1891 Biography - Montillion Beeman

MONTILLION BEEMAN, who served his country in the late war and whose portrait on the opposite page represents an early settler of Calhoun County, resides on section 21, Carlin Precinct. He was born January 20, 1842, and is of English and Irish extraction. His parents were William and Sarah (Hunicutt) Beeman, who came to Calhoun County at a very early day and here spent the remainder of their lives. The father entered three hundred and twenty acres of land in Carlin Precinct, and after seeing his family comfortably settled in a log cabin with characteristic energy turned his attention to the development of a farm. He died when our subject was but four years of age and his wife passed away a few years since. They were the parents of five children, four of whom are yet living — Rachel, wife of Thomas Nelson; Louisa, deceased; Mrs. Ann Cloninger; Mary, wife of Welcome Scott, and Montillion.

Our subject spent the days of his boyhood and youth in the usual manner of farmer lads, alternating his time between attendance at the district schools and work upon the homestead farm. He is acquainted with the early history of the county and has not only been a witness of its growth and progress but has aided in its promotion and advancement. In 1864 he enlisted in Company G, One Hundred and Thirty-seventh Illinois Infantry for three months service and was engaged on guard duty the greater part of the time. Subsequently he was drafted into the Fifty-ninth Illinois Infantry, and assigned to Company A, in December, 1864. Again his regiment was principally engaged on guard duty and at the close of the war he was honorably discharged on the 20th of July, 1865. Owing to the exposure and hardships of army life he has in a large degree lost his hearing, and the sight of one eye is entirely gone while the other is also affected. The Government pays him a pension of $24 per month to compensate him in some degree for his affliction.

At the close of the war Mr. Beeman returned to this county where he has since made his home, devoting his energies to agricultural pursuits. He has been twice married. On the 29th of August, 1876, he wedded Adeline Richey and unto them was born a daughter, Rachel A., born in December, 1878. The mother died October 7, 1879, and on the 16th of September, 1890, Mr. Beeman led to the marriage altar Mrs. Martha Burdick, who was born in Marion County, Ohio, March 10, 1842, and is the daughter of Abraham and Nancy (Schumaker) Kightlinger. In 1856 she became the wife of Jacob Scott, who served four years in the late war and participated in many of its important battles. Four children were born of that marriage — Weltha A., now the wife of William Wilson, of Ford County, Ill.; Amos W.; Ellen W. wife of Levi Hunt, of Alexander, Neb.; and William M., of Ford County, Neb. By a subsequent marriage with John Brown the wife of our subject became the mother of two children — Ulysses G., of Ford County, Ill., and John E., residing in the same county.

Mr. Beeman is the owner of sixty acres of land and devotes his entire time and attention to the cultivation of his farm, which, though not extensive, is one of the best in the community. He is a member of the Christian Church and a Republican in politics, having supported that party since its organization. The world knows him as an upright, honorable man and his private as well as his public life confirms that opinion.

Extracted 16 Mar 2017 by Norma Hass from Portrait and Biographical Album of Pike and Calhoun Counties, Illinois, published in 1891, pages 428-430

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