Kansas Family History

BEAMAN Family History

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Moses Beaman

Moses and Susan Swena Beaman family

Moses Beaman settled near the Santa Fe Trail on the middle branch of Appanoose Creek in 1857. (Andreas, p.602) He was then 45 years old. He pre-empted a claim for the southeast corner of Section 13, Township 15, Range 17--land which was later included in Appanoose Township and which now borders Franklin County.

Moses was born July 7, 1812 in Connecticut. He married Susan Swena, daughter of Benjamin and Polly Ball Swena, on August 29, 1837, in Crawford County, Pennsylvania. Susan was born in Crawford County, Pennsylvania, May 12, 1818. The couple moved to Ogle County, Illinois about 1838. In 1849, Moses left his family in Illinois and sailed "around the Horn" to participate in the Gold Rush in California. Moses' family was listed in the 1850 census for Buffalo Township, Ogle County, Illinois, but he was absent.

On October 21, 1864, at the age of 52, Moses Beaman participated in the Battle of Big Blue. He was listed in the 1865 state census for Marion Township, Douglas County, (p.27). He was also listed in the voter registration for Marion Township for May 18, 1867.

Frank Eaton, in his autobiography PISTOL PETE, portrayed Moses Beaman as the leader of a group of vigilantes made up of former Union men who banded together to oppose a "lawless element" in the area. In 1952, Frank Eaton referred to Moses Beaman as "the man who learned me how to shoot." In his book, Mr. Eaton explained that when Mr. Eaton's father was murdered in 1868, Moses Beaman helped with the father's burial. Then, Moses gave the eight-year old Frank Eaton a navy cap-and-ball revolver and taught him how to mold bullets.

   Moses and Susan Beaman had at least four children:
   (1)  Mary R. Beaman, born in Illinois, October 2, 1838; married about
        1866 to Arthur West Gilbert; died May 16, 1875.
           i.    Mary M. Gilbert, born and died, 1867.
           ii.   Arthur West Gilbert, Jr., b. August 1, 1868.
   (2)  Susan Annette Beaman, born Grand DeTour, Ogle County, Illinois,
        November 24, 1841; married in Clinton, Douglas County, KS,
        June 28, 1861, to Thomas Henry Tutcher; died June 7, 1925,
        Overbrook, Osage County, KS; buried Appanoose Cemetery.
           i.    Lillian Nancy Tutcher, married Frederick William
                 Vincent.
           ii .  Annette Susan Tutcher, married (1) Wallace Wesley Dial
                                                (2) Andrew Frederick Stark
           iii.  Moses Tutcher, born and died, 1866.
           iv .  Thomas Moses Tutcher, married Eva Elvira Barnhart.
            v .  Benjamin Arthur Tutcher, married Anna Mary Byerley.
           vi .  Albert Edward Tutcher, married Jessie Fisher. 
          vii .  Wallace Henry Tutcher, married Laura May Boyles.
   (3)  Caroline Millie Beaman, born Ogle County, IL, June 3, 1845;
        married March 15, 1866, Lawrence, Douglas County, KS, George
        Washington Knight; died September 4, 1874; buried Appanoose
        Cemetery.
           i.    Susan E. Knight married John Franklin Smith
           ii.   Mary A. Knight, b. Jan., 1868.
           iii.  Moses A. Knight, b. 19 Jun 1871
   (4)  Arthur Flavel Beaman, born Buffalo Township, Ogle County, IL,
        June 21, 1847; died there October 14, 1848.

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