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Below is a family biography included in Portrait and Biographical Record of Seneca and Schuyler Counties, New York published by Chapman Publishing Co., in 1895.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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WILLIAM H. BEACH, M. D., has for twenty-five years been practicing his profession in the village of Catharine, for twenty years has been Postmaster, and for twenty-two years has carried on a mercantile trade. He was born in the village of Danby, Tompkins County, N. Y., March 10, 1841, and is a son of David and Rebecca (Summerton) Beach, both of whom are natives of the state of New York, the latter of Genesee County. The Beach family is of English origin and of Puritan stock, the first of the name coming to America in the early part of the seventeenth century, and locating in Connecticut, where Isaac Beach, the grandfather of our subject, was born.

The subject of this sketch spent his boyhood days on his father’s farm and secured his primary education in the district schools, after which he spent one year in the academy at Spencer, one year in Watkins Academy, and two years in the academy at Ithaca. At the age of twenty-one he commenced the study of medicine with Dr. Solon P. Sackett, of Ithaca, where he remained three years; then attended the medical department of the University of New York for one year, after which he was graduated from the Geneva Medical College. While in the university he took a special course in the hospitals of the city, and received special instructions in surgery under Dr. Valentine Mott, one of the most distinguished surgeons that this country has ever produced. While pursuing his studies Dr. Beach taught a number of terms of school in his own county.

In the spring of 1866 Dr. Beach commenced the practice of his profession at Logan, N. Y., where he remained four years, meeting with good success; but believing that there was a better opening for him at Catharine, he removed to this village in 1870, and here has since continued to reside. He has been eminently successful in his profession, as well as in other lines of business in which he has been engaged, and for some years has owned a small farm, to which he has given his personal attention. For ten years he has been a Notary Public, and has also served one term as County Coroner. In politics he has always been a thorough and consistent Republican. He is greatly interested in the political questions of the day, and believes it to be the duty of every citizen to faithfully discharge his duties as such by attending the conventions and seeking the nomination of good men, and also in voting at every election. Fraternally the Doctor has been a member of the Masonic order for twenty years, being a member of Myrtle Lodge No. 131, F. & A. M. Religiously he is a member of St. John’s Episcopal Church of Catharine, and in the work of the church has shown great interest, having filled all the offices in the same. Mrs. Beach is also a member of the church.

On the 20th of November, 1863, Dr. Beach was united in marriage with Miss Olive A. Vickery, who was born in Ithaca, and who is the daughter of Ebenezer and Eliza (Roper) Vickery, the former a native of New Hampshire, and the latter of New York. Our subject’s only son, Edwin L., is deceased.

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This family biography is one of the numerous biographies included in Portrait and Biographical Record of Seneca and Schuyler Counties, New York published in 1895. 

View additional Schuyler County, New York family biographies here: Schuyler County, New York Biographies

View a map of 1897 Schuyler County, New York here: Schuyler County, New York Map

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