. Beason, with the
assistance of her son, is managing the farm
of 1,700 acres, which is well stocked. She
has shown much ability and skill in the care
of the farm, which is one of the best im-
proved in Melville Township, being furnished
with all the modern conveniences and having
most attractive surroundings.