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File contributed to the Fulton County ILGenWeb Project
Copyright 2008, all rights reserved.

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Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Fulton County
Biographical Publishing Co., Chicago, 1890

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The Biography of David BEESON 

Pages 241, 242, and 245, transcribed in full by Danni Hopkins 

[Surnames: ADAMS, ATWATER, BEESON, DIVILBISS, HEALDS, HEALD, HUISLEY, HULITT, MILLS, MILLSAP, RIDGEWAY, SULLEY, SWEARINGEN, TRACEY] 

    
DAVID BEESON, President of the Canton National Bank, has gained an enviable reputation in the financial world for honesty, uprightness and liberality. He began the labors of life when quite young, undertaking his own support at the early age of thirteen years, and has in all positions proved himself to be the soul of honor, a friend of the poor and distressed and a perfect gentleman. He has never been ambitious, in fact is of a retiring disposition, but his qualifications are such that he has been pushed forward by admiring friends to the high position which he holds at present. 
    
The family of which our subject is a member has been represented in this country for at least two centuries, Jacob Beeson being the founder of the American branch. He had three sons, one of whom settled in Virginia. The great-grandfather of our subject was Henry Beeson, who lived and died in Martinsburg, W. Va., breathing his last in 1817, when in his seventy-eight year. The grandfather of our subject was Jesse Beeson, who was born in Uniontown, Pa., July 8, 1768, and returned to his birthplace during the latter years of his life, dying there June 8, 1842. Much of his active life was spent in Martinsburg, W. Va., in the occupation of a miller. He married Julia Ann Swearingen, a native of Maryland, whose natal day was February 11, 1773, and whose death occurred December 23, 1797. They reared a family of two children--Edward S. and Samuel, the latter of whom was born April 8, 1794, and died October 17, 1818. 
    
Edward S. Beeson was born December 12, 1795, and died January 14, 1852. He followed the business of a miller in Virginia until about 1830, when he removed to Indiana, in which State he continued the same business some five years. He then went to Ohio and engaged in the sale of merchandise at Beeson's Cross Roads, now known as Samantha. At one time he was Sheriff of Highland County and later resumed his trade, running what was then known as Reece's, but now as Foraker's Mill. In the spring of 1850 he came to Canton, Ill., and engaged in the milling business, but the next year removed to Farmington, where he died not long after, his death being caused by inhaling steam from a boiler explosion while engaged in a search for his son, our subject. 
    
The mother of our subject bore the maiden name of Julianna Ridgeway and was born in Frederick County, Va., August 31, 1802. Her parents were David and Martha Ridgeway. After the death of her husband she removed again to Canton where she breathed her last August 2, 1863. She was the mother of eight children, two of whom died in infancy. Of the living the subject of this sketch is the third in order of birth. The others are Martha, who was born August 29, 1826, and is now living in Healdsburg, Cal., being the widow of Joe S. Millsap, a prominent minister of the Methodist Church; Edward R., born April 2, 1833, a merchant and stockman in Franklin County, Kan.; Jesse A., born February 10, 1841, and now a prominent business man in Bloomington, this State. The last named was a soldier in Company H, Seventeenth Illinois Infantry, going promptly at the first call, was discharged for disability in 1863, but re-enlisted the following year and received his final discharge in 1865. He received an injury at Ft. Donelson from the effects of which he has never recovered. Two daughters have died within the last decade‹Virginia A. who was born August 27, 1836, and died August 13, 1882, and Julia, whose natal day occurred November 27, 1844, and whose death occurred August 12, 1886. 
    
The birth of David Beeson, the subject of this notice, occurred at Hillsboro, Highland County, Ohio, October 12, 1838. Having been left fatherless so soon after he entered his teens, he became a clerk for Sulley & Tracey, general merchants and buyers of produce, and was subsequently connected with H. C. Adams in the mercantile business two years. The establishment was then closed out and Mr. Beeson engaged with Hulitt & Atwater, with whom he remained nine years. He afterward clerked for a Mr. Mills in a dry-goods house and also for a Mr. Huisley. He next went into the private bank of C. T. Healds, and the First National Bank being started a short time afterward he was retained in the new institution as bookkeeper for sixteen years, during which time he also acted as Assistant Cashier and Teller and held a position as Director. 
    
In 1882 Mr. Beeson served his connection with this bank, having the previous year commenced the clothing business in a firm known as "Dave & Dick," he being the senior member and Richard Divilbiss the junior member. After three years Mr. Beeson withdrew from the firm on account of his health and for some time was not engaged in active business pursuits. At the annual meeting of the National Bank Directors he, in company with others, withdrew and organized a private banking institution known as C. T. Heald & Co., and in 1887 they organized under the name of Canton national Bank, at which time Mr. Beeson was elected President. 
    
The subject of this sketch has never married and passes the most of his time in reading and traveling. He has an excellent library in which he spends many happy hours, enjoying the best thoughts of great men and thoughtfully studying their utterances. In recent years he has visited his birthplace and localities in which his ancestors lived and died, finding much to interest him in the scenery and associations. He is a worthy representative of a family upon whose name there is no blemish, generation after generation having lived quiet and useful lives and been highly esteemed citizens in their respective communities. He has in his possession an Irish hazel cane which has been in the family for more than two centuries and was brought to this country by the original ancestor of the American branch of the family.