William H. H. Beadle Biography

	This biography appears on pages 716-719 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. I (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

	This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit 
	organizations for their private use. 

	Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval 
	system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other 
	means requires the written approval of the file's author.

	This file is part of the SDGENWEB Archives. If you arrived here inside
	a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at

	http://www.usgwarchives.net/sd/sdfiles.htm


	WILLIAM H. H. BEADLE, A. M., LL. D. The honored subject of this 
sketch has lent dignity and distinction to his state as a scholar, an 
educator, a legislator, a soldier and a lawyer. He has continued since 
1889 as president of the State Normal School, at Madison, Lake county, 
which has become a school of influence and power.  

	Dr. Beadle is a native of the state of Indiana and was named in 
honor of its most eminent men, General William Henry Harrison. He was 
born in Liberty township, Parke county, Indiana, on January 1, 1838, in 
a log house built by the hands of his father, and the date implies that 
he is a representative of one of the pioneer families of the Hoosier 
commonwealth. He is a son of James Ward and Elizabeth (Bright) Beadle, 
the former of whom was born in Kentucky and the latter in Maryland. The 
ancestry in the agnatic line is traced back through the states of 
Kentucky, Virginia, Pennsylvania and New York to an English origin, 
mingled somewhat with the Dutch and Scotch, while the name has been 
identified with the annals of American history since the colonial 
period. The maternal great grandfather came from Scotland to St. 
Mary's, Maryland, in the middle of the eighteenth century and the 
family became one of prominence in that state.  

	Dr. Beadle was reared amid the scenes and trials of the pioneer 
era in Indiana, early contributing his quota to the work of the 
homestead in the field and the forest, while his rudimentary education 
was secured in the primitive log schoolhouse in his native township. To 
one of the teachers there, Miss Lavinia Tucker, one of the earliest 
women teachers in western Indiana, he loyally attributes helpful 
incentives that remain with him yet. His father was elected sheriff and 
this gave him four years in the schools of Rockville, which he 
continued to attend from the farm near town that became his home. In 
1857 he was matriculated in the literary department of the University 
of Michigan, at Ann Arbor, which had attained a high standing even in 
that early day. He was graduated as Bachelor of Arts with the class of 
1861. In 1864 his alma mater conferred on him the degree of Master of 
Arts. The history of the class of '61 of the University of Michigan 
says of him: "It was only by the most persistent effort that he gained 
his father's consent to go away to college; but he finally prevailed, 
and with his brother, John Hanson Beadle, conditionally entered the 
class of 1861. As their preparation in Greek had been defective they 
were carried the first years as 'students in the partial course,' but 
studied with such diligence and success that before the end of the 
freshman year they were admitted to full and unconditional standing in 
the classical section, and soon took high rank in the class. He was an 
active member of the Alpha Nu, and during his senior year its 
president. He assisted in founding in the university the chapter of the 
Zeta Psi fraternity, and during his senior year was also a charter 
member of the 'Owls.' He was one of the speakers at the Junior 
Exhibition and likewise one of the twenty-four members of the class who 
spoke at the commencement. It will be seen therefore that he was one of 
the most active members of the class. In a little more than one month 
after graduation, Classmate Beadle enlisted in the service of the 
United States and became first lieutenant of Company A, Thirty-first 
Indiana Volunteer Infantry, September 5, 1861, and was promoted captain 
of the same November 9, 1861, but resigned February 8, 1862, on account 
of ill health. He continued with the command by permission of the 
general commanding and participated in the campaign in west Tennessee, 
until the surrender of Corinth, Mississippi. He then came to Michigan 
and aided in organizing and drilling the Twenty sixth Michigan Infantry 
at Jackson. He was tendered the post of adjutant of this regiment, but 
in the autumn of 1862 was commissioned to recruit for the First 
Michigan Sharpshooters and was commissioned lieutenant colonel of that 
regiment."  

	He continued with that regiment until June 13, 1864, when, after 
a severe illness, he was appointed major in the Veteran Reserve Corps. 
He served in northern Virginia, in the defenses south of the Potomac, 
where he commanded a brigade for a time; served in defense of 
Washington against Early and received a brevet as lieutenant colonel; 
served in Washington City, where on President Lincoln's second 
inauguration he was detailed by special orders from the war department 
to command the military guard in and about the capitol on that critical 
occasion. He was brevetted colonel United States volunteers, and March 
13, 1865, received the brevet of brigadier general United States 
volunteers "for gallant and meritorious services during the war." 
General Beadle was mustered out and honorably discharged March 26, 
1866, while in command of the southern district of North Carolina, at 
Wilmington. He entered the law department of Michigan University and 
was graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Laws.  

	General Beadle practiced law in Evansville, Indiana, in 1867, and 
at Boscobel, Wisconsin, in 1868 and 1869. Early in the latter year 
President Grant appointed him surveyor general of the territory of 
Dakota and he continued in that capacity until 1873, when he resigned. 
For many years he from time to time executed important and sometimes 
difficult surveys. In 1876, as secretary of the commission to revise 
the codes, he wrote nearly all the codes of Dakota, and Judges P. C. 
Shannon and Granville G. Bennett, with whom he worked, declared him 
"learned in the law." He has done other work in drafting statutes, in 
which he is highly skilled. In 1877 he was a member of the house of 
representatives of the territorial legislature and chairman of the 
judiciary committee, which had charge of the codes, and secured their 
complete adoption, a most valuable service to the new commonwealth.  

	General Beadle's great familiarity with the territory, its people 
and its laws enabled him to be of great service to Governor William A. 
Howard, who induced him to accept for some time the position as private 
secretary. From 1879 to 1885, over six years, General Beadle was 
superintendent of public instruction of Dakota and thoroughly laid the 
foundation for the system of public schools that is the highest pride 
of the state. To him has been due in a large measure the upbuilding and 
success of the State Normal School at Madison.  

	But all of General Beadle's honorable and useful services to his 
state otherwise are less than the successful labor he gave toward 
saving the school and endowment lands of the state. This must be 
regarded as his most enduring monument. He is one of those men who 
happily find their work. By every talent, experience and inclination he 
was fitted for it. In college he won position not only as a scholar, 
but as a writer and speaker. In his early life questions of vital 
moment concerning public education were subjects of popular and 
legislative concern. He has often said that Miss Tucker called 
attention to the pride every pupil should have in banishing illiteracy 
from Indiana. The school land; of that state were important in the 
plans. In Michigan he met and heard the pioneers of education, like 
Pierce. In Wisconsin also he saw the reckless waste of school lands. 
Coming to Dakota and seeing its vast fertile area, he was from the 
first impressed with the importance and the possibilities of the future 
of this great gift by the nation. He began immediately to draw public 
attention to this matter and in private conversation and public he 
sought to create a sentiment which was slowly accomplished. To the 
intelligent and earnest people who settled the territory, who saw the 
reserved lands Lying near them, a common interest soon appeared. Early 
in his service as superintendent of public instruction he visited the 
capital of every one of the old northwestern states as well as of Iowa, 
Minnesota and Nebraska, and consulted the older men of experience and 
records concerning the school lands. Thus every point in the history of 
such lands in these states was brought to the attention of Dakota to 
guide it in shaping the future.  

	When the movement for division and statehood began, the vital 
opportunity came. Many leaders in that movement adopted the policy for 
which Dr. Beadle had long stood almost alone, and an organized party 
struggling for statehood made its own his appeal that no school lands 
should be sold for less than ten dollars an acre. It is said that he 
delivered not less than two hundred addresses throughout the territory 
(now North and South Dakota) in which this appeal was a leading if not 
the sole topic. When in 1885 the constitutional convention met at Sioux 
Falls, the issue was in a balance. The members were divided and in 
doubt. The committee on school and public lands was divided. Its 
chairman, Rev. J. H. Moore, strongly favored the plan, as did Rev. 
Joseph Ward. Near the close of the session Dr. Beadle appeared before 
the committee, presented the draft of the article upon education and 
the school lands practically as it stands in the constitution. After an 
earnest session, a majority consented to report it favorably and on the 
last working day of the convention, when Dr. Beadle had personally 
urged most members, a majority adopted it. The sentiment then rapidly 
increased and this article became a center of interest. The people 
adopted the constitution. The crisis was passed. So prominent did the 
subject become that it was strongly urged before the committees of 
congress and when the enabling acts for South Dakota, Idaho and Wyoming 
were passed the provision limiting the price at which school lands 
might be sold for not less than ten dollars per acre was included in 
every one, and that policy is in force in all. "How far that little 
candle throws its beams."  

	Even prior to the convention of 1885 General Beadle had advanced 
the claim that no school or endowment lands should be sold, but that 
all should be permanently held and leased, using the rentals to support 
the schools instead of interest upon the invested funds. He has 
continued to urge this until now a constitutional amendment has been 
submitted substantially adopting this policy. Thus has his struggle 
gone on for over thirty years, while he has not sought political office 
or fortune. This great public service in and for the cause of education 
will endure to bless the commonwealth as long as any political service 
possible to anyone at any time. With it his name must be forever 
connected.  

	General Beadle's life has been one of intense activity and hard 
work. For thirty-five years he has been engaged in the work of a state 
builder on the frontier. He retains the same erect carriage and 
dignified bearing that marked him as a young man and during his army 
life. He has found time in his busy and strenuous life for much 
literary work, mostly connected with his professional life. He 
collaborated, with his brother, John Hanson Beadle, in writing "Life in 
Utah," and is the author of "Geography, History and Resources of 
Dakota," 1888, of "The Natural Method of Teaching Geography," 1899, and 
of many pamphlets, reports and addresses, mostly upon educational 
subjects. His articles in the "Michigan Alumnus" have attracted 
attention.  

	General Beadle is a companion of the LoyalLegion and a member of 
the Masonic fraternity, having attained the thirty-third degree in the 
Scottish Rite. A lifelong Republican, he has preferred educational work 
to the possibilities of ordinary political office. He was married May 
18, 1863, to Ellen S. Chapman, who died in 1897. She was descended from 
Moses Rich, a Massachusetts soldier in the Revolutionary army. They 
have one child, Mrs. Mae Beadle Frink, the wife of Fred A. Frink, A. 
M., an instructor in the engineering department of Michigan University.  

	On the 19th of June, 1902, in recognition of his college record 
and of his able services in the field of educational work and in his 
profession, his alma mater most consistently conferred upon him the 
honorary degree of Doctor of Laws.