This information contributed by: John Field Pankow email to: jopankow@aol.com
Beachum Family
The Beachum family was in Anson County as early as the 1790s, likely earlier. The 1790 census of Anson County (incomplete) lists a Jesse Beachum, two men named William Beachum and a lady named Susannah Beachum. Property records in the county indicate that tracts of land were granted to Alexander Beachum (variously spelled) in the 1790s and early 1800s. Alexander Beachum married Elizabeth (?) Shelton who was a daughter of Beverly Shelton (who appears in the Anson Co. census of 1790 & 1800). They are supposed to have been the parents of Hugh A. Beachum, but I don’t know this for a fact. I have found that there were a large number of “Beauchamps” in Maryland in the 16 & 1700s, but I have not been able to establish a definite link to them. As far as the Sheltons are concerned, there was a large family of Sheltons in Pittsylvania County, Virginia, and the name Beverly was a popular one in this family, but I am unable at present to say that we are definitely related to these folks either. Both “Beauchamp” and Shelton are very old English names & if I could establish our connection to these families, I would be able to trace us back to England to the very early Medieval times. (There was a Hugh de Beauchamp who came to England with William the Conqueror in 1066!)
Hugh A. Beachum was born March 2, 1806 in Anson County and died there December 7, 1861. He married Zillie O’Neal (variously spelled “Zilla” and “Zily”) who was born November 17, 1812 and died July 27, 1882. Her father’s name was Kindred O’Neal. She had one brother and four (?) sisters: Spear O’Neal, Phereba (who married Isaiah Beachum, brother of Hugh), Hortence (married a Mr. Dunahoe) and two other sisters who married Nelson Caldwell and John McGregor. I think there was also an Ellen O’Neal who married a Frank Beachum. The Hopewell Methodist Church was originally called O’Neal’s Meeting House before 1817. The O’Neals came originally from Johnston Co., NC. I have found a record of a William O’Neal & Phereby Clancy being married in Johnston Co. in 1784. Acording to the 1850 census of Anson County, Kindred O’Neal was 65 years old & lived near a William O’Neal who was also 65 years old. I wonder if they weren’t twin brothers. Both lived near the Hopewell Church.
Records in Anson County suggest Hugh Beachum owned considerable land in Anson County. Tom Ray of Charlotte has a copy of his estate settlement which gives a detailed account of his property. The children of Hugh and Zillie Beachum were: Jeremiah Washington, Daniel K, Joseph J., James Thomas, William H., Harriett Jane & Christina Clementine. Thomas Beachum married Margaret Sykes, January 1, 1869. Joseph J., William H. & James T. all served in the War, in Co. K “The Anson Independents” of the 43rd Regt, NC Troops. Joseph J. was killed at Gettysburg.
Jeremiah Washington Beachum was born in Anson County January 21, 1830, and died there February 12, 1910. On June 30, 1853, he married Mary Jane Taylor (called “Cisey” or “Kizzie”). She was born August 26, 1836, in Anson Co. and died there June 2, 1882. She was the daughter of William Taylor and his wife Sarah (Sallie) McLendon (variously spelled). William Taylor (born c. 1789) was murdered in 1848. He was the son of Stephen and Judith Taylor. There is a record of Stephen Taylor’s will being recorded in Anson Co. in 1825, but I haven’t gotten a copy yet. (Book A: 120) Sarah Elizabeth McLendon was the daughter of Edmond McLendon from Richmond Co. She was born in 1804 or 1805.
Jeremiah W. Beachum owned land in Anson County. He also owned a store and the first telephone exchange in that part of the country. I have been to the site of his old home, but there is nothing left there but the family cemetery. It is at a crossroads and the house was at one corner (where there is a modern brick house today) The store was at another corner. A well was at another corner and an open cornfield was at the other. The cemetery is out in the middle of the cornfield under a huge old tree. My grandmother and her sisters told me that the house was a large two story log building. I have copies of two obituaries that were printed at the time of J. W. Beachum’s death:
“Mr. Jerry W. Beachum died at his home in Lanesboro township Saturday morning, after an illness of several weeks of grip and pneumonia, aged about 80 years. He was one of the county’s best citizens, and was for a long time a justice of the peace in his township. His third wife and 12 children survive him. The interment was at the family burying ground yesterday.”
“Mr. J. W. Beachum, one of Lanesboro’s oldest and best known citizens died last Saturday, after an illness of several weeks’ duration. He was in the 80th year of his age. Mr. Beachum was a veteran of the civil war. After the surrender he chose farming as his occupation, and from it he not only made a fat living but yearly laid by a comfortable surplus. His hospitality was unstinted. Friend and stranger found a welcome seat at his fireside and around his table. As a neighbor and a citizen he always merited praise. For many years he served as Justice of the Peace in Lanesboro’s courts and he performed the duties of the responsible office with zeal and care. Many a young couple were made ‘one’ by his mandate. In fact he was the most popular magistrate with the matrimonial inclined this section of the county has had for many years. ‘Uncle Jerry’s’ blessing always fell on open hearts and retentive memories. Progress.”
In view of the above information, I would imagine that the following article which I found through links on the Anson County Genealogical page was written by Jeremiah W. Beachum:
Anson County Newspapers on Microfilm Anson County Library N. C. Argus, Wadesborough January 19, 1860, p. 3 Town, County and State News “Glorious news for old bachelors--On Sunday the 15th inst., while sitting by a good fire meditating on past events, and not having thought, for the first time, of it being leap year, I cast my eyes out at the window of our log cabin, and beheld a company coming towards Mason and Dickson’s line-the bride elect, Martha Jane Sykes, with her horse and buggy, and by her side was Mr. Archibald Harris, whom she brought to be untied in holy matrimony. As I am ready to comply with requests in any such matters, I complied with hers in uniting her to him in the shortest time. May her example lead many to do likewise-J. B.”
Jeremiah W. Beachum fought for the Confederacy during the War for Southern Independence. He enlisted at Wadesboro on May 10, 1862, in Company K, 26th N. C. Infantry. This Regiment is a famous one and took part in many of the great battles of the war. I believe the company was called the Pee Dee Wildcats. His name appears on a Roll of Honor of the company, Age: 32. A Volunteer. Prisoner of War records show J. W. Beachum was captured near Petersburg, Virginia, on March 25, 1865, and was released June 23, 1865, at Point Lookout, Md. I have his certificate of release which describes him as: 6’2” tall, with brown hair, blue eyes and a fair complexion. My grandmother remembered seeing him when she was a very small child. She said he was “very tall, and moved with a military bearing, like a soldier, even though he was very old. He had a white beard, like the pictures of General Lee, and he wore a long cloak when he was outside.” I have a photograph which is probably of him and his first wife, made after the war. Tom Ray of Charlotte has another photograph made at about the same time and another of J. W. and his third wife made about 1907.
The children of Jeremiah W. Beachum and Mary Jane Taylor were:
Zachary Taylor Beachum. Born June 3, 1854. Died April 28, 1926. I have his photograph.
Angel Melviny Beachum. Born Sept. 20, 1855. She married a Mr. Carpenter. My grandmother said her name was Angeline, but they called her Angel. Tom Ray of Charlotte is her great grandson.
John Armeanous Beachum. Born April 24, 1857. He married Mary Ann Bowers (4-1-1864/5-29-1918) They had many chidren. Among them: Belle Beachum (Mrs. Roland Horne)b. 1899, Clara Threadgill, Plummer Beachum, Stuart Beachum. As I recall, there was a Pearl Bowers Beachum who was the father of Judge P. B. Beachum of Charlotte. Florence Beachum of Charlotte is also a granddaughter. I have heard that John Beachum always called himself "John R. Beachum” because he did not care for his middle name. His home was still standing in Anson County in the 1980s. I believe he is buried at Hopewell.
Leary Isabelle (also spelled “Izebell”) Beachum. Born December 29, 1859. Married Mr. Wright.
Cleopatra Beachum. Born October 5, 1861. In the Bible, her name is spelled “Cle.o.Patra” and my grandmother and her sisters called her “Aunt Patra”, pronounced “PAY-tra”. Married Mr. Irby, went to Ark
Louisa Clementine Beachum. Born December 12, 1864. She married Miles W. Caudle. The pronunciation of her name that I heard was “Lou I sa”.
Joseph Jackson Beachum. Born April 20, 1866. Died Sept. 19, 1882. Age 16 years, 4 months, 29 days. He died of typhoid fever. He is buried in the family graveyard in Anson County.
Zillie Mary Jane Beachum. Born June 23, 1867. The Bible appears to list her twice: “Zilley Mary Jane, born June 21, 1868” and “Zilah Mary Jane, born June 25, 1869 or 7” The first date given is the one that appears on her tombstone. I imagine that these dates were filled in later, as I have always been told that she wasn’t called “Zillie” until later in life. She married Dulin Benson Stearns(10-1-1863/11-?-1962) on December 23, 1884. She died Jan. 26, 1910, and is buried in Elmwood Cemetary in Charlotte. (See later)
Wilson Hugh Beachum. Born June 16, 1871. The Bible appears to spell his name “Huah”. It also spells Hugh Beachum’s name as “Heauey”. I wonder if both of them weren’t called “Hewie” or “Huey.” At any rate, my grandmother and her siblings referred to this man as “Uncle Wilkes”.
Atlas Free Beachum. Born March 29, 1872. The story I have heard about him is that he was particularly fond of his sister Mary Jane (my great grandmother). When she died in 1910, he took a photograph of her and three of her sisters and “walked to Raleigh” to have it copied so that it was just a portrait of her. I have the picture of the four sisters (it may not be the original) and several copies of the portrait. I have no idea why he would have walked to Raleigh. Charlotte would have been much closer.
Heallon Mercia Beachum. Born February 3, 1874. I believe she married a man named King. (Martin King)
Lenorah Colon Beachum. Born December 3, 1875. I can’t tell from the Bible if it is “Lenorah” or “Zenorah.” My grandmother said her name was supposed to be “Colin” but it was always spelled “Colon.” She married a man named Ballard. Her house is still standing in Peachland and, last time I saw it, had been restored.
Arindoe Washington Beachum. Born October 4, 1877.
Jeremiah Osco Beachum. Born June 30, 1881. Died Jan. 4, 1882. Age 5 months, 4 days, 3 ½ hours. He is buried in the family graveyard in Anson County.
Mary Jane Taylor Beachum died June 2, 1882, and is buried in the family graveyard. J. W. Beachum’s second wife was Zilfey (or Zilphie or Zilpha) Polk nee Helms. They were married Jan. 14, 1889. She was born October 4, 1832. I do not know when she died or where she is buried. J. W. Beachum’s third wife was Bettie Parker nee Bass. They were married April 3, 1907. She was born October 3, 1862, and she survived him. I do not know where she is buried. Belle Horne told me she smoked a corncob pipe, but I don’t know if she was serious. In the photograph of her that Tom Ray has, she looks quite elegant.
Jeremiah W. Beachum died February 12, 1910. According to family stories, he had had an argument several years before with his daughter, Mary Jane (Mrs. B. D. Stearns) In January, 1910, he heard that she was dying and went to Charlotte to be reconciled with her. She died January 26, 1910. While on the journey, he caught pneumonia and died shortly after returning home. My grandmother remembered seeing him in Charlotte at that time and was taken to his funeral. She was only four years old at the time, but she remembered seeing the casket in the parlor of the homeplace. She said “Grandma Betty” sat at the head of the casket, “draped in black from head to foot” weeping. I remember many stories about these people. Unfortunately, I sometimes only remember parts of the stories. For example, I heard that one of the Beachum children was married for ten years without having children. They adopted two little girls. Shortly thereafter, they had 14 children of their own. I am afraid I can’t remember which one it was. My great uncle, Clyde C. Stearns (1896-1970?) used to “run away from home” to stay with Grandpa Beachum. He used to tell stories about the store and the telephone exchange. I also remember a story about the coffin in the store. When my great grandmother was a girl, her father had a coffin in the attic of the store. (I don’t know if it was for sale or if he had picked it out for himself) The children dared each other to lie down in it and she was brave enough to do it. She said it was the strangest experience she ever had.
My connection with the Beachums: Mary Jane Beachum married Dulin Benson Stearns on December 23, 1884. He was the son of Dulin Stearns and Rusha Elizabeth King, and was born in Union County on October 1, 1863, and died in Burlington, N. C. in 1962. I have heard that J. W. Beachum did not approve of his daughter’s choice of husbands. While he was very dignified and respectable in later years, I have heard that D. B. Stearns was rather wild and tended to drink a great deal in his youth. My grandmother said that she once asked her father (who was a strict tea-totaller and a pillar of the Methodist Church at that time) if he ever drank. His reply was “Yes, but I discovered that I couldn’t drink it all, so I quit.”
D. B. Stearns was a farmer and a music teacher. Later, he pursued various careers: as a salesman, contractor and house mover. In the early 1890s, they moved to Charlotte and lived at 1006 N. Brevard Street. There is nothing left where this house once stood and it is now in a very bad section of Charlotte. Photographs from the time, however, show that it was a charming Victorian neighborhood. The house itself was brick with square fluted columns on the porch.
The children of D. B. and Mary Jane Stearns were:
Junius Stitt Stearns. Born Dec 7, 1885. Married Ethel Ellis. Lived and died in Monroe, N. C. Their children were: J. S. Jr. (m. Katherine Lassiter, lived at Laurinburg, NC), Frank C. (m. Jessie Mae, lives in Winston), Rachel Wilson (m. Samuel Everett Montgomery. Lives in Camden S. C.) George Benson (m. Jimmie Steele, lives in Charlotte) and Margaret Ellen who died as a small child.
Ada Eugenia Stearns. Born November 9, 1887. Married John Henry Bennet. Lived and died in Carlotte at 435 E. Morehead St. Her home has been beautifully restored as a lawyer’s office. Her children were: Lois (b. 1903, married twice: Keplinger, Springs, lived & died in Charlotte) John Henry Jr. (m. Zula, lived & died in Charlotte) Lela(m. twice: Boyd, Grant, “ “) Virginia Mae(m. Carl Schlosberg, living in Camden, S. C.)
Ila Faye Stearns. Born May 18, 1889(or 1890) Married Clyde Covington Fesperman, Sept. 1920. Lived in Charlotte. Died in 1980 and is buried at Elmwood Cemetary. Lived at 511 Hermitage Court. One son: Clyde Covington Fesperman, born Nov., 1925, living in Shelby, N. C. m. Marjorie Pless, 1950.
Carrold Adam Stearns. Born August, 1893. Married Elma Watson, September, 1920. Died in 1950 and is buried in Statesville, N. C. Children: Watson W. died in Atlanta, age 34. C. A. Jr. m. Norma Cheek, living in Burlington, N. C. Elma Watson, m. Charles Deleot, living in Winston Salem, N. C. Benjamin Dulin, m. Etta Taylor, living in Ohio. Mary Jane Stearns, born and died in 1927. There were other babies who did not live. Elma Watson died in 1932 as result of a horseback riding accident.
Clyde Casey Stearns. Born Sept. 3, 1896 (or 1895) Married Susie Schell of Conover, N. C. Died 1970. Children: Susan, m. J. D. Ramseur, living at Newland, N. C., C. C. Jr. m. Jane, living at Conover, Jeremiah Beachum, m. Marian, living at Newton, N. C.
Jesse Free Stearns. Born March 29, 1898, Charlotte. Died in 1914 as result of a hunting accident. He is buried in the family plot in Elmwood Cemetary, Charlotte.
Mary Elizabeth Stearns. Born November 19, 1900. Married Raymond Strickland Deck. Lived and died in Pelham, New York. Died in 1985. Children: Jean, m. Andrew Symmes, living in Greensboro, N. C. Catherine, m. Mr. Benson, living in Pauling, N. Y.
Eunice Virginia Stearns. Born January 23, 1906. Married John Levi Field (1902-1963) on Oct. 13, 1929. Lived in Marion, N. C. Died in Asheville, June 1, 1983, and is buried at Oakwood Cemetary, Marion, N. C. Child: Joanna Field. Born July 8, 193?, St. Louis, Mo., living in Asheville, N. C. Married Kenneth O. Pankow in Marion on June 23, 1962. They have one son: John Field Pankow (That’s me) born 9-23-1963.
Ophelia Jane Stearns. Born September,1909. Died September?, 1910. She is buried at Elmwood. I believe that after her mother’s death in January, she was sent to live with one of her Beachum aunts. (Aunt Colon, I believe.)
There was another baby who lived for only a little while, a son. I have heard that his name was Dulin Benson Stearns, Jr. I have also heard that he was named John Lee Stearns. I do not know when he was born & died or where he is buried.