Husband John S Beecroft [5404]
Born: 1836 - Mercer Co, NJ
Christened:
Died: 22 Jun 1898 1
Buried: - De Soto Cemetery, De Soto, Johnson Co, KS 1 2
Find A Grave ID: 15722259
Marriage: 3 Nov 1861 - Butler Co, NE
Events
• Biography: JOHN S. BEECROFT, Postmaster, De Soto, was born in Mercer County, N. J., in 1836, and reared on a farm, after which he resided for some time in Fulton county, Ill. He passed through Kansas in 1857, and located in Butler County, Neb., where he was engaged ranching for four years. Returning to Kansas in 1861, he settled at Leavenworth, and was for several years engaged in furniture business, and employed in various capacities in that neighbourhood, in all some nine years, after which he went to Butler County, Neb., and took up a homestead, residing on it for a year, then went to Kansas City, where he engaged in furniture business. In the spring of 1879, he came to De Soto, and at once engaged in general merchandise business, in which he has since continued. He was appointed Postmaster in September, 1880, and is Treasurer of District School Board. Mr. B. was married in Butler County, Neb., in the spring of 1861, to Elizabeth Wakefield. They have four children - Laura, George, Charles, and May.
• Event: A Historical View of DeSoto Kansas 1857-2000 has the following: John S. Beecroft was born in Mercer Co., N.J. in 1836, reared on a farm. Passed through Kansas in 1857 and located in Butler Co., Nebraska where he engaged in ranching for 4 years. Returned to Kansas in 1861. Settled in Leavenworth and was for 9 years in the furniture business. He went to Butler Co., Nebraska and homesteaded for one year, then to Kansas City where he engaged in the furniture business. In the spring of 1879, came to DeSoto, and engaged in general merchandise business. Appointed Postmaster September 1880 and was treasurer of the district school board. Married in 1861 Butler Co., Nebraska to Elizabeth Wakefield. Had children, Laura, George, Charles and May. He bought the Skinner and Barret store in 1880 and operated it until his death in 1898 when his son and partner Charles took it over. Another of his sons, George was a tank wagon gasoline salesman and later the town electrician. He and his son Lyle operated the first electric plant. Lyle maried Nina Watson and had 8 children. Daughter Lila Jeannie Beecroft married Eldean Schultz. They had five children, Jack, Donald, Patsy, Deanna,and Peggy.
• He appeared on the Federal census in 1870 in Kansas, United States. Name: • He appeared on the Federal census in 1880 in De Soto, Johnson, Kansas, United States. John S Beecroft, age 44, born NJ, Dry Good and Groc, father born ENG, mother born NJ; Elisabeth, age 37, born IL, keeping house; Laura, dau, age 17, born KS, at home; George W., son, age 15, born KS, clerk in store; John, son, age 13, born KS, attending school; Charls S., son, age 10, born KS, at school; May dau, age 4, born MO.
• Event: 1880, De Soto, Johnson, Kansas, United States. Leota, lodyrose@prodigy.net writes... Events
• She appeared on the Federal census in 1870 in Kansas, United States. Name: • She appeared on the Federal census in 1880 in De Soto, Johnson, Kansas, United States. John S Beecroft, age 44, born NJ, Dry Good and Groc, father born ENG, mother born NJ; Elisabeth, age 37, born IL, keeping house; Laura, dau, age 17, born KS, at home; George W., son, age 15, born KS, clerk in store; John, son, age 13, born KS, attending school; Charls S., son, age 10, born KS, at school; May dau, age 4, born MO.
• She appeared on the Federal census in 1900 in De Soto, Johnson, Kansas, United States. Name: • She appeared on the Federal census in 1910 in Lexington, Johnson Co, KS. Name: • She appeared on the Federal census in 1930 in De Soto, Johnson, Kansas, United States. Name: • Her obituary was published in the De Soto Eagle Eye on 31 Dec 1931. Elizabeth Wakefield was born March 7, 1842, at Belvedere, Illinois. The daughter of George Wakefield, born in Vermont and Sarah Murphy born in Michigan. Her sister, Sybil Wakefield was the mother of Manda Simpson, first white child born in Nebraska territory at Stoperia, an Indian settlement. age: 62 yr 2 mo 16 da, s/w Elizabeth Beecroft, Sec. Original, Row-9, Lot #139
Wife of John S, s/w John S Beecroft, Sec. Original, Row-9, Lot #139
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I found this in the DeSoto History Book that went on sale in 2006.
1880 - John Beecroft bought a piece of land a block square (Peoria to Wea St.) North side. Beecroft's home sat on the corner of 83rd & Peoria-Dicken's house. John Beecroft's store was on the corner of 83 & Wea so he donated the land in between to build the Christian church. John died in 1898, his son Charles took over the store. John's sons Charles and George. Charles Children: Mae, Harry & Edith. George had a son Lyle (married Nanna Watson-had 8 kids.
In 1910 A change in the firm of E. Beecroft and Son after the first of Sept. the firm will be Beecroft and Freeman. They expect to enlarge stock their already large stock of mdse. Mr. E. E. Freeman to be general manager.
In 1910 an ad for Barefoot Sandals from E. Beecroft & Son, DeSoto.
John S. Beecroft was postmaster Sept. 30, 1880.
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Wife Mary Elisabeth Wakefield [5405]
Born: 7 Mar 1842 - Belvedere, IL 3
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Died: 20 Dec 1907 3
Buried: - De Soto Cemetery, De Soto, Johnson Co, KS 1 2
Find A Grave ID: 15721995
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When Elizabeth was a small child, her parents moved on the Platte river, eighty miles from Omaha, where the family lived many years conducting a trading post. Their nearest white neighbors were thirty miles away. Two Indian children were the playmates of Elizabeth and she could speak their language as readily as her own. Their home was a log cabin and sod house combined for many years.
This frontier trading post was in the path of the gold rush when people were rushing west to seek their fortunes as fast as horses could wind their way. Some were using ox teams. Log cabins had been built and sod houses too on this trading center.
At night, the great caravans drove into this place of rest and provisions for the continued journey were bought and stored in the wagons. The pioneers formed a great circle around the camp as a protection against raids of any sort at night. Great was the rush of arriving and departing of these pioneers for the California and Denver goldfields.
On Nov. 3, 1861, she married John Beecroft, who had come from New Jersey and was running a trading post at Elm Creek, Nebraska. They soon left for Ft. Leavenworth,a frontier Army trading post, where Mr. Beecroft was in the mercantile business for ten years. He was a member of the State Militia and Home Guards for three years. After going back to Nebraska, then to Kansas City, the family moved to De Soto, Kansas in 1877, being among the leading merchants of this community for many years. Elizabeth Beecroft was among the pioneer business women of America, very active in domestic and business affairs.
She was gifted with great dignity of manner, but held all her loved ones and friends throughout her life by her love, dignified and gentle lady-like manner, and she passed from earthly view as one of the outstanding figures of pioneer life, beloved and missed by all, at the home of Mrs. George Beecroft where she had lived much of her time the last twenty years. Her husband passed away June 22, 1898.
To this union the following children were born: Laura who passed away, June 10, 1907; George, of De Soto; John, who passed away March 29, 1881; Charles, of Ottawa, Kansas; Mrs. Mae Douglas, whose home is near Jewett. Sixteen grandchildren, eighteen great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild. "The Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light." ---L.B.G.
**Obit from De Soto Eagle Eye, Dec. 31, 1931, pg.1,col.4.
Children
1 F Laura B Beecroft [5406]
Born: 18 Sep 1862 - Leavenworth, Leavenworth Co, KS
Christened:
Died: 10 Jun 1907 - De Soto, Johnson, Kansas, United States
Buried: - De Soto Cemetery, De Soto, Johnson Co, KS 1
Find A Grave ID: 14797461
Spouse: Theudas Burns "T.B." Nicholson [16516] (1859-1916)
Spouse: Cassius M Soule [16515] (1850-1885)
Marr: 1883 - Kansas, United States
2 M George Wakefield Beecroft [5407]
Born: 31 Oct 1864 - Kansas, United States 1
Christened:
Died: 17 Aug 1936 1
Buried: - De Soto Cemetery, De Soto, Johnson Co, KS 1 2
FamilySearch ID: L1GC-5D7
Find A Grave ID: 14717314
Spouse: Emma Isabell Duff 1 [6781] (1862-1958)
Marr: 1883
3 M John "Jonnie" Beecroft [5467]
Born: 9 Mar 1867 - Kansas, United States
Christened:
Died: 29 Mar 1880 - De Soto, Johnson, Kansas, United States 1
Buried: - De Soto Cemetery, De Soto, Johnson Co, KS 1
Find A Grave ID: 15458086
Spouse: Did Not Marry
4 M Charles S Beecroft [5408]
Born: 1870 - Wolcott, Wyandotte, Kansas, United States 1
Christened:
Died: 5 Oct 1936 - Bonner Springs, Wyandotte Co, KS
Buried: - De Soto Cemetery, De Soto, Johnson Co, KS 1 2
FamilySearch ID: L8RD-53D
Find A Grave ID: 14817469
Spouse: Adda Uhl 1 [7606] (1870-1963)
Marr: 3 Jul 1890 - De Soto, Johnson, Kansas, United States
5 F Pearl May Beecroft [5409]
Born: 1876 - Missouri, United States
Christened:
Died: 1936
Buried: - De Soto Cemetery, De Soto, Johnson Co, KS 1
FamilySearch ID: L8RD-577
Find A Grave ID: 14945529
Spouse: Robert Lee Douglas [11809] (1876-1931)
Marr: 14 Apr 1898 - De Soto, Johnson, Kansas, United States
Burial Notes: Husband - John S Beecroft
Burial Notes: Wife - Mary Elisabeth Wakefield