Collection #

M 0016

BV 938–940

 

 

Thomas Beeson (B. 1835)
Papers, 1849–1902

 

Collection Information

Biographical Sketch

Scope and Content Note

Contents

Cataloging Information

 

 

 

Processed by

Jared S. Hilligoss
23 July 2008

Manuscript and Visual Collections Department
William Henry Smith Memorial Library
Indiana Historical Society
450 West Ohio Street
Indianapolis, IN 46202-3269

www.indianahistory.org

 

COLLECTION INFORMATION

VOLUME OF
COLLECTION:

1 box; 3 bound volumes

COLLECTION
DATES:

1849–1902

PROVENANCE:

Orrin Draver, Richmond, Indiana, March, 1949, May, 1950

RESTRICTIONS:

None

COPYRIGHT:

 

REPRODUCTION
RIGHTS:

Permission to reproduce or publish material in this collection must be obtained from the Indiana Historical Society.

ALTERNATE
FORMATS:

 

RELATED
HOLDINGS:

 

ACCESSION
NUMBER:

1949.0307, 1950.0510

NOTES:

 

BIOGRAPHiCAL SKETCH

Thomas Beeson worked as a farmer and stock-raiser in Parke, Henry, and Wayne Counties in Indiana.  He was born on January 30th, 1835, in Randolph County, North Carolina.  His parents were Isaac K. and Rebecca Lamb Beeson.  He was the third of eight children.  He moved to Parke County, Indiana with his parents in 1845.  Upon his father’s death he moved with his mother to Henry County, Indiana.  Thomas was raised in the Society of Friends, but in 1861 he was disowned by the Society due to his interest in joining another society.  His interests led him to become a member of the Christian Church in Blue Township in Henry County, Indiana.  He married Deborah Strode, the daughter of James Worley and Mary Roe Strode, on April 5th, 1863.  They settled on her father’s land in southeastern Dalton Township, in Wayne County, Indiana and there he became a successful farmer.  Their marriage produced two daughters, Sarah A. and Mary E. Beeson.  Mrs. Beeson passed away on January 22nd, 1883.  Thomas Beeson died on the 28th of June, 1909, in Henry County, Indiana.  He was 74.

 

Sources:

Dorrel, Ruth, Thomas D. Hamm, rev. eds. Willard C. Heiss, orig. eds. Abstracts of the Records of the Society of Friends in Indiana. Indianapolis: Indiana Historical Society, 1996.

History of Wayne County, Indiana. Vol. 2. Chicago: Inter-State Co., 1884. 441-442.

Young, Andrew W. History of Wayne County, Indiana. Cincinnati: Robert Clark and Co. Printing, 1872. 206.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

This collection consists of one box containing 19 folders.  The contents date from 1849–1902, with some material that is undated.  The letters in this collection consist of correspondence between a multitude of family members related to and including Thomas Beeson as well as correspondence between Beeson and members of the United Brethren Church.  Also included is Beeson’s diary, which dates from April 1861 to August of that same year.  Thomas and his wife Deborah’s mortgage from 1876 are included as well.  There are several business related documents such as tax receipts and assessment notices, and there is an assortment of newspaper advertisements for patent medicines.

The three bound volumes include Thomas Beeson’s diary from 1861–1863, his account book dated 1856–1863, and his daybook for the years 1881–1884.

CONTENTS

CONTENTS

CONTAINER

Papers, 1849–1859

Box 1, Folder 1

Papers, 1860–1869

Box 1, Folder 2

Papers, 1870–1879

Box 1, Folder 3

Papers, 1880–1902

Box 1, Folder 4

Papers, No Dates

Box 1, Folder 5

Diary, 1861–63

BV 0938

Account Book, 1856–63

BV 0939

Day Book, 1881–1884

BV 0940

Account Books and Diaries

Box 1, Folder 6

Commonplace Book

Box 1, Folder 7

School Report, 1881:  Penmanship, Compositions, etc.

Box 1, Folder 8

5 Recipes (dye, etc.) and 14 Coverlet Patterns

Box 1, Folder 9

4 Ballads

Box 1, Folder 10

Will and Testament, 1861

Box 1, Folder 11

Road Tax Receipts, 1878–1879, Beeson Supt.

Box 1, Folder 12

Receipts and Notes, 1855–1886

Box 1, Folder 13

Tax Receipts (1850–1888) Wayne and Henry Co.  James Strode, Thomas Beeson, Mary Strode, Beeson and Strode

Mortgage, Thomas and Deborah Beeson - 1876

Box 1, Folder 14

Political tickets, Business cards, Religious card, Business broadsides

Box 1, Folder 15

Assessment notices, 1851–1880

Box 1, Folder 16

Postal Items (registered mail) and Express Co.

Box 1, Folder 17

Patent medicine advertisements

Box 1, Folder 18

Business Items

Box 1, Folder 19

CATALOGING INFORMATION

For additional information on this collection, including a list of subject headings that may lead you to related materials:

1.      Go to the Indiana Historical Society's online catalog:  http://opac.indianahistory.org/

2.      Click on the "Basic Search" icon.

3.      Select "Call Number" from the "Search In:" box.

4.      Search for the collection by its basic call number (in this case, M 0016).

5.      When you find the collection, go to the "Full Record" screen for a list of headings that can be searched for related materials.