Nathan BEADLES

Pioneer-Tailor-Merchant-Capitalist

Origins

• born 26 Aug 1811 Danville, Mercer Co, KY
• youngest child of Sarah ADAMS and Rice BEADLES [more about Rice and Sarah's family]

Occupations

• apprenticed as a tailor in Danville, KY
• came to Fulton County, Illinois as early as 1829
• probably first tailor in Fulton Co.
• opened tailor ship in hewn log house on his property in Lewistown
• replaced log home with large brick residence [now the site of the post office]
  • 1890 history, "The lawns around (the house) are tastily laid out, and adorned with many beautiful rose bushes and other shrubbery and flowering plants in profusion"
• probably worked as a tailor until about 1837 when he opened a mercantile business
• 1860 census of Lewistown listed as merchant claimed $32,600 of real estate and $26,000 of personal property, a sizable sum for the time.
• later termed himself a capitalist

Beadles Block

• In 1876, helped build part of downtown Lewistown business section
• three story brick building reportedly cost $40,000
• "BEADLES block" are inscribed on the building, along with bust of William Shakespeare
• a large auditorium with a stage which was called Beadles Hall
• held law office of Hardin Masters, father of Edgar Lee Masters, author of Spoon River Anthology.

Politics

• supporter of Martin VanBuren's campaign for President
• Democrat

Wives

• marriage in 1835, Lamira SMITH, a native of Barren Co., KY
  performed at a camp meeting on the banks of Spoon River, near Bernadotte, IL.
• Lamira died in 1842
• marriage in 1846 in Barren Co., KY, Luan LEEPER

Land Owner

• 1836-1848, bought 851 acres in Lee, Lewistown, Liverpool, and Pleasant Twps, Fulton Co., and El Dorado Twp, McDonough Co., IL
• "large" possessions in Chicago in 1890

Aunt Jenny

• had a black "mammy" called "Aunt Jenny" from KY
• her name was Virginia Ketching - she died two years before Nathan
• grave is in Oak Hill Cemetery west of Nathan's

George Proctor describes Nathan

• small, rather sharp featured, gray haired man.
• keen business man - few could take advantage of him in a business deal

Beadles family

• 1837-1841 he signed guardianship papers for his nieces and nephew
• 1880, two of his nieces were living with him
• willed much of his estate to his nieces and nephews

Methodist Church

• joined the Methodist church in 1868.
• built the Methodist Church and parsonage
• willed the church stewards a substantial amount of money
• stained glass windows in the vestibule bears his name

Posterity

• died in 1892 at age 81
• buried in Lewistown's Oak Hill Cemetery
• plot contains the graves of Nathan, two wives, his sister Mary, her husband William RANDALL
• surrounded by a wrought iron fence
  • large (about 6 feet tall) white marble arch
  • One side depicts a chariot ascending through clouds into Heaven=
  • other shows a beautiful wreath of flowers
• basis for Master's sketch Nicholas Bindle in the Spoon River Anthology

References

• Atlas Map of Fulton Co., IL. 1871. Andreas Lyter and Co.
• Fulton Democrat Newspaper, Lewistown, IL
• Illinois Public Land Sales Database
• Marriage Records Fulton Co, IL and Barren Co, KY
• Portrait and Biographical Album of Fulton Co., IL. 1890.
• Probate Records, Fulton Co, IL
• Spoon River Anthology. Annotated Edition by John E. Hallwas. 1992.

[Fulton County Home Page - Spoon River Anthology]

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