John H. Beem
John H. Beem, one of Mt. Pleasant Township 's substantial and self-made men, resides on his well cultivated fann of 104 acres, which he purchased in 1899. He was born near St. Clairsville, Belmont County. O., April 14, 1862, and is a son of Washington and Amanda (Booker) Beem.
Washington Beem is a resident of Belmont County, where he was born in 1823, and his life has been spent amidst his early surroundings. He married Amanda Booker, who was born at Louisville, Ky., and taken by her parents to Belmont County, where her death occurred in 1909, at the age of seventy-six years. To Washington Beem and wife were born two sons and five daughters: Julia, who is the wife of John Paseo, who lives one mile from Mt. Pleasant in Jefferson County; Maggie, who is the wife of William Patterson, of Belmont County; Minnie, who is the wife of Harvey Tunk, of Mt. Pleasant; Ollie, who is the wife of Commodore Wilkes, and takes care of her aged father; Amanda, who died when aged fourteen years; Joseph, farmer in Belmont County, who married Elizabeth Radcliff; and John H., of Mt. Pleasant Township.
John H. Beem attended the common schools near his home in Belmont County and ever since boyhood has been engaged in farm work. When he first came to Jefferson County he rented a farm on Scott's Ridge, where he remained for five years, and then moved to the Radcliff farm, now owned by Charles Gerke. and operated it for three years, lie also lived some time on the Samuel Tomlinson farm. In 1899 he purchased his present farm in Mt. Pleasant Township and has made it a very valuable property. He carries on general farming and stock raising and the thoroughness of his methods are shown in his plentiful crops and his herds and flocks.
Mr. Beem married Miss Elizabeth Zeher, of JetTerson County, and they have three children: Ethel, a young lady of twenty-one; Ella, wlio is eighteen, and Catherine M., eleven years old, all modest, well informed and capable, fit for any society or for any demands that life may make upon them. Mr. Beem, his wife and the two older daughters are members of the Presbyterian Church. In politics he is a Democrat. For a number of years he has been identified with the local grange, which numbers as members the most intelligent class of farmers in every community.
From 20th Century History of Steubenville and Jefferson County, Ohio, by Joseph B. Doyle. Richmond-Arnold Publishing Co., Chicago, 1910