History of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, 1887



Beeber Family - JOHN ARTLEY BEEBER Biography

Among the many professions in which men engage none require more skill and ability than does the legal profession, of which John Artley Beeber is a representative, a member of the firm of J. A. & W. P. Beeber, of Williamsport. He is also president of the First National Bank of Williamsport, which is the oldest national bank in this section of the state, and one of the most progressive and enterprising citizens of his native county. He was born in Muncy, Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, April 6, 1845, the eldest son of Teter D. and Mary (Artley) Beeber, and a descendant of one of the pioneers of the West Branch Valley.

The name of Beeber is frequently met with in the records of the church, and is appended to the constitution. The founder of the family in America was Valentine Bieber, who came from the German Palatinate, probably in the vicinity of Zweibrucken, sailing from Rotterdam via Cowes, in the ship " Betsy," S. Hawk captain, arriving at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, October 16, 1768. He was a German Lutheran (Huguenot). He was accompanied by his three sons-Nicholas, Adam and Johannes-and his brother Michael. Valentine and his sons settled in Maxatawney township, Berks county, Pennsylvania. The descendants of the three sons, with the exception of two sons of Adam, remained in the Muncy Valley.

Johannes Bieber (John), who sometimes spelled his name Beaver, was horn in 1761 and died in 1846. He enlisted his services in the Revolutionary war, was appointed court martial man, and upon the cessation of hostilities settled on Muncy Creek in Lycoming county in 1783. He there acquired lands by the medium of war-pay warrants, and his entire time was devoted to the quiet but useful calling of agriculture. His brothers came to Lycoming county about the, same time, and all were active in the forming and building up of Immanuel's Lutheran church, Clarkstown, probably the first church in the bounds of Lycoming county, and their names were signed to the constitution in 1794; the remains of the three brothers were interred in the churchyard connected therewith. John Bieber married Mary J. Dimn or Dimner, born in 1762, died 1818, supposed to have been a sister of Christopher Dimn, who settled in Muncy Valley in 1796, a son of John Dimn, who emigrated from Wurtemberg, Germany, locating in Berks county, Pennsylvania. Four sons and five daughters were born to them, all of whom settled in the immediate vicinity.

Colonel Jacob Beeber, son of John and Mary J. (Dimn) Bieber, born 1787, died 1863, changed the name to the form now used. He settled on a farm two and a half miles south of Muncy, on Milton Road, where his widow resided until her death, also his bachelor son, Charles Hall, born 1820, died 1896, who served as county treasurer of Lycoming county during the year 1850, and was a firm supporter of James Buchanan. Jacob Beeber was appointed colonel of a militia company, was a conspicuous figure at annual " Muster days," and an active and prominent member of the Democratic party. He was married twice. His first wife, Mary Dimn, who died in 1824, bore him three sons and three daughters. His second wife, Elizabeth Dimn, a sister of his first wife, born 1792, died 1880, bore one son and two daughters. His wives are supposed to have been the daughters of Christopher Dimn.

Teter Dimn Beeber, son of Colonel Jacob Beeber, was born in 1815, died 1876. During his early life he was a farmer and blacksmith, conducting these operations in the borough of Muncy, and later was a coal merchant. He was an ardent advocate of the cause of temperance, was one of the first to espouse it in Muncy, and he and his brother John were largely instrumental in establishing the Lutheran church of that town. In 1841 he was united in marriage to Mary Jane Artley, born in 1818, died 1869, a daughter of John and Christiana Artley, of Muncy township, and their children were : John Artley, born in 1845, mentioned hereinafter; Thomas Rissell, born 1848, now pastor of the First Presbyterian church, Norristown, Pennsylvania; and Dimner, born 1854, for many years a judge of the superior court of Pennsylvania, and now a practicing lawyer of Philadelphia. Mr. Beeber (father) served in the capacity of county commissioner of Lycoming county, was a prominent Republican, and gave a strong support to the policies of Abraham Lincoln.

John Artley Beeber, eldest son of Teter D. and Mary Jane (Artley) Beeber, was reared in his native township, and there received a public school education, which was supplemented by a four years' course at Pennsylvania College, Gettysburg, from which institution he was graduated in 1866. He then commenced reading law in the office of Hon. William H. Armstrong, of Williamsport, and was admitted to the bar in May, 1868. Since that date he has been engaged in the active duties of his profession, and his practice extends into the several courts of the state. He is a member of the firm of J. A. & W. P. Beeber, of Williamsport, is one of the well known members of the Lycoming county bar, and is recognized as a safe, careful and judicious lawyer. He is forceful and eloquent in pleading his cases, and the interests of his clients are his first and paramount thoughts. For several years prior to 1884 he was a stockholder and director in the First. National Bank of Williamsport, and on May 1 of that year was elected president, succeeding Abraham Updegraff, the first president of that institution, which position he has filled with credit and ability up to the present time.

Mr. Beeber is a staunch Republican, and has always taken an active interest in public affairs, as well as in the social and material development of Lycoming county. During the years 1875-76 he served as city solicitor, the only public office he has ever held. During General Lee's invasion of the state he served in the Twenty-sixth Regiment, Pennsylvania Militia. He was one of the organizers of the board of trade, is one of the managers of the Williamsport Hospital, a member of the Brandon Park Commissioners, and president of the Ross Club. Although quiet and unassuming in his manner, Mr. Beeber has a wide circle of friends and business associates.

On June 21, 1870, Mr. Beeber married Alice Amanda Clapp, who was born in 1847, died 19o2, daughter of Daniel and Catherine (Updegraff) Clapp, of Muncy. Daniel Clapp, born 1821, died 1882, was a descendant of a family that settled in the West Branch Valley at an early day. He moved from Northumberland county, where his birth occurred, and eventually settled in Muncy as a merchant and lumberman. He was one of the wealthy men of the valley, took an active interest in all measures that concerned the welfare of Muncy, being instrumental in the building of its public schools, and assisted in the organization and was a director in the First National Bank of Williamsport, the first national bank in the valley. He married Catherine L. Updegraff, who was born in 1822, at the present time (1905) a resident of Muncy, daughter of Samuel Updegraff, of " Long Reach," who was a son of Derrick Updegraff, an early farmer and tanner on " Long Reach." The Updegraff family, who have always occupied a prominent place in the history of Lycoming county, trace their ancestry to Abraham and Dirck Op Der Graeff, who were associated with Pastorious in the original settlement of Germantown, Pennsylvania, and were among the four signers of the first known public protest against slavery in America. Two children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Beeber: Mary J., and William P., a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work. The family hold membership in the First Presbyterian church of Williamsport.


Source: Genealogical and Personal History of Lycoming County, John W. Jordan, Lewis Historical Publishing Co., 1906.










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