Beeson, Martha Smith (1820-1916)

BEESON, SMITH, ARNEY, WALDEN, DICKSON, LYBARGER, MCKIBBEN, HILL

Posted By: C. Tucker (email)
Date: 10/19/2014 at 04:55:14

Times Republican
Marshalltown, IA [Friday 1-14-1916] p. 8

"GRANDMA" BEESON DIES AT AGE OF 95

REAL PIONEER OF COUNTY SUCCUMBS TO TWO WEEK ILLNESS OF INFLUENZA

HAD LIVED IN MARSHALL COUNTY OVER SIXTY YEARS

Came to Iowa Township in June, 1855 --- is Survived by Sixty-Four Descendants, including Five Great Great Grandchildren --- Funeral to Be Held Saturday Afternoon

One of Marshall county's real pioneers passed away Thursday night at 7:30, when Mrs. Martha Smith Beeson, aged 95, died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Sarah A. Arney, 510 North First street. Death was due to a severe case of influenza with which Mrs. Beeson had been suffering for two weeks. Mrs. Beeson had been a resident of the county for sixty years, as it was in June, 1855, when she and her husband, the late Samuel Beeson, settled in Iowa township on a farm two and one-half miles northeast of Albion. They lived there until 1873, when they moved to Liscomb. Mr. and Mrs. Beeson were among the first settlers of the township, and, like many others of those sturdy pioneers who settled in Iowa, endured the many hardships that confronted them, reared a large family of children, prepared, and became prominent figures in their community. Mr. and Mrs. Beeson were born of Quaker parentage, and reared their children according to the strictest belief of that faith. TAKES THIRTY-MILE AUTO DRIVE AT 91 Like other people of today who have lived to a ripe old age, Mrs. Beeson had watched with interest the development of this country from a virgin forest to a place of a modern city, towns and country homes with their countless advantages. She had seen the progress of invention and, fortunately, retained her mental faculties to such a degree that she never ceased to hold an interest in progress being made along all lines. Interesting above all of the modern inventions to Mrs. Beeson was the perfection of the automobile, and to celebrate her 91st birthday anniversary, on June 26, 1911, Mrs. Beeson was one of a party of four which enjoyed a thirty-mile drive in the car of her son, Gen. B. A. Beeson. Contrasting her knowledge of present-day conditions Mrs. Beeson remembered well when she first came to Iowa township of seeing a water pail, filled with whiskey, passed around to people assembled in a school house. It was to celebrate Christmas, and the liquor was dispensed as Christmas cheer. In those days, however, it was considered all right. CELEBRATED SIXTY YEARS WEDDED LIFE Mr. and Mrs. Beeson were privileged to celebrate over sixty years of happy wedded life, this interesting anniversary having been observed April 6, 1897, at Liscomb. On July 5, 1898, Mr. Beeson died. WAS NATIVE OF PENNSYLVANIA Martha Beeson was born Smith in Pennsylvania, June 26, 1820. On April 6, 1837, she was united in marriage with Samuel Beeson in Beaver county, Pennsylvania. Thirteen children were born to the couple, three of whom died in infancy, and four died in later years. The six children living are Bryon A. Beeson, Des Moines, until recently adjutant of the Iowa Soldiers’ Home; Mrs. Sarah A. Arney and W. B. Beeson, both of this city; Mrs. Anna E. Walden, Seattle, Wash.; Mrs. John W. Dickson, Boise, Idaho; and Mrs. W. I. Lybarger, of Osage. Mrs. Walden has been here for the past two and one-half years with her mother, and Mrs. Lybarger has been in the city for a week. The four children who died in later years were Mrs. Rachel Weatherly, Chalkley M. Beeson, Lewis J. Beeson and Mrs. S. A. McKibben. HAS SIXTY-FOUR DESCENDANTS Mrs. Beeson's death not only removes one of the oldest women of the county, but breaks a chain of five generations. Mrs. Beeson leaves sixty-four descendants. In addition to her six children there are living twenty-nine grandchildren, twenty-four great grandchildren, and five great great grandchildren. The latter are the three children of Kenneth Arney, of Taylor township; John Wallace, the son of Ralph Arney, of Taylor township; and the 4-year-old son of Bryon Hill, of Joliet, Ill., son of Mrs. Roxy Beeson Hill. FUNERAL SATURDAY AFTERNOON Funeral services will be held Saturday afternoon at 1 o'clock from the Arney home, in charge of Rev. W. M. Baker. Burial will be in Albion cemetery, by the side of Mrs. Beeson's husband.