Tenth Generation

9574. Moses Worthen BEEDE²⁷¹⁸ was born on 28 August 1839 in Bristol, Grafton, New Hampshire.^78,2719

He died of Bronchio Pneumonia on 8 October 1921 at the age of 82 in Lenox Township, Ashtabula, Ohio.^78,2718 He was loved by all and at his death the church bell, which had long since been put to rest, rang out once again, very slowly for a long time. All in the community felt their great loss at his passing. He was buried on 11 October 1921 at Lenox Centennial Cemetery in Lenox Township, Ashtabula, Ohio.²⁷²⁰ His obituary was published on 11 October 1921 in the The Jefferson Gazette in Lenox Township, Ashtabula, Ohio.²⁷²⁰

The Death of M. W. Beede of Lenox, O.
OCCURRED FROM PNEUMONIA
ON SATURDAY MORNING, OCT. 8

The community was greatly shocked by the news of the death of M. W. Beede of Lenox Center on Saturday morning from pneumonia, after a brief illness. Mr. Beede was a life long resident of that community and one of the most prominent citizens of the central part of the county.

He was a veteran of the civil war, having been among those who answered President Lincoln's first call in 1861, enlisting in the Jefferson company that was not called into service, and then going to Rock Creek and joining the company there of the 19th Ohio that went out on the first call. He was known as a brave soldier. Before the war he was prominent in anti-slavery work, and was a member of the famous Black String organization, formed to protect John Brown, Jr., and others from arrest, following the Harper's Ferry raid.

Mr. Beede is survived by his son, G. O. Beede of Ashtabula, Mrs. Leonard Worchester of the southwest, whose husband was put in a Mexican jail by Villa for a ransom, Miss Lula and Miss Frances Beede.

One of the last things of public importance Mr. Beede did before his death was to write for the Gazette an interesting article concerning the Underground Railway stations and operations in Lenox.

The funeral will be held at Lenox Center Church on Tuesday at 2 P. M. At age 10 he came with his parents to Rock Creek, Ohio, and 3 years later his family moved to Lenox where he resided the rest of his life. He worked up to 9 years before his death. Moses was an abolishionist and belonged to the Black String Organization. He helped in the fight to end slavery. His home was always open for a stranger on the road in need. In 1861 he served in the 19th Ohio Volunteer Infantry in the Civil War. He wrote for the Jefferson Gazette for 8 years (1913-1921). He wrote about Mormans in the Jefferson Gazette on Thursday, 20 Oct 1921.

From "History of the Western Reserve" by Harriet T. Upton; Chicago: Lewis Pub. Co., 1910, page 1238:

Although he did not receive a collegiate education, by ceaseless study, observation and thought, he subjected his mind to practically much the same training that it would have received from a university course. His mental ability is extraordinary and varied, as he is a deep thinker along the lines of science, archeology, history, philosophy and religion...

At Lincoln's call for troops, in April 1861, Moses Beede enlisted for three months in Company D., Nineteenth Ohio Infantry. He served under Generals McClelland and Rosecrans in the campaign of 1861, in West Virginia, and fought in the battle of Rich Mountain. After his discharge he volunteered again, but was rejected on account of physical disability. He was, however, appointed by Governor Tod to serve as first lieutenant of the state militia, subject to the call of the president. At this time he began manufacturing lumber and boat oars, furnishing many of the oars that were used on the Mississipi river by the government during the war. About fifteen years later he opened up a factory for the manufacture of sucker rods and connecting rods, used in oil-wells, and still owns a half interest.

Biography of Moses W. Beede taken from:
Biographical History of Northeastern Ohio Embracing the Counties of Ashtabula, Geauga and Lake
Published by: Chicago The Lewis Publishing Company 1893

Moses W. Beede, manufacturer of succor rods, and a dealer in hard woods, Lenox township, Ashtabula county, Ohio, and is well known throughout this part of the State. Thus it is appropriate that more than a passing notice of him should be made on the pages of this work. Of his life the following facts have been gleaned:

Moses W. Beede was born in Bristol, Grafton county, New Hampshire, August 28, 1839, son of Caleb and Mary (Worthing) Beede. His father was born in Vermont, July 25, 1805, and was a descendant of an old German family. Great-grandfather Beede, by trade a weaver of silk stockings, came to America in the king's ships at a very early day, paying part of his passage by the mending of a chest of damaged stockings. He settled near Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where he bought a tract of land that is still in the family, and is one of the best farms in the State. Caleb Beede was left an orphan at an early age, and was bound out under the blue laws. Being treated with cruelty by the man to whom he was bound, he ran away and was secreted and aided by friends. When he reached his majority he and a number of other young men clubbed together to educate themselves, and after he had completed his education he entered the ministry, in which for a number of years he was an efficient worker. He was compelled, however, to abandon the work of the ministry on account of the failure of his voice. He then learned the trade of ship carpenter, and afterward that of carpenter and joiner, and did an extensive business in contracting and building. During eight years he erected sixteen large churches besides various other buildings. Later he purchased a large farm and mill. In this enterprise he had a partner, who proved himself a rascal by running away with all available funds and leaving Mr. Beede in debt. Mr. Beede, however, paid off the debt. After that, in 1850, he emigrated to Ohio with his family and settled on a rented farm in Morgan township. The following spring he bought a mill, which was lost by fire in 1852. He then moved to Lenox and build a mill, turning his attention to manufacturing interests here, and continuing the same until the outbreak of the Civil war. He and one of his sons enlisted in the Twenty-ninth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. While in the service he met with an accident which resulted in blood poisoning, and later in paralysis, which finally terminated his life in 1877, in the seventy-second year of his age. He was a self-made man, a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and a man whose life was worth of emulation.

The mother of our subject was born in New Hampton, New Hampshire, May 6, 1809, and in that State, at the age of twenty, she was married to Mr. Beede. In time she became the mother of nine children, seven of whom are still living. She united with the Methodist Episcopal Church in her early life and remained in loving communion with it until the time of her death, June 2, 1889, at the age of eighty years.

It was in 1852 Moses W. Beede came to Lenox, Ohio, he being at that time a lad of thirteen years. Here he grew up on his father's farm and in the mill, receiving his education in the log schoolhouse. When the war came on he enlisted in the three months' service, as a member of the Nineteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and took part in the West Virginia campaign under General George B. McClellan. After his discharge he enlisted in the Seventh Kansas Volunteer Infantry, under John Brown, Jr., son of the distinguished John Brown. He accompanied his regiment to Chicago, where, after an examination, he was rejected on account of his physical condition. Upon being rejected from the service, and having only $2 in cash, he looked about him for something to do, and soon found employment near the city, engaging to run a steam engine for a farmer at a salary of $18 per month. Here he remained until spring, when he went home and took charge of his father's mill. The mill was encumbered at this time, and to his credit be it said that he not only paid off the debt, but that he also educated his sisters. He manufactured nearly all the boat oars used by the Union Army of the Mississippi river during the war.

June 1, 1803, he married Miss Eliza Henderson, daughter of Grove Henderson. She was born in Austinburgh township, this county, July 31, 1835, and previous to her marriage was engaged in teaching. She had two children: George O., born February 28, 1865, and now a promising young business man in the Northwest, where Mr. Beede has extensive iron interests; and Burnice G., born June 14, 1868, wife of Leonard Worcester, residing in Leadville, Colorado. Mrs. Beede was a faithful member of the Congregational Church all her life. She passed to her reward in 1874. In 1876 Mr. Beede married Mrs. Frances L (Curtis) Watson, widow of Harlow Watson and daughter of Amos Curtis. He father was born 1817, and was one of the pioneers of Illinois, having located in Camden, Schnyler County, in the fall of 1837. Mrs. Beede was born February 27, 1843, and was reared in Augusta, Illinois. When in her seventeenth year she was married to Mr. Watson, by whom she had one child, Nettie L., now the wife of B. A. French, of Lenox, Ohio. Mr. Watson died of a fever, in Alabama, in 1862, while in the service of his country. By his present wife Mr. Beede has two children: M. Frances, a student in the Jefferson Educational Institute; and Lulu E., also attending school.

Mr. Beede continued to run the mill until 1877, when, while he was sojourning in Colorado for the benefit of his health, the whole plant was destroyed by fire, entailing a loss of $4,000. Since then he has been variously occupied, and for the past twelve years has been engaged in the manufacture of succor rods, used in oil wells, in which enterprise he has met with eminent success, having gained an enviable reputation as an honorable and upright business man.

Four eighteen years Mr. Beede was Township Trustee. He also served six years as School Director. When he was twenty-one he joined the Methodist Episcopal Church and subsequently became a Congregationalist. In both church and Sabbath-school work he takes an active part, having served ten years at Superintendent of the Sabbath-school. With various other organizations Mr. Beede is also identified. He is President of the Soldiers' Relief Committee of Ashtabula County; is a member of the Giddings Post, G. A. R. and has been a Mason since 1864. He owns one of the finest mineralogical collections in Ashtabula county, having specimens from many States in the Union and also from the old world. Politically he affiliates with the Republican Party. He had two great-grandfathers who were soldiers in the war of the Revolution.

Moses Worthen BEEDE and Eliza HENDERSON were married on 1 January 1863 in Lenox Township, Ashtabula, Ohio.⁷⁸

Eliza HENDERSON⁷⁸, daughter of Grove HENDERSON and Mary WEBSTER, was born on 21 July 1835 in Austinburg, Ashtabula, Ohio. She died on 14 September 1874 at the age of 39 in Lenox Township, Ashtabula, Ohio.

Moses Worthen BEEDE-6225 and Eliza HENDERSON-9150 had the following children:

Moses Worthen BEEDE and Mrs. Frances Loretta "Fannie" CURTIS WATSON were married on 5 July 1876 in Lenox Township, Ashtabula, Ohio.²⁷¹⁹ She was the widow of Harlow Watson.

Mrs. Frances Loretta "Fannie" CURTIS WATSON⁷⁸, daughter of Amos CURTIS, was born on 27 February 1843 in Camden, Schuyler, Illinois.²⁷¹⁹ She died on 27 January 1915 at the age of 71 in Lenox Township, Ashtabula, Ohio.

Moses Worthen BEEDE-6225 and Mrs. Frances Loretta "Fannie" CURTIS WATSON-9278 had the following children: