| Franklin Willis Beebe | |
| Born | 22 March 1857 |
| Painesville, Ohio | |
| Died | 23 September 1940 |
| Lewis, Cass County, Iowa | |
| Buried | Wiota Cemetery |
| Father | Lewis C. Beebe |
| Mother | Elizabeth E. Spencer |
Contents
Obituary
Atlantic News Telegraph. (Atlantic, Iowa: September 1940)
Hold Final Rites for Frank Beebe
Funeral services were held in Atlantic Sunday afternoon at the Osborne-Tomlinson Funeral Home for Franklin Willis Beebe, 83, former Wiota postmaster for 13 years, who died at 1:30 Thursday afternoon, 26 September, at the home of his son, Albert Jay Beebe, in Lewis. Mr. Beebe had been making his home with his son since he was taken ill five weeks ago. Death was attributed to heart trouble and complications. The son of Lewis C. and Elizabeth E. Spencer Beebe, he was born at Painesville, Ohio March 22, 1857. As a boy he often ran errands in Canton, Ohio for William McKinley, who was later elected president of the United States. He came to Iowa at the age of 13 and made his home with an uncle at Churchville, where he was married February 6, 1881, to Alice Rebecca Fritz. He came to Cass County in 1888, farmed for several years and in 1897 was appointed Wiota postmaster by President McKinley. While on his campaign trip the previous fall, McKinley stopped in Wiota to renew acquaintances. Mr. Beebe served as postmaster for 13 years, then was in the cafe business at Wiota for 20 years before retiring. He had spent the last 10 years with his children. Five children were born to the Beebe's, including Mrs. William Johnson of Cambridge, Iowa, Albert J. Beebe of Lewis, W. Sherman Beebe of Wiota, and Carl F. Beebe of Brooklyn New York. Another son died when he was five years old. There are five grandchildren. Mrs. Beebe died Oct. 26, 1922, and in Nov, 1923, Mr. Beebe was married at Omaha, Neb., to Mrs. Hattie Taylor, who passed away in May 1930.
"Frank Beebe, 83, Once Postmaster at Wiota, Passes." Atlantic News Telegraph. Page 1, Column 3. (Atlantic, Iowa: 20 September 1940)
Funeral services were held here Sunday afternoon for Franklin Willis Beebe, 83, former Wiota postmaster for 13 years, who died at 1:30 Thursday afternoon at the home of his son, Albert Jay Beebe, in Lewis.
Mr. Beebe had been making his home with his son since he was taken ill five weeks ago. Death was attributed to heart trouble and complications.
The son of Lewis C. and Elizabeth E. Spencer Beebe, he was born at Painesville, O., March 22, 1857. As a boy he often ran errands in Canton, O., for William McKinley, who was later elected president of the United States.
He came to Iowa at the age of 13 and made his home with an uncle at Churchvillem Ia., where he was married Feb. 6, 1881, to Alice Rebecca Fritz. He came to Cass county in 1888, farmed for several years and in 1897 was appointed Wiota postmaster by President McKinley.
While on his campaign trip the previous fall, McKinley has stopped in Wiota to renew acquaintances.
Mr. Beebe served as postmaster for 13 years, then was in the cafe business at Wiota for 20 years before retiring. He had spent the last 10 years with his children.
Five children were born to the Beebe's, including Mrs. William Johnson of Cambridge, Ia., Albert J. Beebe of Lewis, W. Sherman Beebe of Wiota, and Carl F. Beebe of Brooklyn, N. Y. Another son died when 5 years old. There are five grandchildren.
Mrs. Beebe died Oct. 26, 1922, and in November, 1923, Mr. Beebe was married at Omaha, Neb., to Mrs. Hattie Taylor, who passed away in May, 1930.
The rites will be held at 2:30 p. m. Sunday at the Osborn-Tomlinson funeral home in Atlantic with the Rev. A. Breeling of the Lewis Methodist church officiating. Burial will be in the Wiota cemetery.
The body will lie in state at the funeral home until the services.
Notes
The "five grandchildren" would have been Ellen's son Roy William Johnson, Albert's son Franklin Vernon Beebe, William's daughter Leah Marie Beebe, Carl's son Francis A. Beebe, and Carl's daughter Charlotte Beebe. This exclude Albert's daughter, Nola, as she died as a baby.
References
Books
Compendium of History and Biography of Cass County, Iowa
Iowa State Gazetteer and Business Directory, Volume 19
R.L. Polk & Company, 1918
Page 1,008
https://books.google.com/books?id=dMpOAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA1008
Wiota
Beebe Frank, restaurant
Note: This establishes that Frank was running his restaurant by 1918, as this listing appeared in the 1918, 1919 edition of the Iowa State Gazetteer and Business Directory. Earlier volumes have not been checked for references to Frank Beebe.
Census
1895 Iowa State Census, Cass County, Iowa, Franklin Township, page 25 (penned, front), page 208 (stamped, back), dwelling 146, family 156, Frank W Beebe; digital image, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/VTSG-Q17 : 25 December 2012); citing FHL microfilm number 1020339, roll number not provided.