The Sibert Family of South Carolina and Alabama

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JOHN WESLEY BEESON (1866 – 1956), son of Mary Ann Frances Sibert³ (David², John David¹)

John Wesley Beeson was born on 31 March 1866 near Gadsden, Etowah County, Alabama. [1][2][3] He died on 6 July 1956, age 90, in Atlanta, DeKalb County, Georgia. [2][3][4] He married first Annie Pauline Foster on 31 August 1887 in West Point, Clay County, Mississippi. [1][5] She died in July 1892. [1] He married second Rosa Laura Foster on 8 June 1893 in McKinley, Marengo County, Alabama. [1][6] Rosa was the daughter of Tom Foster. [7] She was born on 9 July 1868. [2] She died on 3 August 1955, age 87, in DeKalb County, Georgia. [2][4] He married third Nettie Walker, who survived him. [3] John and Rosa are buried in the Westview Cemetery in Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia. [2]

When John was 14 his father let him make a cotton crop and keep half the proceeds. He used this income to enter the University of Alabama at age 15. [1]

John received his BA in 1886 and his MA in 1888, both from the University of Alabama. [1][3] He was president of Arcadia College, Louisiana from 1886 to 1891. [1] He was president of East Mississippi College for Women in 1896. [1] He was president of the founder and president of the Marengo Female College and Conservatory of Music. [1][3]

According to the census, in 1900 John, born in March 1866 in Keener, and Rosa, born in July 1868 in Shiloh, lived in Meridian, Lauderdale County, Mississippi with their children Marvin F. , born in October 1889 in Arcadia; Ethel F., born in June 1897 in Meridian; and Norman C, born in May 1899 in Meridian. John was president of the East Mississippi Female College; he and Rosa had been married seven years; Rosa had had three children, and two were living. [8]

The East Mississippi College for Women was destroyed by fire on 24 February 1903.

In 1910, John W., aged 44, and Rosa L., aged 41, lived in Meridian with their children Marvin F., aged 20; Ethel L., aged 12; Ralph W., aged nine; and Dwight M., aged six. John was the president of a women's college; Rosa had had five children, and three were living; the two youngest children were born in Mississippi. [8]

In 1911 John received an honorary LL.D. from the University of Alabama for his services to education. [1][3]

John sold Meridian College in 1918. [3] He moved to Georgia and was the state manager of Liberty National Life Insurance Company until he retired in 1943. [1][3]

In 1920 J.W., aged 56, and Rosa, aged 42[!], lived in Meridian with their sons Ralph, aged 19, and Dwight, aged 16, and their daughter Ethel Beeson Moore, aged 22, and her husband Robert Moore, aged 25 and born in Mississippi. John and Robert owned an automobile company. In 1930 John W., aged 64, and Rosa, aged 62, lived in DeKalb County, Georgia with their daughter Ethel F., aged 31 and single, and their son Dwight M., aged 27 and single. John was the state manager for a life insurance company, Ethel was a clerk in an insurance office, and Dwight was a bookkeeper in an insurance office. In 1940 John W., aged 74, and Rosa F., aged 71, lived in Emory, DeKalb County, with their divorced daughter Ethel F., aged 41. John was the state manager of a life insurance company and Ethel worked as a secretary for a life insurance company. In 1950, John W., aged 84, and Rosa F., aged 81, lived in Decatur, DeKalb County with their divorced daughter Ethel, aged 50. [8]

John developed the dry kiln process for preserving the southern sweet potato, allowing its popularization in the North. [3]

John and Mrs. Nettie Walker Breeland of Crystal Springs, Mississippi o16ined a marriage license in 24–28 March 1956 in Harrison County, Mississippi. [9]

According to his obituary, John was survived by his wife Nettie Walker Beeson, his sons Marvin F. of San Antonio, Ralph W. of Birmingham, Dwight M. of Huntsville, and two grandchildren and five great-grandchildren, all of California. [3]

Children of John Wesley Beeson and Annie Pauline Foster:

i. Marvin Foster Beeson was born on 27 October 1889 in Arcadia, Louisiana. [1][2][10, says 1890][11] He died on 5 December 1975, age 86, in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas and is buried in the Westview Cemetery in Atlanta. [2][12] He married Frances Elizabeth Hunt on 29 May 1917. [1] Frances was the daughter of Dr. Rolfe Hunt. [13] She was born on 23 July 1895 in Georgia. [1, says 1894][14] She died on 29 September 1976 in Orange County, California. [14] She and Marvin divorced and she married second John E. Lewis on 10 November 1949 in Riverside County, Calfornia. [15]

Marvin graduated from Meridian college in 1910. [1][16] He studed at the University of Jura in German and the University of Berlin. [1] He received his PhD from the University of Leipzig in 1914. [1][16] He was the author of scholarly articles on education. [1]

According to his World War I draft registration card, in 1917 Marvin lived in Meridian and was a teacher. He claimed an exemption on the grounds of tuberculosis. [10]

Marvin was a professor at the Colorado State Teachers College, Ohio State University and the State Teachers College at San Diego. In 1928 he became a professor of educational psychology at William and Mary. [16]

According to the census, in 1940 Marvin F., aged 50, and Frances, aged 44, lived in Santa Ana, Orange County, California with their children John, aged 19 and born in Mississippi, and Margaret, aged 17 and born in Colorado. Marvin was a college teacher. [8]

According to his World War II draft registration card, in 1942 Marvin lived in New Orleans. His wife, Frances Hunt Beeson, was living in Santa Ana. [11]

In 1950 Marvin, aged 60, was divorced and living in a hotel in El Paso, Texas. [8]

Marvin's death certificate says that he was a college professor and had lived the last 23 years of his life in San Antonio. [12]

Marvin's children, John Beeson of Fallbrook, California and Margaret Lewis of Fairfield, California, are refered to as the nephew and niece of Ralph Beeson in Ralph's obituary. [17]

Children:

• John Rolfe Beeson was born on 11 July 1920 in Port Gibson, Mississippi. [1][18] He died on 16 December 2001. [18] He married Virginia Johnson on 17 June 1947 in California. [19]
  
  
• Margaret Louise Beeson was born on 28 May 1922. [1] She was alive on 15 October 1990. She married Lloyd Lewis [possibly her stepbrother?] on 21 June 1942. [13] Lloyd was the son of J.E. Lewis of Fullerton, Orange County, California. [13]

Children of John Beeson Wesley and Rosa Laura Foster:

ii. John Wesley Beeson was born on 19 June 1895 in Demopolis, Alabama. [1][2] He died on 31 July 1896 and is buried in the Westview Cemetery. [2]

iii. Ethel Foster Beeson was born on 18 June 1897 in Meridian. [2] She died on 2 October 1953, age 56, in DeKalb County, Georgia and is buried in the Westview Cemetery. [2][4] She married Robert Moore. He was born about 1895 in Mississippi. They later divorced.

iv. Norman Carl Beeson waso born on 25 May 1899 in Meridian. [2] He died on 9 April 1901 and is buried in the Westview Cemetery. [2]

v. Ralph Waldo Beeson was born on 24 October 1900 in Meridian. [1][2][20] He died on 15 October 1990. [2][17] He married Orlean Bullard, the daughter of Charles Hugh and Lula B. Bullard on 27 January 1940 in Meridian. [21] She was born on 29 August 1900 and died on 19 April 1987. [2] Ralph had no children. [22] Ralph and Orlean are buried in the Elmwood Cemetery in Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama. [2]

Ralph graduated from Emory University in 1920. He joined the Liberty National Life Insurance Company in Atlanta in 1921. In 1923 he turned to automobile distribution at the Ford Motor Company. He returned to Liberty National in 1926 and was transferred to Birmingham in 1927 to serve as the company's assistant secretary. [1][21][23]

In 1930 L. Orlean, aged 29, born in Mississippi, and single, was living with her parents Charles H. and Lula B. in Meridian. She was a school teacher. [8]

At the time of his marriage, Ralph was the Secretary and a member of the Board of Directors of Liberty National Life Insurance Company. [21]

According to the census, in 1940 Ralph, aged 39, and Orlean, aged 39, lived in Birmingham. Ralph was a Secretary for a Life Insurance Company. He had a salary 5,000 dollars a year. [8]

According to his 16 February 1942 World War II draft card, Ralph was five feet eight inches tall with hazel eyes and brown hair. He worked for the Liberty National Life Insurance Company. [20] In 1942 he joined the Naval Reserve for the duration of the war. When World War II ended, he became a director at the Veterans Administration in Richmond, helping to organize the insurance service in their branch offices. [11]

In 1950 Ralph, aged 49, and Orlean, aged 49, lived in Mountain Brook, Jefferson County Alabama and Ralph was an insurance executive. [8]

Ralph invested heavily in Liberty stock and left a 100 million dollar estate. He left 56 million dollars to Samford University. [23]

In 1988 Samford's nondenominational Beeson School of Divinity was created with a 4.3 million dollar gift from Ralph. [22]

Ralph left 83 million dollars to educational institutions, in particular, he left 54.8 million dollars to Samford University. He also left 12 million dollars to a Presbyterian church. [22]

vi. Dwight Moody Beeson was born on 1 August 1903 in Meridian. [1][2][24] He died on 7 June 1985 and is buried in the Elmwood Cemetery in Birmingham. [2][25] He married Lucille Stewart, the daughter of Francis Stewart, on 20 July 1936 in Atlanta. [7] Lucille was born on 24 December 1905. [2] She died on 8 January 2001 and is buried in the Elmwood Cemetery. [2] She married first Eldon O Haldane. [2] Eldon was born on 6 August 1907, died on 21 August 1975, and is buried in the Los Angeles National Cemetery in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California. [2][7]

Dwight received B.S. and M.S. degrees from Emory University. [1]

According to his World War II draft card, Dwight worked for Liberty National. [24]

Endnotes:

1. Jasper Luther Beeson, Beeson Genealogy (Macon, GA: n.p., 1988).

2. "Find a Grave," database with images, FindaGrave (accessed 17 March 2024), memorial pages for

3. "Dr. J.W. Beeson Dies in Atlanta," The Huntsville Times (Huntsville, AL), 6 July 1956, p. 3, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-huntsville-times/143969189).

4. "Georgia, U.S., Death Index, 1919–1998," database, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/5426), entries for John W. Beeson, Rosa L.F. Beeson, and Ethel F. Beeson.

5. "Mississippi, U.S., Compiled Marriage Index, 1776–1935," database, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7842), entry for John W. Beeson.

6. "Alabama, U.S., Select Marriage Indexes, 1816–1942," " database, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/60000) , entry for J.W. Beeson.

7. "Miss Lucille Stewart Weds Dwight Beeson," Atlanta Constitution, 2 August 1936, p. 28, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-atlanta-constitution/143974763).

8. "U.S. Federal Census Collection," database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/categories/usfedcen).

9. "Harrison County Marriage Licenses," Sun Herald (Biloxi, MA), 31 March 1956, p. 10, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/sun-herald/143973121).

10. "U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917–1918," database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6482), entry for D. Marvin Foster Beeson.

11. "U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942," database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1002), entries for Marvin Foster Beeson, Ralph Waldo Beeeson.

12. "Texas, U.S., Death Certificates, 1903–1982," database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2272), entry for Marvin Foster Beeson.

13. "Miss Margaret Beeson Becomes Bride of Burbank Man at Chapel Ceremony," The Register (Santa Ana, CA), 22 June 1942, p. 10 (https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-register/143980372).

14. "California, U.S., Death Index, 1940–1997," database, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/5180), entry for Frances H. Lewis.

15. "California, U.S., Marriage Index, 1949–1959," database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/5186), entry for Frances H. Beeson.

16. "Beeson To Address Rotarians Here on Education Question," Daily Press (Newport News, VA), 15 December 1929, p. 24, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-press/143978132).

17. "Ralph Waldo Beeson," Birmingham Post-Herald, 18 October 1990, p. 12, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/birmingham-post-herald/143983361).

18. "U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936–2007," database, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/60901), entry for John Rolfe Beeson, has parents' names.

19. "California, U.S., County Birth, Marriage, and Death Records, 1849–1980," database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/61460), entry for John Rolfe Beeson.

20. "U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940–1947," database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2238), entry for Ralph Waldo Beeson.

21. "Miss Orlean Bullard and Ralph Beason Wed in Meridian," Birmingham News, 28 January 1940, p. 34, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-birmingham-news/143982189).

22. Julie L. Nicklin, "$83-Million Bequest by Insurance Official Goes to 4 Institutions," The Chronicle of Higher Education, 37 (November 1990): 2.

23. "Ralph Waldo Beeson," online article on "Founders," webpage, Stamford University (https://www.samford.edu/about/founders : accessed 24 March 2024).

24. "U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940–1947," database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2238), entry for Dwight Moody Beeson.

25. "Dwight Moody Beeson," Birmingham Post-Herald, 8 June 1985, p. 9, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/birmingham-post-herald/143975805).

Photo: (cropped), by Andy Montgomery.

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© A. Buiter 2014

24-Mar-2024 2:49 PM