Jesse Franklin Beeler of Texas County, Missouri

Jesse Franklin Beeler, a prominent farmer and stock raiser of Burdine Township, was born in Sullivan County, Tenn., December 22, 1805, and is one of the old and much esteemed citizens of the county. He is the son of Daniel and Margaret (Sharrartz) Beeler, and the grandson of Jacob Beeler, who served all through the Revolutionary War, and drew a pension until his death, for services rendered. He was an American by birth, but of Swedish descent. Margaret Sharrartz was the daughter of Conrad Sharrartz, a European, who came to America with his parents when he was but five years of age. On both sides of Jesse F. Beeler's ancestry may be found people of excellent standing and business ability. Both the grandparents are buried in the Beeler cemetery, Sullivan County, East Tenn., near the Virginia line. When the subject of this sketch was but four years of age his parents moved to Claiborne County, Tenn., where he grew to manhood. He assisted his father on the farm, and after his twenty-third year he followed boat building and farming, and made trips to points south of his home, in Alabama and other States, trading with Indians and others with different stock or articles of merchandise. He subsequently farmed and traded in horses, doing business through the South a great deal, and dealing often with the Indian traders. He was also identified with the distillery business. In 1850 or 1851 he came to Missouri, and located first in Jefferson County, where he followed farming, principally, until 1868, when he came to Texas County, and located upon his present farm, two miles east of Cabool. He married his first wife, Mary Dyer, in Grainger County, Tenn., whom he buried there in the Beeler grave-yard. She left him five daughters: Cynthia Jane, deceased wife of Green Harrington; Mary Orlena, deceased wife of Reeves Beevers; Matilda Caroline, wife of Judge John Hagenbush; Martha Elizabeth, wife of James Wiley, merchant of Moselle, Mo., and Melissa Ann, wife of James Jones, of St. Louis, Mo. Mr. Beeler married his second wife, Elizabeth Sellers, in Grainger County, Tenn., and buried her on the way to Missouri, at Eastport. She left him a son and daughter: Margaret Ellen, wife of Robert Lemmens, and James K. P., a substantial farmer of Texas County. Mr. Beeler is a member of the Missionary Baptist Church; is a member of the Agricultural Wheel, and while yet a comparatively young man filled the position of a commissioned officer in the State Militia. In Tennessee he served as justice of the peace for about fifteen years, and about the same length of time in East Tennessee. Mr. Beeler at this writing is eighty-four years of age, and says he is thankful to God for the many favors and blessings conferred by that omniscient Creator.