Richard Beerman and Lucy Patterson lived quiet lives in rural Ontario, Canada, along the St. Lawrence River. The river connects Canada and the United States, and the Beermans' lives criss-crossed that river, linking them to both countries.
Richard Beerman was born in Ontario about 1822. [1] His parents have not yet been identified. On 18 January 1848 he married Lucy Ann Patterson in a Wesleyan Methodist ceremony in the township of Leeds in Leeds County. Both parties were residents of Johnstown township in what was then Grenville County in Ontario, located across the St. Lawrence River from Ogdensburg, New York. Henry Beerman, possibly a brother, and Nancy Wark were the witnesses. [2] Lucy was ten years younger than her husband, born in the United States c. 1832. [3] Although her parents have also not been identified yet, she does appear to be related to the Pattison family of Alexandria, Jefferson County, New York, located on the St. Lawrence south of Ogdensburg. In 1859 she was named as one of the heirs to the estate of William Pattison of Alexandria Bay. [4]
In 1861 the Beerman family was living in Leeds, in Leeds County, where Richard earned his living as a laborer. The family seems to have experienced some disagreements over religion; Richard was listed as a member of the Free Church-Presbyterian, while Lucy and the children were Presbyterian. [5] They were living in Gananoque in South Leeds in 1871. Both Richard and Lucy were desribed as unable to write. Richard was employed as a laborer, son Samuel as a factory hand, and another son, Henry, as a wagonmaker. The entire family was described as Methodists and of English origin, with the exception of Lucy, whose ethnicity was left blank. [6] The family was still in Gananoque in 1881, now described as Methodist Episcopal and of German ethnicity. The poor quality of the census image makes it impossible to discern any other details. [7]
Lucy died in Rochester, Monroe County, New York on 24 June 1897 at the home of one of her daughters, possibly Sarah, who was married to Eugene Day. Her body was shipped home to Gananoque for burial. [8]
Richard Beerman and Lucy Patterson had the following children:
| i. | Samuel Wellington Beerman was born c. 1851. In 1871 he was working as a factory hand in Gananoque. [9] | ||
| ii. | Henry Beerman was born c. 1853. In 1871 he was working as a wagonmaker in Gananoque. [10] | ||
| iii. | Barbara Bertha Beerman was born c. 1855. She was attending school in 1871. [11] | ||
| + | iv. | Sarah Isabelle Beerman was born on 27 June 1859 in Ontario, Canada. [12] | |
| v. | Charles Edward Beerman was born c. 1861. He was attending school in 1871. [13] | ||
| vi. | Clara Beerman was born c. 1865. [14] |