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Below is a family biography included in History of Union County, Iowa published by S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., in 1908.  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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SCHUYLER MONROE BEEBE.
When the call to arms sounded and the nation became involved in one of the greatest civil wars of all history, men from every walk of life flocked to the standard of the nation. They came from the workshops, the fields, the counting-houses and the offices, all actuated by one common purpose of preserving the Union intact. Among the number who donned the blue uniform and bravely met the hardships of war on southern battlefields was numbered Schuyler Monroe Beebe, who is now living retired in Creston, and in days of peace he has been as loyal to his country as when he followed the stars and stripes through the territory claimed by the Confederacy.

Mr. Beebe was born in Brookfield, Oneida county, New York, March 25, 1832, his parents being Lorenzo D. and Elzina (Beebe) Beebe, both of whom were natives of the Empire state and spent their last days in Michigan. The family is noted for longevity, the father reaching the very venerable age of ninety-six years, and the mother was ninety-three years of age at the time of her death. Their son, Schuyler, spent his boyhood days in New York to the age of seventeen years and then accompanied his parents on their removal to Michigan. Soon after attaining his majority he returned to his native state, where he lived for three years, and then went to Illinois with the family, working there at the carpenter’s trade until 1860. He then again became a resident of Michigan, where he was living when, on the 18th of July, 1862, he responded to his country’s call for aid, enlisting as a member of Company H, Fourth Michigan Cavalry.

Mr. Beebe joined the army as a private and immediately went to the front. The first battle in which he participated was at Perryville, Kentucky, and subsequently he followed Bragg for one month, the regiment proceeding as far as Wildcat. Later came the battle of Stone River and he also participated in the nine days’ trip to Newmarket and over the Mammoth Cave the Union troops engaged the forces under Morgan. Subsequently they started for Nashville. Mr. Beebe was on detail duty and also served as a scout. He carried to Nashville the first dispatch received there by the Union troops in five months. In December the command started for Murfreesboro, where the three days’ battle was fought, and in the second day of the engagement Mr. Beebe was wounded by two gunshots, one in the arm above and one below the elbow. He was also captured and taken prisoner and in southern prison pens endured all of the hardships that it was possible for any human being to endure. At length he was exchanged and sent to Camp Chase, a parole camp in Ohio, whence he returned home. Subsequently he reported at Detroit and from there was discharged because of disability. Four years later, after several operations had been performed on his arm in an attempt to remove broken bones, he had the right arm amputated. This was in 1866. Mr. Beebe thus made a great sacrifice for his country, which now compensates him in part by a pension of fifty-five dollars per month.

In 1870 Mr. Beebe removed to Altona, Illinois, where he engaged at such work as he could do, and in 1882 he came to Iowa, where he followed farming. Six years ago, however, he removed to Creston, where he is now living retired.

In 1857 Mr. Beebe was married at Ottawa, Illinois, to Miss Mary E. Karr, who was born at Wolcott, Wayne County, New York, June 17, 1840, a daughter of John and Martha (Firkins) Karr. The parents were both natives of the Empire state and the father, who was a farmer by occupation, died in Michigan, at the age of seventy-eight years, while the mother died in Illinois, at the age of seventy-five. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Beebe have been born six children: Alzina, the wife of Norman Day, of Bloomfield, Missouri; Cornelia N., the wife of Sidney Day, of Creston, Iowa; Frank M., who wedded Cora MceKeen and is a grocery clerk at Creston; George A., who married Jessie Snyder and is a merchant of Peoria, Illinois; Mary L., the wife of Booth Steel, of Nevinville, Iowa; and Charles A., who married Eva Foster and is a postal clerk on the Great Western Railroad between Oelwein, Iowa, and Kansas City, Missouri, residing, however, in the former place. Mr. and Mrs. Beebe now have twenty-four grandchildren.

For fifty-six years they have been devoted and faithful members of the Methodist Episcopal church and in the community where they reside they have many warm friends. Mr. Beebe belongs to Potter Post, No. 440, G. A. R., at Creston, and his wife to the Union Belief Corps. He votes with the republican party, which was the defense of the Union in the Civil war and has always been the party of progress, reform and advancement. Both Mr. and Mrs. Beebe have a wide acquaintance in Creston and Union county and have a circle of friends that is almost co-extensive.

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This family biography is one of 247 biographies included in The History of Union County, Iowa published in 1908.  For the complete description, click here: Union County, Iowa History and Genealogy

View additional Union County, Iowa family biographies: Union County, Iowa Biographies

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