Zenus REASONER was the first owner and operator of the Beaconsfield Theatre. It isn't known for sure if he constructed the building and the exact date he started the Theatre isn't known. He showed movies there in the Teens and into the Twenties. Frank REASONER is his great-nephew and Raymond DOTY is his grandson. He said that when Zenus started to operate there was no electrical power in town, so he generated his own electricity with an EMF Studebaker motor and a big electric generator. The motor was cooled by two barrels of water. Sometimes it would get too hot as the the dynamo was large and required a lot of power to operate. It would get a little rest during the changing of the reels which had to be done every 1000 feet. The electrical system was located in a small metal-covered building back of the Theatre where it stands today. Zenus REASONER sold the business and the building to Clarence "Buzz" HAWK who it at the time it burned on September 23, 1933.

Zenas E. REASONER was born August 16, 1855 in Ohio, the son of Henry S. REASONER (1817-1897) and Joanna (BURDINE) REASONER (1817-1874). Zenas married Lottie C. SHIMMIN (1859, IL - 1925, IA). Zenas died in 1928.

Zenas and Lottie were the parents of three children:

1) Bertha L. REASONER
    Born: 1879, Beaconsfield, Ringgold Co. IA  Died: 02 Jul 1966
    married William V. DOTY (1870- ?)

2) Elmer Everett REASONER
    Born: 26 Jun 1884, KS  Died: 1961
    married Josephine SLACK (1884-1949)

3) Marie REASONER
    Born: 1896, Beaconsfield, Ringgold Co. IA  Died: 06 Dec 1966
    married Andrew ORR