John N. Beach Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1722-1723 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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	JOHN N. BEACH, farmer and stock raiser, was born in Lesueur 
county, Minnesota, June 10, 1857. He was reared and educated in his 
native state, grew to the years of manhood on a farm, and on attaining 
his majority left home for the Black Hills, coming via Pierre to Boulder 
Park. He came empty-handed, and for two years worked on a milk ranch for 
wages, then he rented the place and conducted it during the winter of 
1881. In the following spring he returned to Minnesota where he 
purchased a large number of cattle which he drove to the Black Hills, 
selling them at good prices in Sturgis Deadwood and Rapid City. 

	Mr. Beach continued these trips between Minnesota and South Dakota 
for two years, and did a thriving business, buying and selling cattle, 
but in 1884 he turned his attention to mining in the tin district near 
Hill City, following the same until the spring of the succeeding year. 
On June 7, 1885, he was united in marriage to Miss Ettie M. Robinson, of 
Minnesota, and immediately thereafter moved to his wife's ranch on Squaw 
creek, four miles south of Hermosa, where he engaged in the live-stock 
business, raising cattle and horses, in addition to which he also bought 
a large number of these animals, becoming in due time one of the most 
extensive livestock dealers in Custer county. Mr. Beach resided on Squaw 
creek until July, 1902, when he moved to his homestead on Spring creek, 
purchasing the; same year a large tract of land adjoining, on which he 
has since pastured his cattle and horses, his business the meanwhile 
continuing to grow in magnitude, until he now ranks with the leading 
live-stock men of western Dakota. His ranch contains seven hundred and 
twenty acres of land, under irrigation, and the improvements on the same 
are among the best in the country, consisting of a comfortable and 
attractive residence and substantial outbuildings, which with the fine 
condition of the place in general indicate the home of a man of progress 
and thrift, as well as of public spirit and good taste. It is worthy of 
note that at one time Mr. Beach could have traded a single cow for one 
hundred and sixty acres of the land on which Pierre now stands. His 
fraternal relations are represented by the Masonic brotherhood, and the 
Knights of the Maccabees, belonging to the lodges at Hermosa and Black 
Hills Chapter, No. 25, Royal Arch Masons, at Rapid City. 

	Mr. and Mrs. Beach move in the best social circles of the 
community and are active in promoting every good work, being interested 
in public and private charities, and their influence has always been 
exercised on the right side of every moral issue. They have a family of 
two children whose names are Troy C. and William W.