Mr. Beach's parents were Pennsylvania Germans. They came by the Ohio
river to Cairo, and then up the Mississippi to St. Louis. They then came up the
Illinois river to Peru. Here Mr. Beach was born, ninety-two years ago.
When Mr. Beach was a boy he lived in a house made of huge timbers, covered with
rough, unpainted clapboards. The upper story, or the top part of the house,
projected, so in case of Indian attacks the pioneers could fire down upon their
faces and give them a fright they would remember.
One day when he and
some other boys were out in the schoolyard of Peru playine: marbles, a man came
up and said. "Pretty good players, I see."
The boys did not say any
thing.
"I've been looking for a couple of boys to drop corn," he said.
"Do you know where I could get someone?"
"I know where you can get one,"
said Mr. Beach.
"Where?" said the man.
"I for one, and I think I
know where I can get another."
"Good." said he.
Mr. Beach ran
over to a friend's house to see if he would go. His companion said he would go.
They all three went to Granville on horseback. They only had one horse,
so they had to take turns walking and riding.
When the boys began to
work in the cornfield. Mr. Beach's friend lasted until ten o'clock the next
morning. He then started for his home in Peru.
They had four droppers
and four coverers in the cornfield at this time. In twelve days they planted one
hundred acres.
When Mr. Beach was going home the man gave him six
dollars, or fifty cents a day, which the boy thought was great pay at that time.
When Mr. Beach was twenty-one years of age he enlisted for the Civil
war.
He was taken a prisoner in Tennessee, but paroled to Vicksburg,
Miss. He still has the parole, signed by General Jackson and General Armstrong.
At Vicksburg they had to kill mules to eat. Hardtack was another kind of
food. They were large crackers. One hardtack lasted each soldier about eight
days. They had plenty of coffee and bacon.
The seige of Vicksburg lasted
forty-seven days.
After the Civil war Mr. Beach came back to Lostant.
John Richie laid out the plans for Lostant in 1862. It was only eight
blocks at that time, but has been added to every year.
There were few
houses at that time. They were made of clapboards.
Mr. Beach now lives
in Lostant. He is very lively for a man of his age. We should appreciate this
man very much because he helped rid this country of the terrible evil of
slavery.
Extracted 06 Jun 2015 by Norma Hass from Stories of Pioneer Days in La Salle County, Illinois, by Grammar Grade Pupils, published in 1932, page 79.
Extracted 08 Nov 2018 by Norma Hass from Stories of Pioneer Days in La Salle County, Illinois, by Grammar Grade Pupils, published in 1932, page 83.
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