Jackson County IL Archives News.....UNCLE JOSEPH BEASLEY READER SINCE YEAR 1873     October 16, 1923
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Mary Riseling riseling@insightbb.com July 13, 2006, 2:53 pm

Murphysboro Daily Independent October 16, 1923

    Uncle Joseph H. BEASLEY has been a reader of the Independent since its first
issue, although the subscription was in the name of his father Robert A.
BEASLEY, who was prominent in the affairs of Jackson county at the time.  He and
John GREAR were personal friends from the time the new editor came to
Murphysboro, Mr. Grear often driving out to the Beasley farm for one of the fine
chicken dinners that editors and preachers have always enjoyed above other men.
 Uncle Jodie BEASLEY, as he has long been known by his friends, will be 65 years
old next week and expects to meet his old friend Editor Grear during the day of
the Independent's Anniversary.

    Mr. Beasley was married forty-three years ago to Miss Julia Ann BLOOMBERG,
of Murphysboro, the wedding being performed by Anthony PATE at his home in
Somerset.  Mr. Pate was then a Justice of the Peace as he is now, and is another
of the old time friends of the first editor of the Independent.

    Mr. Beasley rented a horse from a livery stable where the Ross Store now
stands at the corner of Thirteenth and Walnut streets, to drive out for his girl
and the wedding.

    Mr. & Mrs. Beasley still enjoy good health and their friends hope they may
enjoy many more years of life together in that sweet harmony that has made their
married life a success.  They had six children to bless their union, but three
of them have passed to the great beyond.   

    Mr. Beasley tells many stories of those old days.  His father and he were in
Murphysboro when the negro was hung at the old covered bridge at Big Muddy in
'73 and the elder Mr. Beasley was sworn in by Sheriff HANKS to aid in dispelling
the mob that had broken into the jail and taken the negro.  The son followed
along at a reasonable distance behind the one hundred men who were to aid the
sheriff in retaking the prisoner.  When the rescue party had reached the bridge
however the lynching had already occurred and the negro was hanging to a tree.

    Mr. Beasley in talking of these other days told of the early schooling in
Jackson county when the teacher was chosen not so much for his learning as for
his ability to thrash the big boys, and he recalled vividly the big "hoop-poles"
that hung over the teacher's desk for that purpose.  School days were short for
most of the boys and girls of the early day, for few of them got more than three
or four months schooling during a year.


Additional Comments:
Transcribed by Mary Riseling from grandfather C. E. RISELING's collection of old
newspapers.

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/jackson/newspapers/unclejos3gnw.txt

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