Sunday's Obituaries

Sunday's Obituaries

It seems we all have them. Those little clippings from the newspaper where some family member was finally made known to the public. In the OBITUARY columns.

Sad, isn't it, that we seldom see what the person really did with their life while living. We are relegated to this all too brief form of mention. Most never listing more than the parents and survivors of his/her family. I personally would like to people lauded for their efforts in this life, while they were yet breathing! Let them know how much they really mean to their little corner of the world! I once read a newspaper from a small town that had a weekly column that did just that. They would pick some seemingly insignificant person, and tell their life story, while still living! I like that much better than the obituary column mentions!

However, these two obituary's are about a man who died five years before I was even born. A man who had his own story to tell. A man who outlived two of his three wives. Who saw some of his children die, and buried them in great sorrow. A man who knew both success and failure. A man who was loved and adored by his family.

My paternal Grandfather. John Monroe Bean.

Taken from the Bluefield Telegraph

April 12, 1954

The following is uncertain from where it came. Probably the Monroe Watchman, the local paper.

Wordless Wednesday

John & Ada Bean family - ca. 1911

Monroe County, West Virginia

Wordless Wednesday - 3/10/10

Pauline, Emmette and John Bean

ca. 1911

This photograph was taken of Pauline Bean [daughter of Blanche Crosier and John Bean] and of Emmette Bean and John Bean Jr. [sons of Ada Burdette and John Bean]. By this time the oldest two children would have already left home [Rita and Lama]. Taken in either Second Creek, Gap Mills or Waiteville.

An Indentured Servant

William Bean was born 18 September 1792, we believe in Baltimore, Maryland. [Family lore leaves us to believe that, and a search through Baltimore Church records indicate a male child was baptized who was born on 18 September 1792, whose name was William Bean.]

At some point, William McBean [William's father], brought his wife, Sarah, and his oldest son, John, into the the Potts Valley area of Monroe County, Virginia [now West Virginia].

What happens next is unknown. William McBean disappears from history sometime before February 1804. It was then that Sarah places John Bean, her eldest son, into an indenture contract. [through the overseers for the county poor] where he was to be taught to be a weaver. [We'll discource on John another time.]

Just a few months later, on his 12th birthday, young William was also placed through the county poor for indenture. A copy of the contract is above.

A transcription of the document reads:

Dated 18 Sept. 1804

"This indenture made this 18th of Sept 1804 one thousand eight hundred and four between Jas. Christy owen Neal Robt Johnston and henry McDaniel of the one part overseers of the poor for monroe County and henry Smith of the other part witnesseth that the so overssers doth bind an orphan boy named William Bean aged twelfth years to the said henry Smith of the county aforesaid and State of virginia to Serve the said henry Smith until he arrives at the age of twenty one years, during all which time the Said William Bean Shall faithfully Serve his Master and all his lawful Commands obay he Sall not suffer any Damage to be done to his Said Masters goods without giving him notice thereof he Shall not frequent Still houses or taverns he shall not play at Cards dice or any unlawful game or at any time abscond himself from his masters business without his Masters leave he Shall not commit fornication nor Contract matrimony during said term but as a true and faithful servant shall truely and diligently Serve his Said Master until he arrives at the age aforesaid and the henry Smith in Consideration thereof doth Covenant and agree to have the so William Bean taught the art trade or Mastery of a Black Smith and provide for him a sufficiency of everyt thing thats requiset for an aprentice during the term of his aprenticeship likewise he is to have him taught to read the holy Scriptures planely to write a plane hand and arithmatic through te rule of three which Education he is to be thoroughly acquainted with at the Expiration of his time and also to give him Such freedom dues as the law direct taking Care to have Said aprentice instructed in the Principals and duties of the Christian religion as far as Said Master is Capable In writing whereof the partys have interchangeably set their hands inscribed this day and year above writen Signed Sealed ad delivered in the presents of - John Hinchman - Owen Neal - Henry Smith - Jas. Christy" [sic]

I have left the grammar exactly as the original was written. There are no paragraphical or line delineations. You will also note that punctuation is sporadic at best.

Young William was taught to be a blacksmith. It was a trade he did not use.

Instead,  9 years later on 20 Nov. 1813, he married the daughter of one of the county's most influential residents, Joseph Wiseman.He married Rachel, who was born in 1790.

By 1820 William had begun to have a collective amount of land that would net him a fortune [worth a couple of million dollars today]. He brought a suit against a Mr. Ballard in Monroe County [to whom he had been indentured], and won a large sum of money which enabled him to begin his climb to fortune. While the suit is named in Monroe County, records, no one, to date, has located the details of this suit. I have searched through the County Clerk's records for the time, and if the suit actually went to court, the records are not there to support it, although the date for hearing was set and is noted on the court calendar.

William led a full life. He and Rachel were married just 13 days shy of their 43rd wedding anniversary, when she succombed to a fever. [Their daughter Nancy had fallen from the same fever just 27 days earlier.] Rachel was buried in the family cemetery on Potts Creek, near present day Waiteville, WV.

William was 72 years old when he lead a posse of "home guard" to arrest some renegade's from the Civil War who had stolen items from various homes in the area [the latest being clothing from a washline]. As he was approaching a cabin in Wiseman's Hollow, one of the renegade's shot from the loft of the cabin. The bullet hitting William in the top of his head.

He was carried back to the Bean home on Potts Creek, and "layed out" in the parlor. He was buried the next day in the family cemetery beside his love, Rachel.

From the county poor, to one of the most wealthiest men in the county at the time, William Bean overcame and prospered.

When I hear individuals say that they are victims of their circumstance, I am compelled to them that we are all victims. But we must rise above that victim mentality to become victors.

What an example I have had to come before me.

William is but one of the examples from which I have shaped my life. The poor little boy, who was placed up for indenture on his 12th birthday. He was my great-great-grandfather.

Wordless Wednesday - December 23, 2009

L -> R: Pauline, Emmette and John Bean [about 1911]

Blacksheep Sunday - December 6, 2009

John Bean

(Aug. 1790 - Sep. 1872)

There is so very little that I can tell you about John Bean. And so, regardless if he was a "blacksheep" or not, I enter him here, if only for the reason that he remains elusive!

I know from his death record that John Bean was born in August of 1790 in Greenbrier County, West Virginia. It is presumed that he is a son of our infamous William McBean. In February of 1804, he was placed up for indenture in what is now Monroe County [at the time of his birth, this part of Monroe County, was still known as Greenbrier County].

From there, we do not find another mention of John Bean until his death is reported in September 1872 by his friend O. Bobbett. Cause of Death is listed as "Unknown". John is listed as "Single".

However, I believe he might have been married at one time. In the Greenbrier County records, [mistakenly indexed under "Beard", is a John Bean who married a Nancy McClung on May 26th, 1819. However, I cannot locate a death record for Nancy, so I am unsure when she might have died. If she pre-deceased John, it is possible he was a widower when he passed away, and his friend Bobbett mistakenly listed him as single.

Irregardless, John Bean remains elusive to my searches, and therefore, a 'Blacksheep' if for no other reason than his stubborn records remain hidden from my search!

Bean Family Reunion

Tomorrow is our Bean Family Reunion. This reunion is held every two years. And it only lasts for an afternoon.

But I'm hoping I can change things a bit.

Tomorrow I fully intend to petition for our reunion to be held for an entire weekend beginning with our 2011 event. Lasting from Friday afternoon through Sunday afternoon.

Our little reunion is held in the mountains of West Virginia. In the very rural county of Monroe [where there is literally not a single stoplight in the entire county!]. In the very tiny hamlet of Waiteville, where there is neither store nor post office.

This once bustling community was literally carved out of a tiny valley in Virginia. Peter's Mountain is the state line for as far as it runs, except for Waiteville. Waiteville at one time was reknown for its virgin timber and mineral ore. And then shortly after 1910 that all changed. The timber was cut out. The ore ran out. And the railroad, which had been used to haul out both, tore up its tracks and left. Up until the 1970's there was a single store which also housed the little post office. Today, these individuals have their mail delivered by the Union postal carrier. And either go into New Castle or Pearisburg, Virginia, or into Union, West Virginia for their groceries. [No late night trips to grab a snack!]

But it's from this tiny place in the mountains that my heritage is layed.

About 1790 came an Irishman who had served as a Loyalist in the American Revolution. He received several land grants. One rather strange grant was for a tract of land near Waiteville known as "Stoney Creek". This is a mountainous range of land that was literally carved through the mountains thousands of years ago by the swirling waters of the creek that continues to flow through. The steep, stony walls lining this valley [more like a passage!] makes one pause and wonder why anyone would want so much land here! Perhaps at that time trapping would have been good here? Who knows.

To this Irishman and his bride were born 2 sons. John and William. And then, suddenly in February of 1804, John is placed in indenture. His father is gone. We don't know if he died or what happened to him. The same year, in September, William is placed for indenture as well.

The next year, the mother is found on the personal property list as a widow. Amount owed is listed as "nothng atall". Under possession "just her clothes and spinning wheel". And then she disappears from history.

The following year, the property on Stoney Creek is sold for back taxes.

And then, in 1813, William is released from his indenture. He has reached the age of majority. Just 2 months after that release, he marries the daughter of a prominent family within the country. The following year they have their first child. And William begins to purchase property.

William brought a suit against the former owner of his indenture, and obtained a large financial settlement. Family legend states that there was actually a 3rd brother to John and William, and his name was Roy. He was younger than William. And shortly after the 1804 indenture, Roy ran away and was never heard from again. [I've not found any record to prove this however. Many others have also searched.]

With his new found gains, William purchased even more property. By 1836, when his last child [the 13th] was born, he was considered quite the gentleman farmer, and owned over 1600 acres of land in the valley.

It is the descendants of these 13 children who meet every two years in the very same valley.

We meet the last standing school house for this community. It was here that my Dad went to school as a young boy. Just 3 rooms and a kitchen. At one point it handled grades 1-12. In its last years of function, it handled grade school only.

Our hope is to "camp out" in this remote area for our weekend long reunion in 2011.

But tomorrow, we begin at 10 a.m. and last till about 5 or so.

Of my 5 children, I had hoped for 3 to arrive. One has already let me know, they won't be there. I still have hope for the other 2. My husband, a long-haul truck driver, is doing his best to get here. We still don't know if he'll make it or not.

One cousin was due to arrive today. She phoned to say she'd missed her flight by 24-hours. A date mix up.

Another cousin called, and has to work. Another, fell in her yard and literally broke her neck! [She'll recover, but it's going to take time!] And yet another is sick. Two have health problems and can't be here. And one has moved too great a distance away for him to be able to get here [financial constraints].

Still, we're hoping for a crowd of about 75.

I am so looking forward to tomorrow! Even knowing that not everyone can be here, I am so excited! It's like the eager anticipation of a child on Christmas Eve! I can hardly wait!!!

I'll let you all know how it goes!

Hedrick - Shepherd Reunion Attended

On Saturday, August 1st, Dad, Uncle Bill and I attended the annual Hedrick-Shepherd Reunion. This small family event takes place in the tiny community of Fort Spring, in Greenbrier County West Virginia. While our particular Bean family line does not extend directly into this familial group, we do share common ancestors. Samuel Perkins and Elizabeth Tuckwiller.

I had hoped to attend this event for years, but it seemed every year there was some kind of obstacle to prevent it. This year was just right.

We planned to arrive immediately after the noon meal was finished. Uncle Bill is 92, and the summer's heat was scorching. We didn't want to expose him too long to that.

The drive over from Dad's home to the Mount Vernon Methodist Church in Fort Spring was fascinating to say the least. I sat in the back seat and listened as Dad and Uncle Bill talked of the days when Uncle Bill was a young boy. [There's 20-years difference between Dad and his brother, Bill. They come from a rather large, extended family. My Grandpa Bean was born in 1866, the year following the Civil War's close. He didn't marry until he was 30. He and his first wife, Blanche, had 3 children. Sadly she died shortly after the birth of the 3rd child from tuberculosis. Left with 3 small children, Grandpa remarried. Ada and Grandpa had 9 children. Poor Ada wasn't given proper pre-natal care. She died from complications following the birth of the 9th child. Lastly, Grandpa married my grandmother, Mary. This wasn't until his children were all grown. He was already an old man of 69. Grandma was a spinster. She was 38 when they married in 1935. Two years later, when Grandpa was 71 and Grandma 40, they had their first child together. My Dad. They went on to have 2 more children between then and 1943. Yep, Grandpa was 76 when his last child was born.]

As we drove through the steep mountain road that lead from Ronceverte to Fort Spring, Uncle Bill told of how his older brothers and he used to haul wool from their farm in Union to the railroad depot in an old Model T truck through this very same trace. He recalled sitting on the wooden floorboards on the return home. His brothers sat on sacks stuffed with straw. He was teased when he would yell out because his posterior would get pinched between those floorboards as they creaked and gave with the rolling motion of the truck as they went around the curves in the road.

Mount Vernon Methodist Church is a site to see! As you approach it, it sits high on the hill, away from the road. The "old" cemetery at its back. The new cemetery sprawling out before it.

The church itself was started in 1846. My great-great-grandfather, Rev. Samuel Perkins, was instrumental in getting the church started, and was in fact its first minister, as well as having the distinction of being the first member to be buried in the cemetery there [in what is called the "old" cemetery now]. Born in 1778, he died in 1854. His wife, Elizabeth Tuckwiller Perkins [1779-1867] buried at his side.



The days festivities were being held behind the church, beside the "old" cemetery, under the picnic shelter. While Dad parked the car, I assisted Uncle Bill to walk to the shelter.

We were instantly greeted by one of the several correspondents I have had over the years from this family. She was quick to make us feel right at home, and above all else, welcome. We were introduced to a score of people, many of whom I feel I have known for a long time! Yet, too many for me to keep names and faces straight!

Following a short business meeting, this group held a silent auction to help raise funds for the annual reunion. I purchased a lovely framed quilt square. The quilt square was handmade more than 100 years ago. And the handmade chestnut frame was made from reclaimed lumber from an old tool shed that had stood on the property until January of this year. It's a lovely piece which now hangs in a place of honor in my living room. I also purchased a rough draft of Ralph Hedrick's "William G. Shepherd Family Story and Genealogy 1778 - 1970", which he later published. A true treasure!

We learned that the fence surrounding the old cemetery had been torn down by vandals in January of this year. They had also stolen boards from the old tool shed [from thus was the frame to my quilt piece made]. The individual responsible was finally apprehended and prosecution is in progress.

All in all, we didn't stay but a short 2-hours for the reunion. But it was an event I truly enjoyed!

Now... this Saturday [the 8th] we attend our own Bean Family Reunion! I can hardly wait!!!









Cyndi Beane Henry
Walter "Buster" Beane
William "Bill" Beane
Listening raptly to a speaker tell about the Hedrick-Shepherd family.

They Survived The Biggest Change In America

The 77th edition of the Carnival of Genealogy asks that we write about an ancestor who survived a disaster or other major occurrence in their life.

I have chosen to write about my great-grandparents, William and Margaret Bean, who lived in Monroe County, West Virginia.

At the time of the incidents I will be describing, West Virginia was just emerging as a new state, born from the beginnings of a civil war. The Bean family were Confederate to the core, especially the old patriarch, William Sr.

Born in 1792, his father is said to have fought under Lord Cornwallis in the American Revolution, and then he took the oath and became a full patriot. He received land grants in Virginia [now West Virginia] in what was then virgin territory. In 1804, William Sr. and his brother, John, being without a father [it is believed he must have died] were placed under indenture. William was to apprentice to become a blacksmith. The indenture is dated on his twelfth birthday.

But William, who came from indenture, married a good woman, and became a gentleman farmer. He purchased lands that totaled to more than 1600 acres in the county. He was tough, but he was fair. And the locals thought very highly of him.

When this part of the state split for lack of being able to choose "North" or "South", old William wasn't phased. He was Confederate through and through.

And so he thought, too, his sons. Especially William Jr.

But William, the younger, had other plans in mind.

William became a spy for the Union Army. And as such, he was actually enlisted into the Confederate Army with locals, a kind of 007 agent! He fought in several battles nearby. And then his unit began to march to distant areas to engage the enemy. And so it was on May 11, 1864 William was taken prisoner in Hagerstown, Maryland. He was shipped to the infamous prison at Elmira, New York.

William's family labeled him a traitor when they discovered he was working as a spy, and his own father threatened to disown him, saying he'd switched sides! But William's wife, Margaret, knew this was all a ruse on William's part. She packed up what household items she'd need with three small children, ranging in ages from seven years old to only 2 years of age, into a covered wagon. She hitched a team of oxen to the wagon, and took off, across enemy lines, completely across the state of West Virginia into Ohio. She stopped near present day Johnston's Island. She didn't have long to wait.

On September 2nd William was sent to Johnston's Island. Here was the Union Prison for Confederate Officers. William spent the remainder of the war at this post. It is believed that he helped to halt a breakout planned by the Confederacy, who had sent a ship up the river to liberate the prisoners held there.

William's official records were sealed under orders of President Abraham Lincoln on April 10, 1865. This is just ONE DAY after Lee's surrender at Appomattox, and only 4 days before Lincoln was assassinated.

William and Margaret moved down to Cincinnati, where on December 15, 1866 their next child was born. John Monroe Bean. John was my grandfather.

Later that very same winter [1866-1867] they moved back to West Virginia. It is said that they very nearly froze to death in freak blizzards coming back. In a family of fairly tall and robust men, John was only 5'7" tall, and weighed a mere 150 pounds. He always stated that the winter he was born the family near froze to death on their move back to West Virginia, and it "stunted my growth".

I never knew William and Margaret. William later became a US Marshall and was shot to death not far from his home in 1890 at the age of 58. A scant year later Margaret succumbed to grief and died at the age of 65.

And John? Sadly, I never got to know my Grandpa either. John was an old man before he even started his family. My Dad was the thirteenth of fifteen children John fathered. John was 71 when Dad came along. Dad got the best of John, though, I believe! As an older man, he had time to sit and talk about the past and his family. Dad would listen with open mind, and open heart. To this day, I can sit for hours and listen to Dad tell me the stories of his own father, and the family history that was passed down to him.

John passed away in 1954 at 87 and one-half years of age. That was a few [very few] years before I came along. However, I like to think that I am keeping the memory of William, and Margaret, and John, and the many, many more that I study and learn about, alive. They live in my mind as brightly and as lively as they once did in person.

When I visit the cemetery, I am often found talking to them. Oh, I get some funny looks from people sometimes. And once, I even had a lady ask me outright if I was alright or should she call someone! [I quickly said I was fine, and "no, there's no need to call anyone", then skedaddled away before she DID call someone. Someone with a little white coat and padded cell maybe! Ha ha]

I believe they know I am keeping their memories alive. And I like to think that from their home in heaven they look down and smile.

At least, I truly hope so!