Sketch of Veteran Samuel T. Beerbower in The Marion Daily Star [Marion OH], 26 Nov 1895, Vol. XIX, No. 3. Page 5. Posted with kind permission.Beerbower Family(Click for Family Tree)
Last week’s “Military Monday: Samuel Taylor Beerbower’s Civil War Service” told of the battle in which Sam was wounded, Mission Ridge near Chattanooga, Tennessee. (AKA Missionary Ridge.) Although honorably discharged due to the paralysis of his right hand and arm, Sam went on to live a long and full life in Marion, Ohio. The Civil War was always remembered, though, and special days, such as 25 November 1863, were always close in mind.
Sam and a fellow who also served at Mission Ridge got together yearly to celebrate their survival and how the Union forces took what should have been an impregnable Confederate line:
Samuel T. BEERBOWER- “Sam and Henry”- observation of the anniversary of Mission Ridge in The Marion Daily Star [Marion OH], 26 Nov 1895, Vol. XIX, No. 3, Page 5, Columns 3-4. Posted with kind permission.It was 32 years later, and the comradeship of the military had once again brought together the men who had endured. (The ‘Encampment’ would have been their G.A.R.- Grand Army of the Republic- post for those who fought in the Civil War.)
Men with military service were honored by their communities for many years, in many ways.
The following article uses the word, “caned” in a humorous way, but it was no laughing matter in 1856 when, on the floor of the US Senate, SC Representative Preston Brooks used his gold-headed cane as a weapon to almost kill MA Senator Charles Sumner who had given an anti-slavery speech two days before. It was premeditated and well-planned-Sumner was along in the Senate chamber, writing, when he was assaulted by Brooks whir accompanying Southern state representatives looked on and kept others from intervening. Thankfully the caning was stopped but only after the cane broke into many pieces due to the violence of the attack, and Sumner almost died. Ironically, Brooks hurt himself on one of his backswings to hit Sumner- a metaphor of what would happen with The Civil War, with the South starting it, but ending up being the loser economically, socially, etc. after the war. This horrific caning incident was yet another break in the chain of the Union, leading up to the Civil War.
Thankfully Sam’s regiment was quite a bit kinder.
Samuel T. BEERBOWER -“Comrades Caned Him” in The Marion Daily Star [Marion, OH], 10 Nov 1893, Vol. XVI, No. 303, page 5. Posted with kind permission. Prior military service brought together people for social reasons as well. Sam’s wife Irene Peters Beerbower was a very active member of the G.A.R. ladies’ section, and held various posts within the group, even elected as an alternative delegate to a larger convention.
S. T. and Irene PETERS BEERBOWER-GAR Social a “Complete Success” in The Marion Daily Star, [Marion, OH], 22 Jan 1895, Vol. XVIII, No. 52, Page 4. Reprinted with kind permission. Used to military life, many of the Veterans joined fraternal organizations that had a military sort of organization, uniforms, and even military-like rituals. Sam was a member of the Elks Lodge (and elected Exalted Ruler of Elks in 1873), the Kosciusko Lodge, No. 58 of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF, another fraternal and service organization) where he served as Noble Grand (N.G.), or presiding officer, in 1883, and his wife participated with the female arm of the IOOF, the Rebekahs. Sam apparently participated with other groups as well:
Samuel T. BEERBOWER-“Preferred Charges” in The Marion Daily Star,” [Marion, OH] 02 Dec 1893, Vol. XVII, No. 10, Page 8. Posted with kind permission.Even in his last months, friendships developed through Sam’s military service and fraternal orders were important:
Samuel T. BEERBOWER. “The Elks call…” in The Marion Daily Star [Marion, OH].21 Mar 1902, Vol. XXV, No. 97, Page 5. Posted with kind permission.
Notes, Sources, and References:
1) See citations for each article. The Marion Daily Star is available with a subsription to Ancestry.com.
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Family history is meant to be shared, but the original content of this site may NOT be used for any commercial purposes unless explicit written permission is received from both the blog owner and author. Blogs or websites with ads and/or any income-generating components are included under “commercial purposes,” as are the large genealogy database websites. Sites that republish original HeritageRamblings.net content as their own are in violation of copyright as well, and use of full content is not permitted.Descendants and researchers MAY download images and posts to share with their families, and use the information on their family trees or in family history books with a small number of reprints. Please make sure to credit and cite the information properly.Please contact us if you have any questions about copyright of our blog material.
Olive Beerbower death notice. Marion [Ohio] Daily Star, March 5, 1879, Volume II, Number 125, (Whole Number 435), Page 4. Posted with kind permission for non-profit use only.Beerbower Family-
The sad news of the death of dear Ollie Beerbower at the young age of 23 must have been devastating to the family.
It is understandable that the family would have wanted to take her back to Marion, Ohio to be buried with her ancestors, and so the family could congregate and share their grief as well as their happy memories. No parent should have to watch their child die, and they would need the loving embrace of family to help them get through the early days of their loss.
Olive Beerbower death notice. Marion [Ohio] Daily Star, March 7, 1879, Volume II, Number 127, (Whole Number 437), Page 4. Posted with kind permission for non-profit use only. (Click to enlarge.)Ollie’s father Samuel Beerbower took ill suddenly after her death, so the family decided not to travel to Marion, Ohio for Ollie’s funeral. Nancy Jane Huggins Beerbower, Ollie’s mother, must have had a very difficult time with the loss of her child and her husband so ill. We do not know if any of the Marion or Indianapolis family attended the Winterset funeral, as the newspapers for Winterset are not yet online, but we have found no mention in the Marion papers of the family traveling to Iowa.
Ollie had been ill for just a brief time, with the cause of death listed as “a low-type of fever” and “nervous prostration.” One definition of ‘nervous prostration’ is “An emotional disorder that leaves you exhausted and unable to work.” With having a fever as well, there would have been issues other than just emotional- one type of typhoid causes a ‘derangement of the nervous system’ as well as fever, and there are many types of fevers that can be lethal, especially in the days before antibiotics.
Ollie’s obituary was carried in the Marion, Ohio newspapers due to all the family she had there, and the friends she would have made growing up in Marion.
Olive Beerbower obituary. Marion [Ohio] Daily Star, March 20, 1879, Volume II, Number 138, (Whole Number 448), Page 2. Posted with kind permission. (Click to enlarge.)It is always nice to know a bit about the personality of a relative, and Ollie’s final tribute informs us of her kindness and her “gentle and true nature.” The family did lose a family treasure.
The sympathy of the community was not limited to Winterset, Iowa- those in Marion also expressed their sorrow and support to Samuel T. Beerbower’s family. (Ollie’s grandparents had already passed on.) Olive passed away on 04 March 1879, and, in addition to the food and cards that probably were provided very soon after that date, about 3 weeks later the community “surrounded” the family, and gave them an opportunity to enjoy themselves and begin to move on after the untimely death of a loved one.
Samuel T. Beerbower- support of the community. Marion Daily Star,March 28, 1879, vol. II, no. 145, whole number 455, page 4, via Ancestry.com. (Click to enlarge.)
Notes, Sources, and References:
1) There is a wonderful article on the emotional toll of the loss of a loved one post-Civil War in JSTOR Daily, called “Forgetting Abraham Lincoln.” Martha Hodes is the author, and it was published 25 March 2015. It may be read here:
3) Marion Daily Star article citations in captions.
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Family history is meant to be shared, but the original content of this site may NOT be used for any commercial purposes unless explicit written permission is received from both the blog owner and author. Blogs or websites with ads and/or any income-generating components are included under “commercial purposes,” as are the large genealogy database websites. Sites that republish original HeritageRamblings.net content as their own are in violation of copyright as well, and use of full content is not permitted.Descendants and researchers MAY download images and posts to share with their families, and use the information on their family trees or in family history books with a small number of reprints. Please make sure to credit and cite the information properly.Please contact us if you have any questions about copyright of our blog material.
Ollie Beerbower and Caspar Beerbower, children of Samuel and Jane Huggins Beerbower. Courtesy of Marion County [Ohio] Historical Society. c mid 1860s? (Click to enlarge.) Beerbower Family-
Mary Emma Beerbower and Olive Beerbower were not siblings, but instead, children of two siblings, our direct ancestor Eleazer John “E. J.” Beerbower (1815-1882) and his brother, Samuel Beerbower (1824-1890); this made them cousins.
Olive Beerbower was the daughter of Samuel Beerbower (1824-1890) and Nance “Jane” Huggins Beerbower (1834-1930- she was 96 when she died!). Born on 13 March 1855 in Prospect, Marion County, Ohio, Olive was the first of three children born to Samuel and his wife.
Olive probably helped out at home when her brother, Caspar Samuel Beerbower, pictured above, was born four years later, in 1859.
“Ollie” as she was affectionately known, grew up in Marion, Ohio with her brother. They lived next to her uncle E. J. and his family, and she would have played with her cousins, particularly Mary Emma Beerbower, who was just 3 years older, but who only had brothers. Ollie’s father was a marble cutter, and they likely were fairly comfortable, as the 1860 census notes that he owned $1500 in real estate and had $850 in personal value. Her uncle E. J. was also a highly skilled craftsman, as he was a buggy upholsterer. Neither family was rich, but they probably had enough to get by.
Mary “Emma” Beerbower and her brother John Eleazer Beerbower, children of Eleazer John Beerbower and Matilda Louise McKelvey Beerbower, c late 1860s? Courtesy of Marion County [Ohio] Historical Society. (Click to enlarge.)Mary Emma Beerbower, or “Emma” as she was called (Germans often used their middle name on a daily basis, rather than their first Christian name), was the daughter of Eleazer John Beerbower and Matilda Louise McKelvey Beerbower. She was the eighth of nine children, born 10 March 1852 in Marion. Her brother John E. Beerbower, above, was the baby of the family.
The early 1860s were an unsettling time for both families, as it was for the whole nation as southern states seceded and war broke out to preserve the Union. Emma’s brother and Ollie’s cousin, Samuel T. Beerbower, decided to enlist for a term of 3 years in the Union Army beginning October 23, 1861; he was just 19, and 10 years older than Emma. The Underground Railroad operated through Ohio, and much of the state had northern sympathies. The family would have closely followed the news of battles and Samuel’s unit, hoping to not hear the bad news so dreaded by families who have members serving their country.
The terror of the War of the Rebellion really came home to Ohio in July of 1863, when Morgan’s Confederates entered southern Ohio as part of their 46-day, 1,000 mile raid through Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio. Thankfully the Raiders did not get as far north as Marion, but they were close enough, and people were afraid they might get that far. Although captured in Ohio (but they escaped), the Confederate Raiders successfully diverted Union troops from southern campaigns, and definitely did strike fear into the population as part of the psychological warfare of the time. Ollie was just eight, Emma eleven- it must have been very frightening to children, especially with so many young men away fighting, and not there to protect their families.
Even more frightening was what happened next, just four months after the Raiders hit Ohio- Samuel T., who had fought in many of the War’s battles, was wounded on November 25, 1863. He was charging up the mountain bravely at Mission Ridge, Georgia, when a ball went through him near his shoulder blade and spine, lacking an inch or so of paralyzing him from his chest down for life. He spent three months recuperating in military hospitals, until his arm was more usable, and then requested a discharge home to more fully recover. It was granted, and he mustered out March 23, 1864. It must have been quite a homecoming!
Emma’s brother Stephen Russell Beerbower, age 19, enlisted just six weeks after his brother Samuel T. came home. Emma was probably heartbroken, but grateful that her two little brothers were too young to enlist.
And then Ollie’s nine-year-old world really fell apart- her father, Samuel Beerbower, enlisted in the Union Army on the same day, in the same unit as Stephen: May 2, 1864, Co. B, 136th Ohio.
The mix of emotions must have been so difficult for the two girls- pride in their family serving the Union (and going to get those Rebs who hurt their Samuel!), fear for the safety of their loved ones, especially after seeing Samuel’s injury, and that hole in their heart as the 136th Ohio marched off to war.
Why would they enlist- especially Samuel, at age 39, and a husband and father?
As the war continued and more soldiers were needed, conscription was begun in 1863 for men between 20 and 45 years old. Samuel was thus eligible- maybe he enlisted, knowing that he might be drafted, or perhaps he felt he needed to help the Union finally win the war. All the men in his unit were mustered in on that same date, with those in higher positions knowing the Union was preparing to launch a massive campaign on many fronts to try to finally end the war.
Samuel and Stephen had 100-day enlistments, and those units generally did guard duty at facilities and strategic places, such as Washington, D.C., freeing up the trained troops for actual fighting elsewhere. It wasn’t quite as dangerous as being in the field, though at times it could be a dangerous, possibly even lethal, situation.
It was probably a very long 100 days for the whole family, including Ollie and Emma.
To be continued…
Notes, Sources, and References:
1) 1860 US Federal Census for Samuel Beerbower: Year: 1860; Census Place: Marion, Marion, Ohio; Roll: M653_1006; Page: 326; Image: 123; Family History Library Film: 805006. Ancestry.com. 1860 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.
4) Wilson Peters, who would later become Samuel T. Beerbower’s brother-in-law, was in the 136th Ohio as well. There are other familiar last names on the roster as well, which shows that the company was tight-knit, and all from the same area.
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Family history is meant to be shared, but the original content of this site may NOT be used for any commercial purposes unless explicit written permission is received from both the blog owner and author. Blogs or websites with ads and/or any income-generating components are included under “commercial purposes,” as are the large genealogy database websites. Sites that republish original HeritageRamblings.net content as their own are in violation of copyright as well, and use of full content is not permitted.Descendants and researchers MAY download images and posts to share with their families, and use the information on their family trees or in family history books with a small number of reprints. Please make sure to credit and cite the information properly.Please contact us if you have any questions about copyright of our blog material.
Importance of the Post Office and Postmaster, Samuel T. Beerbower. Marion [Ohio] Daily Star, Vol. III, No. 193, Page 1 via Ancestry.com.Beerbower Family
In 1868, General Ulysses S. Grant, then President Grant, appointed Samuel T. Beerbower Postmaster of Marion, Ohio. He was reappointed in 1872 by President Grant, and again in 1876 by President Rutherford P. Hayes.
Samuel T. Beerbower was the Postmaster in Marion, Ohio, for 13 years.
His youngest brother, Eleazer John (or John Eleazer/Johnny) Beerbower worked for him in 1879-1880.
Great demand for postage stamps in Marion, Ohio. 21 March 1879, Marion [Ohio] Daily Star, Vol. II, No. 139 (Whole no. 449), Page 1, Column 3. Posted with permission for non-profit use only. Via Ancestry.com. Marion, Ohio, had a population of about 2,500 in 1870, but it grew 54% by 1880, to about 3,000 persons- they would use a lot of stamps, since people wrote to each other so frequently! By 1890, there was a 113% increase, to a population of over 8,300. Marion became a major industrial center in Ohio, with companies such as the Marion Steam Shovel Company, which later built the Panama Canal. By 1911, Marion, Ohio produced 80% of our country’s steam and large earth-moving equipment, which was likely the cause of some of the population increase, plus the increased need for postage stamps filled by Sam Beerbower.
Prior to his stint as Postmaster, Sam had been a cashier in the store of Lucas & Seffner after he recovered from his Civil War wounds. (He had enlisted at age 18.) He also clerked at Reed & Yake for about a year, in 1867.
Sam was just 39 when his tenure ended as Postmaster in 1881. In 1883, he owned 2 acres for his residence, 2 town lots, and a ‘business room’ adjoining the People’s Store, which he built for $4,000 in 1881 at the corner of Main and South St.; it also had an apartment above. He probably received rents from these business locations.
By the 1900 US Federal Census, Sam was listed as a farmer. His wife and his only living son, Cornell R. Beerbower, lived with him, Cornell working as a ‘watch repairer.’
Sam was referred to as “our former Postmaster” in the local newspaper for the rest of his life. He died in 1902.
More to come about Sam in future posts.
Notes, Sources, and References:
1) Newspaper articles cited in captions.
2) Sam’s youngest brother, Eleazer John/Johnny Beerbower, was the father of Elsie Janis, the vaudeville child star, “Sweetheart of the A.E.F.,” actress, singer, song writer, and film writer.
3) 1900 US Federal Census, Samuel T Beerbower Head of Household:
Year: 1900; Census Place: Marion Ward 5, Marion, Ohio; Roll: 1302; Page: 1A; Enumeration District: 0063; FHL microfilm: 1241302. Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004. Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1900. T623, 1854 rolls.
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Original content copyright 2013-2015 by Heritage Ramblings Blog and pmm.
Family history is meant to be shared, but the original content of this site may NOT be used for any commercial purposes unless explicit written permission is received from both the blog owner and author. Blogs or websites with ads and/or any income-generating components are included under “commercial purposes,” as are the large genealogy database websites. Sites that republish original HeritageRamblings.net content as their own are in violation of copyright as well, and use of full content is not permitted.Descendants and researchers MAY download images and posts to share with their families, and use the information on their family trees or in family history books with a small number of reprints. Please make sure to credit and cite the information properly.Please contact us if you have any questions about copyright of our blog material.
Beerbower-Peters Family Bible- Memorandum Page (Click to enlarge.)
Beerbower Family
TRANSCRIPTION:
Zena Prettyman [born] Feb. 11, 1927
Gene Prettyman [born] November 10, 1930
Helen M. Beerbower born February 24th, 1906.
[Note: The above appear to have been added at a different time- likely later- than the information from the Nathan Peters bible below.]
Family record coppied from Bible of Nathan Peters.
purchased in Marion Ohio August 9th 1828.
Marriages
Married on Thursday February 10th 1825
Nathan Peters to Alice Wilson
——————————————————-
Married January 1840
Nathan Peters to Mary C. Ballantine. (Mary Cady Russell,
Charlotte A Peters to Alonzo W. Baker March 12th 1850
Married April 6th 1858. Bradford R. Durfee to Pauline M. Peters
Jane Peters and John D. Haney were united in Marriage
Nov 22nd 1860.
———————————————————-
Mary Ellen Peters [“to” OR “&”] Wm M. Camp married Oct 13th 1864
Irene L. Peters to Samuel T Beerbower. married Jan 13. 1867.
Married Wilson Peters to Mrs. Olive S. Southwick Jan 22nd 1881
Mary Cady Russell born Sept 4th 1820 either in
Reading Vermont or Connecticut: Bottom [“Bottom” lined through.]
(Births-)
Nathan Peters born June 20th 1799 in Baltimore
Black Rock Co. Maryland
Alice Wilson born Dec 15th 1798- acording to
Aunt Pauline in Carlisle Pa_
Wilson Peters born Nov. 27th 1825 in Fairfield Co. Ohio
Harvey Peters March 4th 1828 in
Pauline Peters born July 7th 1834. in Marion Ohio
Jane Peters ” August 29th 1836 ” ” ”
Infant born Oct 14th dead 1838
Notes, Sources, and References:
1) Bible images courtesy of the Marion County Historical Society, Marion, Ohio. We appreciate their generous spirit of sharing!
2) Transcription completed by the author and includes any misspellings, errors, etc. as written in bible. Please advise of any errors known in transcription or to information in bible.
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Family history is meant to be shared, but the original content of this site may NOT be used for any commercial purposes unless explicit written permission is received from both the blog owner and author. Blogs or websites with ads and/or any income-generating components are included under “commercial purposes,” as are the large genealogy database websites. Sites that republish original HeritageRamblings.net content as their own are in violation of copyright as well, and use of full content is not permitted.Descendants and researchers MAY download images and posts to share with their families, and use the information on their family trees or in family history books with a small number of reprints. Please make sure to credit and cite the information properly.Please contact us if you have any questions about copyright of our blog material.
![Sketch of Samuel T. Beerbower in "The Marion Daily Star" [Marion OH], 26 Nov 1895](https://i0.wp.com/heritageramblings.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/1898_0611_BEERBOWER_Samuel-T_portrait_The-Marion-Daily-Star-Marion-OH_vXXI_n172_p16_ancestry.png?resize=361%2C370)
![Samuel T. BEERBOWER- "Sam and Henry"- observation of the anniversary of Mission Ridge_The Marion Daily Star [Marion OH], 26 Nov 1895](https://i0.wp.com/heritageramblings.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/1895_1126_BEERBOWER_Samuel-T_anniversary-of-Mission-Ridge_The-Marion-Daily-Star-Marion-OH_vXIX_n3_p5_c3-4_ancestry.png)
![Olive Beerbower death notice. Marion [Ohio] Daily Star, Volume II, Number 125, (Whole Number 435), Page 4. Posted with permission.](https://i0.wp.com/heritageramblings.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/1879_0305_BEERBOWER_Ollie_death-notice-removal-to-Marion_Marion-Daily-Star_vII_n125_wn435_p4_ancestry.png)
![Olive Beerbower death notice. Marion [Ohio] Daily Star, March 5, 1879, Volume II, Number 127, (Whole Number 437), Page 4. Posted with permission.](https://i0.wp.com/heritageramblings.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/1879_0307_BEERBOWER_Ollie_burial-in-Winterset_Marion-Daily-Star_vII_n127_wn437_p4_ancestry.png)
![Olive Beerbower obituary. Marion [Ohio] Daily Star, March 20, 1879, Volume II, Number 138, (Whole Number 448), Page 2. Posted with permission.](https://i0.wp.com/heritageramblings.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/1879_0320_BEERBOWER_Ollie_Obit_Marion-Daily-Star_vII_n138_wn448_p2_ancestry.png)
