Barber County Kansas

Medicine Lodge Cresset, September 9, 1898.

John Beebe

Died: After an illness of about two weeks, Mr. John Beebe died at his home in Beaver county, Ok., on Monday, August 29th. The direct cause of his death was fatty degeneration of the heart, although he had been suffering more or less for several years from complicated ailments.

John Beebe was one of the first settlers of Barber county, and had many friends in this vicinity who will regret to hear of his death. He came here in 1870 and lived on the place just east of town, now owned by Bruce Dobbs, until about twelve years ago, when he left here and settled in No-Man's-Land, which is now Beaver county, Ok.

The following sketch of his life is taken from the Beaver Herald:

"Mr. John Beebe was a native of Vermont. He was born on December 7th, 1828. At an early age he removed with his parents to Illinois. When he was only seven years of age his mother died. When he was twelve years old he was left an orphan child, his father having died at that period.

He was therefore left alone to make his way in the world. He was the youngest of a family of twelve children, all of whom had gone before him, except one brother, Samuel, who still survives him, and who resides at Momence, Illinois, and a sister, Mrs. Julia Messenger, living at Grand Park, Illinois. He received his education in the public schools of New Lenox, Illinois.

In 1858, he was married to Miss Elizabeth Dudley, of Kankakee, Illinois, a woman whose companionship proved a source of much happiness to her husband. To them were born four children, Walter Beebe, who lives at Enid, Fred M. and Miss Grace Beebe and Mrs. May Barby, of this county (Beaver County, OK).

Mr. Beebe depended entirely upon himself for support, his parents who were poor having died when he was but a mere child. He was one of the early timers of California, going there in 1850 and remaining six years.

He subsequently returned to Illinois. He removed with his family in 1870 from Illinois to Barber county, Kansas, where he resided till his wife's death, which occurred in 1883. Afterwards, in 1886, he came to Beaver county, where he succeeded in building him a nice home. He followed farming and stock raising nearly all his life.

A large concourse of people followed the remains to the Beaver cemetery where the body was buried, to be removed later to the Medicine Lodge cemetery where rests the remains of his wife."


Thanks to Ellen (Knowles) Bisson for finding, transcribing and contributing the above news article to this web site!




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