Lucy E. Beach
Wife of Dr. William Morrow Beach, deceased, is the daughter of James and Eleanor Smith Wilson and was born March 28, 1844. She has lived all of her life in the vicinity of London, Ohio.
She comes from the hardy, pioneer agriculturalists and stockmen of Madison county, who were far-seeing enough to acquire much of the fertile lands of this county and from whom she inherits her taste and love for the farm and farming. She owns and successfully manages her farm of more than 1,300 acres. She was educated at Esther Institute, Columbus, Ohio, which had upon its rolls many of the social leaders of the city and state, and she was also a student at the old Methodist Female 5eminary in Springfield, Ohio.
In 1895, when Ohio women were for the first time voted for as members of school boards, she was elected member of the Board of Education of Deercreek township, was twice re-elected, serving in this capacity for nine years and as president of the board for six years.
She was an active member of the woman’s club of London for fourteen years and has served as its president.
As a member of the executive board of the Farmers’ Institute she was for several years a valued helper in contributing to the success of the institutes.
She is a member of the county board of visitors for the charity and corrective institutions.
Mrs. Beach is an enthusiastic member of the Woman’s Elective Franchise Association, having been one of its charter members and for three years its president.
She was a state delegate to the convention of the National American Woman Suffrage Association whicn was held in June, 1905, in Portland, Oregon.
In 1895 she was honored in being commissioned by William McKinley, then governor of the state, as a delegate to the Atlanta, Ga., Exposition, at which time she also represented the Woman’s Club, of London, as delegate to the convention of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs.
Mrs. Beach has one daughter, Mary. the wife of E. E. Cole, well-known in this county.
For many years Mrs. Beach has resided in her beautiful country home "The Cedars," three miles from London, where she has extended most generous hospitality to her friends and fellow club women in numerous delightful social functions. She has proven that a woman can be interested in public affairs, can be a successful business manager and an efficient home-keeper, dispensing gracious welcome to her guests, and her own presence warmly greeted everywhere. She is one in whom unite many splendid varied talents and who easily may be classed as one of our county’s highly esteemed and broad- minded citizens.
From Madison Democrat 50th Anniversary - Published by the Madison Democrat, 1908