Charles D. Bevington

ALEXANDER, BEVINGTON, GUIBERSON, HEATH, PARKER

Posted By: Mary Welty Hart
Date: 1/11/2006 at 16:01:22

The Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Thursday, November 19, 1903

Dr. Charles D. Bevington Is Dead

Dies Suddenly at one of his farms near
Butler, Missouri while overseeing improvements.

Dr. C. D. Bevington, the rugged old pioneer and foremost citizen of Madison county, died about noon on Friday, Nov. 13th, 1903, while engaged in overseeing the erection of a barn on one of his large farms near Butler, Mo. He had just made some suggestions to one of the workmen about the details of the work when he threw his hands to his breast exclamining, "Oh, dear!" and expired almost instantly. Word was sent to his son, S. G. Bevington, whose home is in Butler. A telegram to W. S. Whedon, cashier of the First National Bank of Winterset, was received on Friday evening and was the first intelligence of his death received here. The remains were prepared for burial and brought home by way of East Peru, reaching here on Sunday morning. The funeral services were held from the Bevington home at 2 p.m. Monday, Rev. Fred Harris of Panora conducting and Rev. R. W. Matheny and E. R. Zeller assisting. The pall bearers were J. R. Shannon, J. E. Smith, Geo. D. Ratliff, Noah Benson, E. R. Zeller and A. W. Wilkinson.

C. D. Bevington was born in Holmes County, Ohio, July 13, 1826. In common with most of the boys at that time he received but a common school education, but this he supplemented by one term at Hayesville college and afterwards took a course in the study of medicine, but never practiced it as a profession. In 1849 he made the trip overland from Ohio to California. In 1851 he was married to Miss Julia Parker, a native of Ohio. She lived but a little over a year and died on the western plains. In 1854 he married a sister of his first wife and she lived less than a year, dying in December 1854. His third marriage was to Miss J. G. Guiberson, of Winterset, who died in January, 1857 leaving one child, S. G. Bevington, who survives his father and is now engaged in the real estate business in Butler, Missouri. In October, 1857 Dr. Bevington married Miss Eliza Heath, a native of Ohio. To this union two children were born, C. I. Bevington, who died about two years ago and Mayme Bevington, now Mrs. S. D. Alexander of Winterset. Mrs. Bevington died in October 1902.

In 1853 Dr. Bevington returned from his California trip and settled in Winterset. From that time until the day of his death he belonged to Madison county, was identified with her early development and settlement and in every movement of public concern Dr. Bevington was in the first ranks. At an early date he foesaw the future value of Winterset and Madison county real estate and turned his attention to buying and selling real estate and to the raising of live stock. In 1856 he,with others, organized the First National Bank of Winterset, and remained president of that institution until the date of his death, a period of nearly forty years. In 1871 he was elected president of the Des Moines Western & Southwestern Ry.Co. then engaged in building a line from Summerset to Winterset a distance of 26 miles, the entire work was under his supervision and was completed in seven months. So satisfactory was his work in this field that the Rock Island, which afterwards came into possession of the road, made him flattering offers to enter the permanent employ of the Company. He began life on his own responsibility without a dollar's capital and left an estate worth nearly a million dollars, the result of a shrewd insigt into business affairs and the mental and physical force necessary to carry his plans to successful completion. He was prominent in the councils of the republican party and was frequently a delegate to state and national conventions, but rarely aspired to hold office himself. In the early history of the county he served his constituents as clerk of the district court and in later years was a candidate for the congressional nomination but was unsuccessful.

In his private life Dr. Bevington was a man devoted to his home and family, loyal to his friends and upright and straightforward in his dealings with his fellow man. Dr. Bevington will be greatly missed in this community. For fifty years he has gone up and down the streets of Winterset, in the pursuits of his active business career. A life that was earnest, active and useful is now ended.
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The Madison County Reporter
Winterset, Iowa
Thursday, November 19, 1903
Page 1

DEATH OF DR. BEVINGTON

An Active Life Cut Down in an Instant. Apoplexy the Cause.

The news of the death of Dr. C. D. Bevington on one of his farms near Butler, Mo., last Friday morning about eleven o’clock was a shock to this community. While it was known that for several years he was failing in health and losing his natural vigor and strength, at the same time he carried on actively his vast business interests, in fact he was constantly increasing his burden by the purchase of more land and other property. He was superintending the construction of some large house on his Missouri land when the angel of death with the swiftness of a fish called him from this world of ----- and strife.

He was apparently in as good health as usual. He took a spade in his hand to indicate to a workman the spot where he wished a post hole dug, when he threw up his hands and spoke but few words: “dear, dear” and fell to the ground lifeless. Mrs. S. G. Bevington, wife of his son who lived on the ranch, was the only member of his family present, her husband having gone to Butler on business. A messenger was immediately dispatched to town for the son and a doctor, but Dr. Bevington was beyond all humane aid dying before the messenger started.

After his death it was learned that two nights previous his team ran away with him and while he sustained no bodily injury he was so badly shaken up and exhausted that he was picked up by a passer-by and taken to town where the doctors spent the night with him before he fully recovered. The excitement and nerve strain of this incident is thought to be the ultimate cause of his death.

The remains were brought here via rail over the Great Western and the funeral services were held at his late home Monday afternoon at 2 o’clock and conducted by the Rev. Fred Harris, of Panora, formerly pastor of the Methodist church of this place and a good friend of the deceased.

Dr. Bevington was easily the wealthiest man in Madison county. He owned about 10,000 acres of land in Iowa, mostly in Madison county, and also acres in Missouri, besides much valuable real estate in Winterset. He died without a will and his property will go to his son, S. G. Bevington and daughter, Mrs. S. D. Alexander, the only heirs.

Charles Bevington was born July --, 1838 in Holmes county, Ohio, and he studied both law and medicine but never practiced either. He went to California in 1849; returned and
settled in Winterset in 1854. His business was that of farming and dealing in real estate. He was the chief figure in the organization of the First National Bank, which institution has never had any other president, and he enjoyed the distinction of having been at the head of a bank longer than any other man in Iowa. He was four times married, the last wife dying about two years ago.

He was subject to these attacks which were of the heart, and on several previous occasions narrowly escaped death from the same cause. His indomitable will, native energy, and mental faculties were ever urging him to effort, and while his physical powers and strength failed, they remained the same, consequently in later years he was constantly undertaking more than should have been required of those powers and the time came when the machinery could stand the strain no longer and gave away. His activity lasted until the end. He literally died in the harness.
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The Pullman Herald
Pullman, Washington
Saturday, November 21, 1903
Page 8, Column 1

Charles D. Bevington of Winterset, a millionaire farmer and politician, dropped dead at Butler, Mo., recently.
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The Winterset News
Winterset, Iowa
Friday, November 20, 1903
Page 1, Columns 1 & 2

DR. BEVINGTON DEAD

Dies of Apoplexy At Butler, Mo., on His Farm

DEATH CAME WITHOUT WARNING

One of the Pioneer Citizens of the County and Easily Its Wealthiest Citizen Was Worth a Million or More. Estate Inherited by Squire Bevington and Mrs. Alexander Who Will Keep It Intact.

Dr. C. D. Bevington dropped dead on his farm near Butler, Missouri, Friday of last week. He was superintending the erection of a mule barn and was helping the hands raise a big pole which was to serve for one of its corners, and for which a whole had just been dug. As the pole slipped in its place, Dr. Bevington raised his hands to his head and exclaiming “oh” fell to the ground. He died instantly. The men who were working on the barn tried to revive him but their efforts were of no avail.

Squire Bevington who has charge of the Missouri interests, and gone to Butler to see about sending the lumber out. A messenger from the farm found him at the yards. Hastily summoning the best physician in Butler, behind a team of half broken mules, the two drove the nine miles in twenty-eight minutes, only to find Dr. Bevington beyond aid. It is the opinion of the local physicians that the exertion of lifting the pole ruptured a blood vessel at the base of the brain causing instant death.

As soon as possible Squire Bevington telegraphed the news of his father’s death to Winterset, to his sister, Mrs. S. D. Alexander, the telegram reaching here in the evening. The body was brought to Peru, Sunday and from there to his residence in Winterset. The funeral was held Monday afternoon at two o’clock, Rev. Fred Harris, of Panora, an old friend of the family, preaching the funeral sermon.

Dr. Bevington bought about 4000 acres of land near Butler, three or four years ago, and though he was nearly seventy-seven years old, went to work developing it with his accustomed vigor. The farms were under the immediate management of his son, Squire Bevington, but he was often in Missouri looking after the land, and the stock, a large amount of which was constantly shipped from the farms near here, to Butler. He had only been in Butler two or three days.

He leaves and estate valued all the way from $800,000 to $1,200,000, principally in Madison county, though he had large holdings in Adair county and in Bates county Missouri. He has only two heirs, Squire Bevington, who now resides in Butler, and Mrs. S. D. Alexander, with whom Dr. Bevington has lived since the death of Mrs. Bevington whose death occurred about a year ago. There was no will, Dr. Bevington having frequently said that there was no necessity for one. The estate will be kept intact. Mrs. Alexander and Squire Bevington filed their bonds for $300,000 Thursday and were appointed administrators. It is the present intention of the heirs to keep the whole estate in fact, and none of the holdings, either here or in Missouri will be sold. There will be no litigation, and what little legal work there will be in the settlement of the estate will be attended to by Mr. Alexander.

At the meeting of the directors of the First National Bank, which was practically owned by Dr. Bevington, held Thursday morning, Judge Mott was elected president to fill the vacancy. Fred Leonard was chosen a director, and a vote of thanks tendered Cashier Whedon for his management of affairs. Mr. Whedon who has practically had charge of the bank in recent years will of course remain.

The death of Dr. Bevington caused general sorrow in Winterset. He had been such a powerful factor in every affair that concerned either the city or the county that he will be greatly missed. Ever since he came to Winterset in 1853, up to the day of his death, his voice and his council were prominent and dominant in nearly every financial or political happening.

He came to Winterset, a young man from Holmes county, Ohio, with the Guibersons, the Guyes, and others. With the business sagacity he has always shown, he saw the opportunity in lands, and throwing aside his ambition of becoming a physician, entered the real estate business. Winterset was a cluster of homes in the county an almost unbroken prairie. When the rebellion broke out, he was already supposed to be worth $100,000, an immense sum in those days.

He organized the First National Bank in 1865, and was elected its president. Only a very few men were associated with him in the bank at any time, only enough to comply with the law. The bank has practically been his. It has been one of the strongest financial institutions in the state, and there was never at any time since its founding, the slightest question of its soundness, or the ability of its management. There has never been any of its stock for sale, the last transfer being when Mrs. Bowlsby acquired the Wheelock stock a few years ago, in trade for buildings, and for which she paid a long price.

Dr. Bevington was one of the principal promoters of the Des Moines in Winterset road, and managed the Rock Island affairs in Winterset. After it’s building he was indifferent to the entrance of another road and is said on various occasions to have opposed granting any concessions to other projects.

He was a believer in farmlands and always managed the great body of land near Winterset, owning
at the time of his death nearly twelve thousand acres in this county and Adair, and in Missouri. He owned a continuous body of land more than halfway around the city of Winterset. His buildings on the square and in the city easily made him the heaviest property owner in the city.

He was a keen business man. While possessed of only a fair education, he could see further at a glance into a business proposition than most men could see after weeks of study. He had few enjoyments, and his whole life was one of endless work, of which his iron constitution enabled him to perform as many hours a day as he chose.

In politics he was a Republican, going to that party in 1862, though before that time he had been a Democrat. He was twice a candidate for nomination for Congress but was defeated.

Dr. Bevington was four times married. In 1851 he wedded miss Julia Parker in Ohio. The first wife died while en route to California in 1852. In 1854 he married Miss P. P. Parker, a sister of his first wife. The second wife died at the birth of her first child the offspring dying a few weeks later. Mrs. J. G. Guiberson and Dr. Bevington, were wedded in 1856, and S. G. Bevington, the son is a survivor of the union. The third wife lived only a little over a year and Dr. Bevington was married to Miss Eliza Heath, a native Ohio.

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