Look who I've overlooked, in writing about Beeks family ancestors! I think I am nervous about writing about him because there are still people alive (two granddaughters) who knew him. I hope that what I write is correct. At least, it's what the records seem to show.
John was born February 3, 1867 in Lagro, Indiana (possibly Lagro township and not the town itself) to William and Mary Wise Beeks. William had returned from the Civil War in late 1865 and his marriage to Mary was just four years old at the time. William was one of at least seven and perhaps as many as ten children, although it's possible that some of those who were older than he was are John's half siblings, or perhaps they even belong to a different William Beeks. I haven't figured that part out yet.
John lived in Lagro until sometime between 1900 and 1910. He married Elizabeth Wise, daughter of David and Matilda Martin Wise, April 22, 1890, and they lived in Lagro as their three children were born. At the time, John was a railroad laborer but later he was a section man for the interurban system. As such, he was responsible for the upkeep of the tracks, and was awarded a prize for the best kept track section in a surprise inspection. Some of his most exciting days were spent trying to keep the tracks open during floods, especially the flood of 1913, which was one of the worst the area had seen.
By 1910, he and Elizabeth and were renting a home on North Jackson Street in Andrews, and besides their three children, a boarder was also living with them. John continued working but World War I was surely on his mind as both of his sons went off to Europe. Well, actually Chester went to Europe and Wilbur was sent to northern Russia, but that was the subject of a previous blog. By 1920 he had moved to Main Street in Andrews. Two of the "children', now in their 20s, lived with him as well as Elizabeth's (she was referred to as Lizzie) father, David Wise. By now, David was 83 years old and needed care, but so did Elizabeth. Sadly, she died of tuberculosis September 5, 1922. John was a widower at age 55.
John remarried in 1928 to Winifred Knight Rowland. Her first husband had died in 1904 and it appears there may have been another brief marriage to a man by the name of Gwinn. If so, it must have ended in divorce because a child died at the Fort Wayne State School, and the mother had a different name. At any rate, John and Winifred married. They lived in Huntington, Indiana in 1930, and in 1940 they were at 1324 East Market St. John in 1940 stated that he had had no income in 1939. He should have been eligible for Social Security so I'm not sure what his situation was. The 1940 census also tells us that he had a sixth grade education. Possibly he left school to bring income into the family.
It looks like Winifred died in 1943 in Dayton, Ohio. I am not sure why she was there. Was she hospitalized there, or taken ill while traveling or visiting someone? At any rate, she was buried with her first husband in Van Buren, Indiana.
John died October 16. 1946. at the home of Wilbur and Cleo Beeks, just as his wife Elizabeth and her father, David had done. He died of heart and kidney disease. He is buried with his first wife at Riverside Cemetery in Andrews, although there is no stone there to mark his plot.
Fun fact: Apparently John was a euchre player, as his name is mentioned several times in the newspapers of the 1920s. Elizabeth had played, also.
The line of descent is:
John Beeks-Elizabeth Wise
Wilbur Beeks-Cleo Aldridge
Mary Beeks-Cleveland Harshbarger
Their descendants
