BEEDY BIOGRAPHIES, Henry County, Missouri
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BEEDY, John Creighton - b: 1834 Gilmanton, NH
source: 1883 History of Henry Missouri , National Historical Co. - page: 557
residence: Windsor

John Creighton Beedy. Mr. Beedy is of English extraction, the families of both his 
parents having emigrated to America from that country and settled in New 
Hampshire before the revolutionary war. Jeremiah Beedy, his grandfather, was 
born in New Hampshire and was a soldier during the revolution, and after that 
event continued his chosen avocation until his death. His son John was born in 
Gilmanton, New Hampshire, in 1800, and settled in Bolton, Vermont, while a 
young man, where he pursued the labors of an agriculturist until 1851. During 
this time he took an active part in local and state politics, filling various 
official positions and serving two years in the lower house of the state 
assembly. He then moved to Montpelier, Vermont, where, after a useful and 
honorable life, he died in 1873. He married Betsey L. Fifield, daughter of Samuel 
Fifield, who came from England and located upon a farm in New Hampshire. They 
had six children, all of whom are now living. Their son John C. was born in Bolton, 
Chittenden County, Vermont, July 21, 1834, and until his seventeenth year 
attended the public schools in Bolton. Upon his parents removing to Montpelier he 
was placed in the academy in that city, where he remained until he was twenty 
years of age. After working a year at home upon his father's farm he turned his 
steps toward the great west, and came to Janesville, Wisconsin, and taught 
school one year. For the next two and a half years he was engaged in the lumber 
business, first for his uncle and afterward for a Milwaukee firm. At the 
expiration of that period he went to St. Louis and was employed as traveling 
salesman for his uncle in the lumber trade, and going to Syracuse, Missouri, he 
continued it for two years. He then located in Sedalia, Missouri, and in two years 
sold out his lumber interests and commenced general trading and supplying 
government stores. In company with McKay, Hood and McAllister, of St. Louis, he 
contracted to supply the hospitals at Vicksburg and interior points with 
provisions and stores. In 1863, in company with Thomas McAllister, he 
established the wholesale grocery house of J. C. Beedy & Co. at New Orleans, 
engaging also in cotton and sugar growing, and in general speculation. He was 
with General Banks in 1864 on his memorable Red River expedition, buying and 
shipping cotton. In the spring of 1866 the grocery firm of J. C. Beedy & Co. 
disposed of their stock, and he devoted himself exclusively to cotton planting for 
two seasons. Returning to Missouri he embarked quite extensively in farming 
operations in Johnson County, which he continued until 1869, when resuming his 
old business, he opened a lumber yard in Knob Noster, which he closed after one 
year's trade. Then he established yards in Clinton and Windsor, soon disposing of 
the former, but continuing the latter until 1874, when he accepted the general 
management and agency of the Eau Claire Lumber Company, St. Louis. Remaining 
in charge only one year he returned to Windsor, where he is now engaged in the 
lumber trade. Since coming here he has taken large contracts for the United 
States mail service, in company with Morse & Hines, of Windsor. In 1877 he 
organized, together with Mr. C. C. Morse and others, the Windsor Savings Bank, 
with a capital of $50,000, and since that time he has been president of the bank 
corporation. Mr. Beedy is a Democrat, and takes quite an active part in local 
politics and in all municipal and educational affairs. He has been a member of the 
city council, and was one of the school board who built the school buildings 
which does the city so much credit. He has also served the city as its mayor. He 
married Miss Ellen Victoria, daughter of Joel and Charlotte (Colyer) Goldsburg, of 
Barre, Vermont, October 23, 1867. He has three children, Lula Annette, Nellie and 
John Goldsburg. Mr. Beedy has contributed generously to the building and support 
of the various churches erected in Windsor. In 1876 he went to the centennial and 
took an extended tour through the eastern states, visiting the principal cities and 
places of interest. He is a good financier, a man of progressive ideas, and liberal 
in devising for the interests of the community in which he lives, and has done 
much to develop the trade of his town and county. He is a man of fine physical 
appearance, social and pleasant in his address, is just in the prime of manhood, 
full of life and business energy, and has acquired a handsome property. He is one 
of the firm who built the fruit evaporator in Windsor in 1882. He is also 
associated with Mr. Gorham in developing a vein of coal on the latter's farm, 
equaling, if not surpassing, in quality any yet found in the county.

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