Elizabeth Beeman (daughter of Orman Beaman and Telitha White) was born 11 Dec 1818, and died 27 Sep 1901 in Virden, Il. She married John Lewis Morrell on 04 Feb 1837 in Virden, Il.
Notes for Elizabeth Beeman: The Virden Reporter Friday, October 4, 1901
THE LAST PIONEER
Mrs. Elizabeth Morrell Called to Her New Home
Died at her home in Virden, Friday, September 27, 1901, at 12:13 a. m., Mrs. Elizabeth B. Morrell, aged 82 years, 9 months and 16 days. The funeral service was held in the Baptist church Sunday , September 29 at 2:30 p.m., conducted by Rev. B. F. Duncan and assisted by Rev. W. L. Tarbet and Rev. T. B. Smith. The body was laid to rest in Virden cemetery.
In 1820 in what was then a part of Madison county, afterward Greene and is now Jersey county, in Illinois, there stood a modest little home. Dow is the name of the post office today. Man had but the summer before entered the virgin forest with his little family and at that time the small fields before and around the little home, dotted with the monumental stumps of the kingly forest, were beginning to give promise of abundant yield for zealous toil. It was a place of residence common in those days, for it must be remembered that this vast prairie state was an infant only two years old. Twenty-three years before Fort Dearborn had been erected on the site of Chicago. The first steamboat had been launched only thirteen years before, and only nine years before were the waters of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers first disturbed by the steamer’s paddle wheels. The steamers on the lakes had been put in service just the year before, 1819. Railroads had not been projected. Such were the conditions of our rapid modes of transportation at the time of visiting this home.
The master of that home – Orman Beeman – was a typical pioneer, fighting in a wilderness, his noble wife Talitha doing her part. This pioneer was also a pioneer ranger doing duty for the government when the Indians became troublesome. Another of the family, a bright, blue-eyed, golden-haired girl an year and a half old, was Elizabeth, who years afterward became so well known and well loved in Virden. It was just two weeks before Christmas in 1818 that this bright –eyed little darling had come in the pioneer’s home on the banks of Wood river in Madison county. She was the eldest daughter, and the merry childhood laughter continued to cheer the lonesome mother and as years passed on a willing helper developed with her girlhood.
Elizabeth continued to grow in strength and beauty. As other children were born in the family she took the care of from her mother’s hands, and the beautiful voice of the lovely girl mingled with the accompaniment of the feathered songsters of the forest and field. Seventeen years had passed when there came from the far-away state of Maine a tall, handsome young man, with black hair, brown eyes – a sturdy herculean pioneer who stood six feet one in stockings. This young man two years later became the husband of Elizabeth Beeman; his name was John L. Morrell. The marriage was performed by Joseph Piggott, February 4, 1837, the same year in which Martin Van Buren was inaugurated president and Queen Victoria began her reign.
Mr. and Mrs. Morrell settled near Otter creek, where as her parents had done before, they began to make of the wilderness a paradise. John was her husband and his wishes were his wishes. She had become a Methodist in early life at one of those old time camp meetings, and her husband was a Quaker, having for his life motto: “Equity and justice to all, whether black or white.” The fugitive slave received his support and the slender blond wife saw too in the descendent of Ham the hardiwork of God. They were auxiliaries in the “under-ground railroad” – a system of relays in which the pioneer’s horse stood ready to carry to the next sympathizer the fleeing slave. “Old Dolly,” owned by Mr. Morrell, whose death was mentioned in THE REPORTER about a year ago, was a descendent of “Old Betty” a horse that had many time been used by fugitive slaves.
In the pioneer days when travel was slow, when all that was done for the pleasure and needs of the family had to be done by the household, little time could be given to education. This young wife was unable to read when she gave the solemn vows to her husband for life, but of evening by the pine knot with her husband for a teacher she began to spell words from the newspaper which occasionally fell into their hands. Years of frugal toll increased their worldly possessions. Their little home was gladdened by the prattle of children. The spinning, weaving and sewing, together with the household duties took up the young mother’s time, still she toiled on for these she loved. There was no sewing machine, for not until 1846 did Howe invent the machine with the moving shuttle.
This young family moved to the prairie near Virden, October 29,1851, a year after the first watch was made in America at Boston, and the same year in which a sub-marine cable was laid from Dover to Calais. The telegraph was but seven years old then, and the first railroad in operation in Chicago was but three years old . The market for the farm products was far away and with an ox team the father set out for a week’s trip to lay in the provisions.
The years, hastened by honest, never ceasing toil, speed along. Prattling children reach manhood and womanhood. The country – her country- in a seditious struggle calls for volunteers. She has two sons whom she gives for her country’s cause; one is returned to her. What anxious hours, what trying days in those four years of bitter struggle. Not content with the offering already made she devotes her time and co-operation with her husband giving assistance she can to the cause of the Union and then for the first and only time they entered a secret order – the Union League.
In 1866, Mr. and Mrs. Morrell moved with their family to Virden. On February 4, 1887 they celebrated their golden wedding anniversary. On the 24th of October that husband of so many years, that stalwart youth now bowed by years, was borne through the portals of that home never to return. No more need for the tripod, compass and sextant. The corner stones of survey, like the deeds of the noble pioneer, stand as monumnets to posterity of the toil, privation and suffering of this early promoter of you present happiness. September 27, 1901, the home is again entered by the death angel. The wife, the mother is called. Many years the machinery of her existence had been running, but at last the machinery is worn out.
Her funeral was held at the Baptist church Sunday. The pall bearers were C. C. Terry, H. R. Terry, O. Morrell, Walter Gilly, Asa Brubaker and J. E. Wancker, grandsons of the deceased. The honorary pall bearers were L. H. Thomas, Jos. Bullard, Henry Whittler, Mahlon Ross, G. J. Pattison, and Robt. Buckles. The funeral cortege was the largest in the history of Virden. In the party were Mrs. Mary Bettis of Dow, Mrs. Jane Rutherford of Virden, Mrs. Lucy Miller of Morrisonville, sisters of the deceased; Jos. Beeman of Dow, a brother of the deceased; Miner S. Gowin of Morrisonville, a brother-in-law; Mrs. Talitha A Terry of Virden, Mrs. M. F. Gilly of Litchfield, Mrs. L. Victoria Allison of Virden, Mrs. Harriet B. Wilson of Morrisonville, daughters of the deceased; D. O. Morrell of Springfield, a son; fifteen grandchildren and sixteen great-grandchildren, besides a large number of distantly related. All the grandchildren save four and all the great-grandchildren save on were present.
The exercises at the church began with a funeral march my Mozart, with Miss Ruby Jones at the organ, followed by a song, “ When the Mists Have Rolled Away” given by a quartet composed of Miss Ola Bowker, Mrs. B. F. Duncan, J. R. Underwood and R. S. Crane. All the numbers sung were selection used at the funeral of Mr. Morrell. Prayer was offered by Rev. B. F. Duncan, followed by the hymn, “ Why Do We Shrink at Death’s Alarm” Rev. W. L. Tarbet then gave some reminiscences of her early life and his acquaintance with Mrs. Morrell. A song, “Some Sweet Day” was sung by the quartet and Mr. M. S. Gowin of Morrisonville read the biographical sketch of his sister-in-law and friend of sixty years and made a few remarks on the life of the deceased. The sermon followed delivered by Rev. B. F. Duncan. The text, Psalm 40:4, being the same that was used at the funeral of her father and her husband. Rev. T. B. Smith addressed a few remarks to the family after which “God Be With You Till We Meet Again” was sung. While a final view of the body was being taken by the friends of Mrs. Morrell the quartet sang “Shall We Meet Beyond the River.”
With the death of Mrs. Morrell, the chain of history is broken. The last of the first five families who settled in Virden township and lived here continuously, has gone to that unseen shore. She, who but a few days before her death remarked “ I don’t know what it is to be tired,” is now taking her final rest. The bestower of many kindness is remembered by the recipients with high regard and esteem. The age-seamed and care-furrowed countenance which we were accustomed to see – so changed from that ruddy beauty of childhood – is now awaiting that great change.
More About Elizabeth Beeman and John Lewis Morrell: Marriage: 04 Feb 1837, Virden, Il.
Elizabeth Beeman (b. 11 Dec 1818, d. 27 Sep 1901)
Notes for Elizabeth Beeman: