BIOS: Peter BEEGHLEY, Beachdale, Somerset County, PA

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History of Bedford and Somerset Counties, Pennsylvania; Bedford County by E. 
Howard Blackburn; Somerset County by William H. Welfley; v.3, Pub. The Lewis 
Publishing Company, New York/Chicago 1906, ppg. 401-3

Peter BEEGHLEY.

Peter Beeghley, an old and highly respected resident of Beachdale, Somerset 
county, Pennsylvania, was there born March 3, 1824, son of Jacob K. and 
Catherine (Blucher) Beeghley.  His grandfather, Joseph Beeghley, was a son of 
Michael Beeghley, who came to this country from Germany in company with his five 
brothers, Joseph, Jacob, John, Abraham, and Michael.
Jacob K. Beeghley (father) was born near Beachdale in 1796, on his father's 
farm, which he subsequently purchased.  Jacob was always a tiller of the soil, 
and meet with good success in this line.  In politics he was a Whig, and served 
as county supervisor.  He had some skill in medicine and practiced considerably 
among his neighbors.  In religious faith he was a member of the German Baptist 
church.  He was married three times: First, in 1820, to Catherine Blucher, who 
was born in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, and received her education in the 
public schools.  She, also, was a devout member of the German Baptist church.  
Of this union five children were born, three boys and two girls, among them 
being Peter, of whom later.  After the death of his first wife, which occurred 
in 1829, Jacob K. Beeghley married Nancy Bolen, who bore him two boys, and who 
died in 1843.  He then married Polly Schrock, of Somerset county, and of this 
union there were no children.  Mr. Beeghley died in 1856, at the age of sixty 
years.
At an early age young Peter Beeghley was called upon to assist with the farm 
work, and received such schooling as the commoon schools of that day afforded.  
When he was twenty-three years of age he bought the home farm from his father, 
and has since engaged in the cultivation and improvement of same.  He has 
devoted his attention largely to the raising of a good grade of livestock, 
horses, cows and sheep, in which he has met with the most gratifying success.  
He is a very progressive and intelligent farmer, being prompt to adopt all 
modern farm machinery as soon as placed on the market, and was among the first 
men in the county to use a mower drawn by horses.  Mr. Beeghley takes great 
pride in the farm that his grandfather and father in turn owned, and even now, 
at the advanced age of eighty-two, may be seen daily doing his share in the farm 
work.  
He is in excellent health and remarkably well preserved for a man of his years.  
In poilitical relations he has always been anardent Republican, and has served 
his township as school director.  He aided substantially in building the branch 
railroad from Garrett to Berlin, and is a stockholder in one of the Berlin 
banks.  He is a member of the German Baptist church and a deacon in same. 
Peter Beeghley married, March 12, 1848, Pheobe Alice Cober, born July 30, 1826, 
a daughter of John and Rose A. (Putnam) Cober, the former a farmer of this 
county, a preacher in the German Baptist church and a physician.  He had a good 
local reputation and practice, being especially successful in the treatment of 
cancer and fevers.  Immediately after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Beeghley 
commenced life on the old farm, where they still reside, although the old home 
has been torn down and a commodious modern dwelling erected in its place.  The 
following children have been born to them: William, a merchant of Great Falls, 
Montana, who has been twice married and is the father of two children; John, 
also twice married, and father of six children; he resides near Somerset, and is 
a farmer by occupation; Silas, a farmer of Thayer county, Nebraska, and a 
widower; Ira, merchant and postmaster of Beachdale; he married Cora Brant, and 
they have three children; he resides on the old farm near his father, with whom 
he is in partnership; Rosa Ann, Isaiah and Ezra, all of whom died in infancy.