BIOGRAPHY: Bever, Sampson C.
From the A.T. Andreas Illustrated Historical Atlas of the State of Iowa, 1875

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SAMPSON C. BEVER was born in Columbiana County, Ohio, in the year 1808.  His 
paternal grandfather was a native of Germany, but emigrated to this country in the year 
1777, joined the Revolutionary Army, as a private at Morristown, New Jersey, under 
General Washington.  His maternal grandfather was a native of Scotland and emigrated to 
America during the Revolutionary War, locating in Washington County, Pennsylvania.  
His father, James Bever was a small farmer on the banks of the Ohio River, at the time of 
Sampson's birth, but in 1809 he moved west to the "New Purchase," in what is now 
known as Holmes County, Ohio, where he died in 1811.  Sampson never  saw the inside 
of a school house until he was nine years of age.  When fifteen years of age he left home 
and went to Brownsville, Pennsylvania, going the entire distance, one hundred and fifty 
miles, on foot, where he engaged in a store for five years.  At the expiration of this time 
he engaged to take charge of the Glass Works of Bowman, Sweetzer & Bowman, one 
mile from Brownsville.  He shortly afterwards bought out the firm's interest, they giving 
all the time he wanted to pay them.  He however by hard work, perseverance and energy, 
at the end of two years paid off all his indebtedness to them, and had a good profit.

On the 8th day of August, 1833, Mr. Bever was married to Miss Mary Blythe, daughter of 
John Blythe, Esquire, a farmer near Cookstown, Pennsylvania.

At this time being convinced that the war carried on between Andrew Jackson and United 
States Bank must bring about a financial crisis, sold out his glass works.  In the Fall of 
1836, he formed a co-partnership with G. H. Bowman, one of his old employees, and 
engaged in merchandising in Coshocton, Ohio, where he remained for ten years.  Closing 
up the partnership business, he removed to Millersburg, where he again engaged in 
merchandise successfully for six years.  Having sold out all his possessions there, on the 
1st of April, 1851, he started in his own private conveyance in search of a new home in 
the West.  After wandering over several Western States he selected Cedar Rapids, Linn 
County, Iowa, as his resting place.  Here he bought several large tracts of land in the 
vicinity of the town, and returning to Ohio, removed with his family on the 1st of March, 
1852, to his new possessions.  In the Fall of the same year he again embarked in the 
mercantile business in Cedar Rapids, in which he continued for seven years.

During this time he became identified with the construction of the Chicago, Iowa & 
Nebraska Railroad, the first successful railroad enterprise in Iowa, and with which he is 
still identified as a director.  In 1859 he disposed of his merchandise, and engaged in 
private banking with his oldest son, James L. Bever, under the firm name of S. C. Bever 
& son.  On the passage of the National Banking Law the bank of S. C. Bever & Son was 
merged into the City National Bank of Cedar Rapids.  Mr. Bever has made many 
valuable contributions to the permanent growth and prosperity of Cedar Rapids, and is 
now enjoying the fruits of a long life of business activity and solid prosperity, blessed 
with a green old age, the companionship of the wife of his youth, and surrounded by his 
sons, daughters, and grandchildren.  His life has been a busy but successful one.