BIO:  W. J. BEAMER, Mountpleasant Township, Adams County, PA

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History of Cumberland and Adams Counties, Pennsylvania
Chicago:  Warner, Beers & Co., 1886
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Part III, History of Adams County, Page 485

W. J. BEAMER, farmer and preacher, P. O. Granite Hill, was born in Gettysburg, 
Penn.  The family originally came from Germany.  The paternal grandfather of our 
subject was a farmer by occupation, and died near Taneytown, Md.  His son, 
Jacob, was born near Taneytown, Md., was a carpet-weaver by trade, but followed 
farming in later years and died in Gettysburg, where he spent the last years of 
his life.  Jacob Beamer was identified with the Whigs at first, but later voted 
with the Republican party.  In early life he was a zealous member of and deacon 
in the Reformed Church, but in later years he was a member of the United 
Brethren denomination and was a class-leader.  Jacob Beamer was married to Ann 
M. Wentz, of German descent, born in York County, Penn., May 24, 1815, daughter 
of John Wentz, who came here from York County, and died, aged eighty-four, near 
the famous peach orchard where he resided during the battle of Gettysburg, his 
own son being an officer of a Confederate battery that was stationed at the head 
of the lot, his nephew facing the battery in the Union Army.  The widow of Jacob 
Beamer is still living.  They were parents of ten children, of whom the living 
are Henry H., Harriet E., Walter J., Franklin S., Jacob H., Emma C., Philip W.  
Of these, Walter J. was reared on the farm and attended the common schools in 
Gettysburg and vicinity, but is mainly self-educated.  He joined the United 
Brethren Church when twenty-four years of age, and commenced to study for the 
ministry when twenty-six, and three years later was ordained at Shippensburg, 
Penn., since when he has been laboring for the Lord.  His first charge was 
Fulton Mission, in Fulton County; he next had the Perry Circuit, in Perry 
County; then Shopps Station, in Cumberland County; and later the Otterbein 
Church, in Baltimore City.  In 1880 he was elected presiding elder over the 
Chambersburg District, Pennsylvania Conference, which position he filled six 
years.  Making his headquarters one year in Mechanicsburg, Penn., and then on 
his farm (of 144 acres) in Mountpleasant Township, this county, where he now 
resides, having charge of the Hanover Church.  Mr. Beamer was married, in this 
township, June 5, 1870, to Miss Sarepta Miller, a native of this county, 
daughter of John Miller of the old Miller family.  Two children are the result 
of this union:  Alice C. and Laura E.  Our subject is identified with the 
Republican party.  During the war of the Rebellion he served two years for his 
country.  He enlisted in June, 1863, first in the six month’s service, in Bell’s 
company of cavalry, and at the expiration of his time re-enlisted in the three 
years’ service in the same company and regiment, and remained till the close of 
the war.  He was in the battle of Cold Harbor, siege of Petersburg, where they 
were engaged in the entrenchments for one month (this was while in Company B, 
Twenty-first Regiment of Cavalry, being dismounted for five months); after 
which, with Gregg’s Second Division, he participated in many skirmishes.  After 
the war he returned to his farm, and subsequently entered the ministry.