BIOGRAPHY - Elias B. Beighle
ELIAS B. BEIGHLE resides on section 3, Lyman Township. It is said that
the history of a county is best told in the lives of its people, so we here
record the sketch of one of the representative citizens of this community.
Mr. Beighle was born in Butler County, Pa., February 14, 1836. His parents,
Daniel and Catherine (Kifer) Beighle, had a family of six; sons and six
daughters, of whom he was the third in order of birth. The father was born
in Pennsylvania, was a carpenter and joiner by trade, and also followed the
occupation of farming. Bidding good-bye to his old home in 1856, he
emigrated to Adams County, Ohio, and, in 1868, removed to St. Clair County,
Mo., where he purchased land and engaged in farming until his death, which
occurred at the age of seventy-seven years. In politics, he was first a
Whig, and then a member of the Know-nothing party, and afterward became a
Republican. Himself and wife were members of the Lutheran Church in early
life, but afterward united with the Methodist Church. The lady was born in
Pennsylvania, in 1810, and died in January, 1892, at the advanced age, of
eighty-two years. Six of their children are yet living: Elias, of this
sketch; Caroline, wife of Mr. Baumgardner, a farmer of Indiana; Sue C., wife
of Mr. Brooks, a carpenter and joiner of St. Clair County, Mo.; Benjamin, a
farmer of Cowlitz County, Wash.; Isaac Newton, who is married, and is a
lumberman of Cowlitz County; and Melissa, wife of Mr. Gardner, a farmer.
Mr. Beighle of this sketch remained in the State of his nativity until
nineteen years of age, and was reared to agricultural pursuits. At the age
of twenty-two, he began earning his own livelihood, working as a farm hand
in Pendleton County, Ky., at $14 per month. After a short time, however, he
went to Adams County, Ohio, where he spent eight years, and during that time
led to the marriage altar Miss Catherine Wallace, a daughter of Josiah and
Eliza (Smith) Wallace. They were married on the 1st of January, 1862, and
unto them have been born five sons and four daughters, seven of whom are yet
living: Mary, who was educated in the Normal School of Danville, Ind., has
successfully engaged in teaching in this county for six terms, and is a
member of the United Presbyterian Church; Roscoe W., who was educated in
Danville and the Valparaiso State Normal of Indiana, is one of the
professors in Clark's University; Anna Ketura, who was educated in Grand
Prairie Seminary, of Onarga, Ill., is a teacher of recognized ability in
this county; Calvin Spence, who was educated in Onarga Seminary, follows
farming; Marcus M., Leila Louisa and Ernest, are yet at home. In 1884, Mr.
Beighle was called upon to mourn the loss of his wife, who died on the 6th
of March and was laid to rest in the cemetery of Roberts. She was a kind and
loving wife and mother, and was a devoted member of the United Presbyterian
Church.
During the late war, Mr. Beighle gave evidence of his loyalty to the
Government by enlisting, in June, 1863, as a member of Company A, Second
Ohio Heavy Artillery, under Capt. George F. Sonner. The troops were first
ordered to Rolling Fork. Ky., where they did guard duty, and were then sent
to Chattanooga, and to Cleveland to guard the railroad. We next find them at
Knoxville, Tenn., after which they went to Church Gap. At the close of the
war, our subject was mustered out in Nashville, Tenn., in August, 1865, and
was honorably discharged at Columbus, Ohio, on the 28th of August. He was a
faithful soldier and was never off duty, except when sick in the hospital
for about six weeks. He now receives a good pension in recognition of his
faithful service.
Mr. Beighle cast his first Presidential vote for Abraham Lincoln, and is an
inflexible adherent of Republican principles. He has been officially
connected with the public schools of this community for many years and has
done much for their advancement by securing good teachers. With the United
Presbyterian Church of Piper City he holds membership, and in the community
where he resides he is recognized as a gentleman of irreproachable character
whose word is as good as his bond. He now owns one hundred and twenty acres
of good land, and is accounted one of the substantial farmers of the
community.
Extracted 31 Jul 2020 by Norma Hass from Portrait and Biographical Record of Ford County, Illinois, published in 1892, pages 296-297.
