Beebe, Henry Clay, a substantial farmer of Hancock Township, belongs to one of the old families of the county, and is himself held in high esteem by all who know him.  He was born in Fountain Green Township, November 5, 1844, a son of Jabus A. and Martha (Wait) Beebe, natives of Connecticut and Chenango County, N. Y., respectively.  They were married in New York.  He was a civil engineer, and also was interested in farming.  His first wife was Sophia Wait, a sister of his second wife, and she was born July 3, 1793, and died May 17, 1840.  By his second wife, Jabus A. Beebe had two children, one born April 16, 1834, died March 12, 1838*; and Henry Clay. After the death of his second wife, Jabus A. Beebe was married (third) to Louisa Taylor.  Jabus A. Beebe was born July 1, 1789, and died July 3, 1871.  He and his father** came to Hancock County at a time when there were only twelve other families in the county, and they helped to lay out Fountain Green village, so called because of the grass about a spring included in the new village.

Henry Clay Beebe attended the common schools of his township, and remained with his parents until 1850, when he moved to Webster, Ill.  On February 14, 1870***, Mr. Beebe was married to Martha Taylor, born in Staffordshire, England, daughter of Samuel Taylor, and they have one son, Jabus A., who lives in Carthage Township.  By trade Mr. Beebe was a well digger, and while following it he invested in forty acres of timber land near Webster which he partly cleared, although he continued to live at Webster.  In the Spring of 1870 he traded that tract for fifty acres of farm land on section 6, Hancock Township, which has since continued to be his home.  This he has greatly improved and developed and here he carries on general farming.  He is a Republican in his political sentiments.  The Church of Latter Day Saints holds his membership.  A man of high principles he has always lived up to them, and no man in his locality stands any higher in the regard of his neighbors.

*The dates in this statement are in error - or there was an odd turn of events.  According to this biography and her tombstone, Sophia died in 1840.  Children born to Jabez and his second wife, Martha, would more likely have been born after their marriage......, especially since it sounds like Jabez may have gone to New York with the intention of marrying Martha.

**From Carrie Fowler, fifth great-granddaughter of Jabez and Martha Waite (or Wait) Beebe: Jabez Avery Beebe's father, Jabez Beebe Jr, was born January 18, 1759, New London, New London, Connecticut, and died in Howard, Steuben County, New York, in 1829 - three years before Jabez is reported to have brought his family to Hancock County.  The death date and location is supported by Jabez Beebe Jr's will.

***Henry applied for a marriage license for himself and Martha on January 18, 1871, and Hancock County marriage license #3733 was issued that day.  Rev. Thomas M. Walker from the Fountain Green area married the couple on January 22, 1871.  Marriage Documents

The son of Henry and Martha Beebe was:

Jabez A. Bebee, 61, male, farmer, value of real estate 3000, born CT
Martha, 44, female, born NY
Eunice F, 22, female, born NY
Sarah A, 19, female, born NY
Henry Clay, 5 , male, born IL
Westfall, Calvin, 15, born in NY

James Baley [sic], 71, male, farmer, value of real estate 900, value of personal estate 400,
born NY
Louisa, 28, female, born England
Henry, 14, male, day laborer, born IL
Charles, 2, male, born IL
Hellen, 19, female, born England

Welliford, Samuel, 44, male, white, gardener, value of real estate 300, value of personal estate 75, born KY, could not read or write, male citizen of the U.S. aged 21 or more
Nancy, 68, female, white, keeping house, born VA, could not write
Beebe, Jabez A, 81, male, white, retired farmer, value of real estate 5000, value of personal estate, born CT, male citizen of the U.S. aged 21 or more
Louisa, 38, female, white, keeping house, born England, both parents foreign born
Henry C, 25, male, white, farmer, born IL, male citizen of the U.S. aged 21 or more
Charles L, 11, male, white, born IL, attended school within the year
Minnie, 5, female, white, born IL, attended school within the year

Bebee, Henry C, white, male, 36, married, farmer, born IL, father born CT, mother born NY
Bebee, Martha, white, female, 28 ?, wife, married, keeping house, could read but not write, born England, both parents born England
Taylor, Martha, white, female, 63, mother-in-law, widow, keeping house, could read but not write, born England, both parents born England

Bebee, Henry C, head, white, male, Nov 1844, 55, married for 30 years, born IL, father born CT, mother born NY, farmer, months not employed - 0, could read, write and speak English, paying on a mortgage on his farm home, farm schedule 73
Martha, wife, white, female, Sept 1832 [sic], 57, married for 30 years; mother of 1 child, living; born England, both parents born England, year of immigration to the U.S. - 1870, number of years in the U.S. - 30, naturalization - no entry, could read, write and speak English
Jabes A, son, white, male, Oct 1883, 15, single, born IL, father born IL, mother born England, could read, write and speak English

Beebeb [sic], Henry, head, male, white, 65, divorced, born IL, both parents born NY, spoke English, farmer, general farm, employer, could read and write, paying on a mortgage on his farm home, farm schedule 4

LaMonte, Jacob P, head, male, white, 82, widower, born NY, both parents born NY, spoke English, farmer, general farm, working on own account, could read and write, paying on a mortgage on his farm home, farm schedule 21

Hassett ?, Mary, housekeeper, female, white, 30, single, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English, housekeeper, private family, employee, whether out of work on April 15, 1910 - [no entry], number of weeks out of work during 1909 - [no entry], could read and write

Beebe, Martha, servant, female, white, 58, married (1st) for 35 years; mother of 1 child, living; born Eng English, both parents born Eng English, year of immigration to the U.S. - 1865, spoke English, servant, private family, employee, whether out of work on April 15, 1910 - [no entry], number of weeks out of work during 1909 - [no entry], could read and write

Beebe, Henry C, head, owner, paying on a mortgage, male, white, 75, widower, could read and write, born IL, father born CT, mother born NY, spoke English, farmer, sheep ? farm, working on own account, farm schedule 146

Beebe, Martha, head, owner, home value 1200, owned a radio, did not live on a farm, female, white, 78, widow, age at first marriage - 18, [no entry for literacy], born Stafford Shire England, both parents born England; mother tongue - English; year of immigration to the U.S. - 1872, naturalized, spoke English