William T. Beeby. It is pleasing to see a man who, having attained years that entitle him to the rest and enjoyment of a retrospective view of life, can retire from the active pursuits and enjoy the afternoon of his existence in the peace and serenity consequent upon a knowledge that he has made his struggle well and bravely, and that the results are the award of his present peaceful condition. The gentleman whose name is at the head of this sketch, after a long life spent in agricultural pursuits, is now enjoying the fruits of his labor in his pleasant home at Piasa.
Mr. Beeby, who is a retired farmer, is of English birth and parentage, his advent into this world being in Lincolnshire, England, March 27, 1833. His father belonged to the class of mechanics, being a plumber and glazier, and having but little else with which to endow his son he early taught him his own trade, and by working with his father, out subject soon became an expert.
William Beeby disposed of a small farm which he had owned in the Mother Country and with the proceeds emigrated to America in December, 1851. After landing he proceeded at once to Piasa where he arrived two weeks before Christmas. He first made his living by working out by the month at farm labor which course he pursued for eight years. By that time his attachment to a bright young lady whose name was Mary Ann Ballett, a fellow countrywoman of his own, caused him to look forward anxiously for a home of his own. The young couple were married March 27, 1859, and they immediately settled on section 31, where he had purchased a farm of one hundred and forty acres. Mrs. Beeby as before said was born in England, her birthplace being Dorsetshire, and her birthday being July 11, 1838. She was about eleven years old, when with her parents she came to America in the spring fo 1851. They belonged to the farming class and made their living in this way.
Our subject carried on his farm for over twenty years, making it pay handsomely for the care that he bestowed upon it. At the end of this time he sold his place and free from business cares he paid a visit to his native land, being gone about six months. He could not, however, make up his mind to remain there, so strong was the hold that his adopted country had upon him. He settled in Piasa in the spring of 1884 where he has since lived a retired life. The issues of the day as to local and national government are of great interest to Mr. Beeby and his preference in politics is with the Republican party. Mrs. Beeby is a member of the Methodist Church. The parents of our subject lived and died in Lincolnshire, England. The father was Caesar Jones Beeby. His mother was Elizabeth (Kew) Beeby. Mrs. Beeby’s parents emigrated to his country in the spring of 1851 and passed away in Shipman township. Her father was William Ballett and her mother was Elizabeth (Cobb) Ballett.