Thomas Ewing Beery

THOMAS E. BEERY, the youngest of a family of twelve children and the tenth son of George and Catharine (Cradlebaugh) Beery, was born in Fairfield County, Ohio, July 6, 1835. In his youth, he enjoyed such school advantages as were offered by the country district schools. Attending school during the winter, and working upon the farm spring, summer and fall, but subsequently spent some time in the Lancaster High School and Otterbein University, abandoning his school life at the age of twenty. In 1855, he entered the mercantile trade in partnership with his brother Simon, at Bremen, a town laid out and named by his father. They carried a stock of general merchandise, and did a good business, continuing their operations till 1857, when our subject retired from the firm and removed to Upper Sandusky, when he entered into a partnership with his brother, Anthony Beery, in the dry goods trade, in which business he was engaged two years. Mr. Beery then disposed of his interest to his brother, Isaac Beery, and established himself in a hardware store, with G. T. McDonald, under the firm name of Beery & McDonald, continuing this business four years, withdrawing from the firm in 1863. He next engaged in the manufacture of agricultural implements, in company with F. F. Fowler, E. R. Wood and A. W. Brinkerhoff, the firm being known as F. F. Fowler & Co. In 1865, this enterprise was abandoned, and the sale of the Brinkerhoff corn-husker was engaged in for the next three years with admirable results, after which Mr. Beery assisted in the incorporation of the Wyandot County Bank, and became one of its stock-holders, retaining his interest in this enterprise till 1869. He then engaged in the dry goods trade, in partnership with J. A. Maxwell, purchasing the store room of S. H. Hunt, and the stock of Hunt & Watson. To this they added the grain business, purchasing the warehouse of Straw & Myers in 1870, and continuing their operations till 1872-73, when the firm was dissolved by mutual consent, Mr. Beery conducting the grain trade till about 1875. In 1876, in company with Samuel Walters and Jacob Agerter, he was awarded the contract for macadamizing the streets of Upper Sandusky, and in the spring of 1877 he again embarked in the dry goods business as sole proprietor of his establishment, but subsequently admitting S. H. White, who was afterward succeeded by John W. Greiger. In 1882, Mr. Beery assisted in organizing the Straw board Company, but disposed of his interest in that enterprise in 1883, and became a member of the "Upper Sandusky Gaslight Company, with which he is at this date connected. He has been one of the most useful of Upper Sandusky's citizens, having been identified with most of its enterprises, and exerted a strong influence toward the promotion of its general interests. He is a man of excellent character, and is one of the first citizens of his community, from whatever standpoint he may be considered. Mr. Beery was one of the prime movers in the establishment of the Universalist Church at Upper Sandusky, and is one of its most prominent members, having always contributed liberally to its support He is also associated with the Knights of Honor, at present holding the chair of Past Director. He was married, October 28, 1855, to Emma E. Witt, who died in April, 1858. His marriage to Harriet A. Osborn occurred in 1859, and by this union three children were born, all now deceased. Two of these died in early infancy; Edwin L., born December 14, 1861, died at Poaghkeepsie, N. Y., April 2, 1882. This son was a young man of most brilliant promise. He graduated in Upper Sandusky High School in 1879 and subsequently took a two years' course at Buchtel College, Akron, Ohio. At the time of his decease he was pursuing his studies at the Eastman Business College, of Poughkeepsie, N. Y. He was a young man of good judgment and more than ordinary intellectual ability, and these qualities combined with an innate culture and spotless character placed his prospects for a useful and eminent future in a most promising light. But alas for the hopes of youth that fall like the leaves in the autumn blast; in the midst of their sanguine beauty the shadow touched him and he was not.