beasley

beasley Fannin County TXGenWeb Isham Beasley See CopyRight Info at bottom of Page , Please

The Bonham News 27 Feb.1903

I.D. BEASLEY DEAD

I. D. Beasley died at his home near Lannius last Sunday night. He was eighty-one years old, and had been a resident of this county for fifty years or more. He was buried at Dodd City in a vault built years ago by his order. The Masonic Fraternity conducted the funeral.A number of members of the lodge attended from here.

I.D. Beasley was a native of Smith County, Tennessee. He came to Texas more than fifty years ago, settled in Fannin County, not far from Lannius, where he resided from that day until the time of his death. He was a man of excellent character from his earliest life, honorable and Just in all of his dealings with his fellowmen. He was a friend to the poor and ready and willing at all times to give assistance to the worthy, who were needy. His life was an upright one.

By frugality and honest industry, combined with the estate which he inherited, he accumulated quite a handsome fortune. He was married twice. His first wife, a Miss Stewart, died many years ago. Some ten or twelve years ago, while on a visit to his old home in Tennessee, he met with and married a most excellent lady who survives him. He had no children of his own, but a few years ago he adopted a child, who was amply provided for in his will. As a man he stood high in the estimation of his acquaintces. He was a good and true man and best of all he was a Christian and was ready at all times to contribute of his means to the support of Christianity. About three years ago he furnished the land and paid

for the building of a church house at Lannius. Isham Beasley is dead and his body rests in the tomb he had prepared before his death, but his good deeds and example still live and will live and be handed down long after time shall have seen the moulderlng away of the marble monument that marks his last resting place. The good he did will extend into the great eternity and the influence he exerted will be fully known there. The writer of this article knew Isham Beasley before he came to Texas and has known him for more than forty years in Texas.

View His Cemetery Vault & Vault Photos His first wife is buried in Smyrna Cemetery

Photos & story from Hudson Allen Jr.

""The Dodd City Christian Church was erected September 4,1889

on the land donated by I.D.Beasley, with Uncle Hade Witsett and James M. Simpson its founding Elders. The Church Building was remodeled about 1918 when its steeple was removed and its roof lowered, thus forming its present appearence. One of the most memorable services to be held in the church was the funeral of Isham D. Beasley who was a properous farmer and rancher and an avid supporter of the Christian Church. He built the Church of Christ in Lannius and gave the land and a sum of money for the construction of the Church of Christ in Dodd City. He was the organizer of the Dodd City Masonic Lodge which was originally at Smyrna , and finianced the construction of the first Masonic Lodge Hall in Dodd City. In 1894 he had a vault erected for his burial

at a cost of $5,000.00 and he left the Dodd City Masonic Lodge a grant of $1,000.00 for its care. On February 22, 1903, this generous old gentleman with his long white beard was called Home. There was a cold north wind blowing and it had been raining for days when he died . John Gray , an intimate friend of Mr.Beazley, was called upon to bring his friend's body to the Christian Church {Church of Christ} where the funeral was to be conducted. Mr.Gray hitched eight mules to a wagon and went to Lannius where the coffin was placed on the wagon and brought over the roads that were almost impassable tot he church in Dodd City, where the eulogy was read by the Elder F.L. Young. When the eulogy had been read , the body was taken to Uncle Isham's tomb. His body was laid on the south side of the vault: his hat and cane were placed along the north wall of the tomb, and his rocking chair was placed next to his coffin. The thick marble doors were closed. The end had come for a man who possessed faith, Love and Charity. ""

""The following obituary of Mr. Beazley appeared in the Dodd City News on February 27, 1903:

Pioneer Citizen Gone

One by one the old land marks are passing away. Most of the men who came to Texas fifty years ago have passed out of this life , and with their passing much that is really interesting in the early life of the pioneers will be lost. Monday morning at 4 o'clock Mr.I.D.Beazley died at his home near Lannius, four miles northeast of Dodd City, aged eighty-one years , one month, and eight days.""

""About fifty-three years ago Mr. Beasley settled in this county. Then the country was sparsely settled. The nearest neighbors were sometimes miles apart. The Indians were common on the stretching prairies and along the wooded streams. All the hardships of frontier life were common to the brave and intrepid hardships of frontier life were common to the brave and intrepid settlers. Men were valued for their endurance, bravery, and honesty. A man's word was as good as his bond if he possessed any real manhood. The vices of the modern civilzation were unknown. Of course men had their faults, but to succeed in this then new country certain manly attributes of character were necessary. Mr.Beasley possessed many of these manly traits, which were the foundation of his successful life. It is not known to the writer whether he brought much means with him: whether he did or not, he soon proved himself to be a wise businessman. He accumulated considerable property and managed prudently . He lived simpley , economically, but was always ready to aid those who were struggling to procure homes or to establish themselves in business, if he was convinced they were in earnest and honest. In his benefactions he was never modest, scarcely letting his left hand know what the right hand did . He was always a warm friend of Dodd City. No one has done more than he to advance the interests of the town. He had planned to erect a substantial residence in the northern part of town, but his sickness and death came before he could carry out his intentions.""

""In 1884 he had built in the northeastern part of town a beautiful mausoleum, or tomb, of Georgia Marble, containing room for four bodies.

About the same time he had purchased an elegant metallic coffin with his name engraved upon the plate. He had given minute instructions years before his death in reference to his burial. No more beautiful, more tasteful cemetery can be found in the state. To see his brisk walk, to look into his pleasant face, and

to hear his pleasant greeting of friends, no one would think he would plan so deliberately about how he should be buried.""

"" In all his life Mr. Beasley was an upright man. He quietly thought much about men's relations to each other and to their maker, but he never became a prfessed Christian until about six years before his death. He had been a devout Mason for over fifty years and had great reverence for the Bible and the Scriptural Truth. Soon after he fully accepted Christ he connected himself with the Christian Church . There was no house of worship of his own faith near him. At his own expense he purchased a lot and erected a tasteful church in the village of Lannius. He enclosed the church yard and made everything about the place attractive. In this as in all that he did he never boasted, never attempted to make a show. Take it all together the world is better because Isham Beazley lived. Still the world knew bu little of his quiet benefactions. Doubtless many hearts are grateful for aid extended about which others know nothing. ""

""Despite the almost impassible condition of the roads an immense multitude

of people crowded in and around the Christian Church here during the funeral services Tuesday afternoon . The services were conducted by Elder F.L. Young of Greenville, a minister for whom Mr.Beasley had great respect. At the close of the services at the church, the remains were taken in charge by the members of the lodge of which he was a charter member and laid away his own beautiful tomb, to rest quietly until raised on the morning of the resurrection.""

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