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1900 Whiteside Bios > William A Beswick

Source: Biographical Record of Whiteside County, IL 1900

Transcribed by Denise McLoughlin
Tampico Area Historical Society
http://www.tampicohistoricalsociety.citymax.com
Page 43

WILLIAM A. BESWICK is one of the most prominent and influential citizens of Clyde township, where he owns a valuable and highly improved farm on section 29, 30, and 31. There he was born January 1, 1850, a son of Richard and Hannah (KNIGHT) BESWICK. The father was a native of Scarboro, Yorkshire, England, and a son of George and Elizabeth (NAGGS) BESWICK, old time yeomanry or farming people of that country, who came to Canada, settling near Toronto Bay. After a short time there they came to the United States in 1838, coming direct to Whiteside county and locating on the farm where our subject now resides. In their family were six children who reached years of maturity. Richard BESWICK was nineteen years of age when he crossed the Atlantic with his parents to Canada, having previously been educated in the schools of his native land. Shortly after his arrival he married Miss Sarah PATRICK, by whom he had two children: Belinda, who married Richard TRYE and died in Union county, South Dakota, in the spring of 1899, leaving two children: and George, who died unmarried at Camp Rollo, Missouri, while a soldier in the Union army.

 

Mr. BESWICK made his home with his parents near Toronto, Canada, until 1838, when he came to Whiteside county, Illinois, and took up one hundred and twenty acres of government land in Clyde township, to the improvement and cultivation of which he at once turned his attention. Shortly after locating here, his house was destroyed by fire in the night and he was forced to erect another. He hauled his first load of wheat to market in Chicago, and he and his family endured all the hardships and privations incident to pioneer life. He continued to reside upon his farm until his death, at which time he owned three hundred and twenty acres of land in Clyde township. Mrs. BESWICK died about 1844, and March 24, 1849, Mr. BESWICK was again married, his second union being with Mrs. Hannah E. (KNIGHT) HUMPHREY, widow of Alvaro HUMPHREY, by whom she had two children, but one died in infancy, the other being George, now a resident of Clinton, Iowa. William A., our subject, is the oldest of the five children born of the second marriage; Thomas L., deceased, married Sarah MILLARD, who with her eight children resides in Clyde township; Elizabeth is the wife of William MILNES, and they now reside near Chariton, Iowa. The mother was born daughter of George and Lydia (DUNCAN) KNIGHT. Her father was a fisherman in Maine, but after his removal to Licking county, Ohio, he followed farming. He resided there for a few years and then came to Whiteside county, Illinois, spending his last days in Fulton township, where his death occurred February 12.1866. The father of our subject died July 7, 1884, the mother January 26, 1895. Both were sincere Christian people, the former a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, while the latter was a Presbyterian in religious belief. He cast his ballot with the Democratic party, and was honored with several local offices, having served as school director, road commissioner for a number of years, and supervisor for fourteen consecutive years.

 

Our subject attended the winter terms of school in Clyde township until twenty years of age and thus acquired a good practice education. After attaining his majority, he rented a farm from his brother-in-law for four years, and then bought twenty acres of timberland, After his marriage he purchased the eighty-acre tract which he had previously rented, and also operated three hundred and twenty acres of his father's land. To his first purchase he has added front me to time until he now has three hundred and forty-two acres in one body. He now has one of the finest country homes in this county, the improvements alone being worth ten thousand dollars, not including the value of the land. Although he is engaged in the dairy business, and for that purpose generally keeps almost forty cows.

 

On the 1st of January, 1873, Mr. BESWICK was united in marriage with Miss Mary M. WOOD, who was born in this county, April 22, 1854, a daughter of Frederick and Sarah (MILNES) WOOD. Her father was a native of Yorkshire, England, as was also his father, Joseph WOOD, who on coming to the new world first settled in New York state but after a short time spent there came to Whiteside county, Illinois, at an early day Frederick WOOD emigrated to America previous to his father and also spent a short time in New York, after which he came to this count, and located in Clyde township. He and his wife are still living and now make their home in Morrison. Her father, Thomas MILNES, was also a native of England,and she was born shortly after the emigration of the family to America. He made his home in Lowell, Massachusetts, and died while returning east after a visit in this county. Mr. WOOD is a supporter of the republican party, and his wife holds membership in the Episcopal church. To them were born nine children, namely; Mary M., wife of our subject; Joseph, a farmer of Clyde township, who married Becky KING and has two children; Thomas, who died in fancy; Thomas, of Clyde township, who married Margaret MASON and has two children; Sarah, wife of Charles KENNEDY, of Clyde township, by whom she has one child; George, who is engaged in the milling business in Montana; William H., a farmer of Montana, who married Clara _______ and has one child; Susan, wife of Robert COCHRAN, of Morrison; an Edith, wife of Pierre JACKSON, of Morrison.

 

Mr. and Mrs. BESWICK have a family of seven children: Elmer, born November 24, 1876, is engaged in farming with his mother's brothers in Montana; Lorenzo, born February 14, 1878, assists his father in the operation of the home farm Sarah, born August 26, 1879, is the wife of Bert BURCH, of Union Grove township; Richard F., born October 10, 1881, is at home; Hannah, born June 21, 1883, and Harold, born September 7, 1886, are both attending the Morrison high school; and Alvaro, born February 12, 1888, is attending the home school.

 

Mr. BESWICK is a director of the Mount Pleasant Mutual Fire Insurance Company, and is a member of Henderson camp, No. 13, M. W. A., of Morrison, and the Knights of the Globe, while he and his wife belong to the Royal Neighbors and she holds membership in the episcopal church. In his political views he is a stanch Democrat, and he has been honored with a number of offices, having served as collector and road commissioner three years each. He is now filling the office of supervisor for a third term, and is chairman of the miscellaneous committee and is on the committee on ferries and toil bridges. He has also been a member of two special bridge committees on two different occasions and was instrumental in building a number of iron bridges in the county. He is public-spirited and progressive and willingly gives his support to every enterprise which he believes will prove of public benefit, and is therefore numbered among the valued citizens of his community.

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