LEWIS BEASON
Lewis Beason was born in Greene county, Ohio, January 16, 1834. His parents were John and Elizabeth (Lee) Beason, natives of the same county and State. His father died in Jackson county, Oregon, in 1864, while his mother died in Logan county, Illinois, in 1865. When sixteen years of age, Mr. Beason went with his parents to Logan county, Illinois, and in 1854 went with his father to Oregon and California, on a speculative tour. They were absent two years, engaged in mining, etc., when Lewis returned to Illinois, where he remained but a short time, when he again started for California. While passing through Cass county, he met R.D. McGeehon and J.R. Kirk, old acquaintances, and was induced to remain. He settled in Atlantic township, on section 21, where he remained about five years, when in 1861 he traded his property here for what was known for years afterward, as the Beason Station, on the site where Anita now stands. He remained here until the fall of 1870, when he removed to his present location in Benton township. Mr. Beason served as a member of the board of supervisors of Cass county for four years, and was virtually the first postmaster at Anita, although a man by the name of Gardner was first appointed, but did not serve. He was also the first postmaster of the old Lura postoffice. At present Mr. Beason has one of the finest farms in Benton township, with an elegant residence, beautiful lawns, a bearing orchard of about three acres, and is one of the prominent and influential citizens of Cass county. He was married in 1860 to Augusta Wooster, a daughter of Calvin and Hannah (Matson) Wooster, natives of New York. Mrs. Beason's father died at Anita, May 28, 1883. Her mother, who is nearly eighty-two years of age, makes her home with her daughter upon the farm in Benton township. Mr. and Mrs. Beason have had seven children, four of whom are living: Charles I., born October 13, 1865; Lewis H., jr., born March 6, 1870; Olive, born August 25, 1873; Edith, born January 24, 1882. Mr. Beason is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and the Ancient Order of United Workmen, and in politics is a Democrat. In addition to the property already spoken of, he has four hundred and sixty acres of land in a fine state of cultivation and raises a large amount of Shorthorn cattle and Poland China hogs.
Transcribed by Gloria Goltiani from "History of Cass County, Iowa. Together With Sketches of its Towns, Villages and Townships, Educational, Civil, Military and Political History: Portraits of Prominent Persons, and Biographies of Old Settlers and Representative Citizens." Springfield, Ill.: Continental Historical Company, 1884, pp. 640.
