Beniah J. Wheeler
was born near Bangor, Maine, May 14, 1836.
He was the son of Jacob and Martha Wheeler, who in 1845 with their
children came by wagon across the continent in the company of settlers and
located their family first in Nauvoo, Illinois, but soon left there and came to
Lee County. In 1848, Jacob Wheeler
purchased a tract of land owned by George Town, just south of what is now the
village of Paw-Paw, and a part of which land now forms the south part of this
village.
The young son
Beniah J. Wheeler attend what was then the South Side High School, where he
laid the foundation in his mind and make up of a successful career.
In 49" the father went
west with the great Exodus of people in search of gold. The son remained, but in 1855, he went to
Minnesota where he engaged in business of various kinds, doing whatever he
found do to for a livelihood. Returning
to the former home in 1959 he at once left for California to seek, like others,
a fortune in gold mining. He settled in
Plumes City, California for three years and mined there. The country was new and the facilities for
mining here very limited which meant exceeding hard labor for the seekers of
wealth. Mr. Wheeler then began
freighting supplies for miners, which occupation necessitated the making of
long, perilous and wearisome trips across mountains, rivers, plains, and
forest, 40 miles of the long journey were across barren desert.
In that early day
he crossed the Isthmus of Panama, and it has since been his ardent desire to
cross the Isthmus through the great canal, but that desire could not be
realized on account of his failing health.
After four years
of labor in the far west he returned to this vicinity and, the old farm which
his father had purchased having gone out of his hands, Beniah J. Wheeler
repurchased it and kept it as a homestead.
Here he engaged in various occupations and enterprises, of which was
carrying mail a trip of many miles, with very limited conveniences, and
performed with many hardships.
In 1873 on
January 1st he married Miss Clara Swarthout who become his worthy helpmate and
partner, the sharer of his joys and sorrows, his successes and losses in those
trying days of the 1870's.
In the year 1879
he took his little family for a visit to the old scene of his labors in
California. There was a fascination and
a lure about the mining industry that drew Mr. Wheeler that way, so again in
1884 he took his family to the old scenes and engaged again in mining in
Plumas, California. His work was
successful and he returned to Illinois, with a fair reward for his labors. About the year 1886 he with Mr. Swarthout
took charge of the Union Bank of this village under the name B.J. Wheeler and
Company with this he was connected until 1901 when it was organized as a State
Bank, and Mr. Wheeler was elected President which position he held until death
closed his long career as student, laborer, miner, salesman, manufacturer, and
banker. Mr. Wheeler made money because
he was persistent in his ambitious to get along in the world. But he made his money, as he said, not for
the sake of giving much to hide and board and boast of having, but for
use. He believed as Robert Burns
expressed concerning the accumulation of money-
"Not for to hide it in the
hedge; Not for a train attendant;
But for the glorious privilege of being independent."
Money acquired
value to Mr. Wheeler by being put to use.
He was not extravagant nor was he penirious, He used his means to make
life pleasurable and comfortable for his family and himself, but not for the
luxurious extravagance. A wise economist
but a generous man. Mr. Wheeler was
always strong, hale and hearty until a few years ago when an accident with a
big automobile so injured him that it impaired his health and since that time
he was never strong again.
B.J. Wheeler
was an ardent and faithful member of I.O.O.F. since 1886 when he was initiated
into the order of East Paw-Paw. He was a
Charter member of Anchor Lodge NQ 510, I.O.O.F. of Paw-Paw, transferring his
membership here at the organization of Anchor Lodge of this village.
In 1886 he joined
Paw-Paw Camp No. 170 N.W. and was a loyal and faithful brother in each of these
orders.
All the children
born to Mr. And Mrs. B.J. Wheeler, except one who died in infancy survive him.
After days and
nights of faithful watching loving ministrations and tenderest care the family
was summoned to his bedside in the early morning of March 10, at 12:30 when the
lingering mortal life of this dear man at last left its early habitations for a
home we trust, even fairer and lovelier than this.
Thus passed on
to his reward a man of remarkable career who had crossed this entire continent
in a wagon in an early day; who was one of the very few remaining early
settlers, who made good because of the rugged fiber of his fibre, the iron
determination of his will and because he gave the best that was in him to his work
and because his life was so entwined in the lives of his many friends he shall
long be held for fond remembrance. He
leaves to cherish his loving wife, Mrs. B.J. Wheeler, two daughters; Mrs. Addie
K. Guffin, and Miss Jeanette Wheeler, and two sons, Frank I. And Robert W. Of
Paw-Paw. Also one brother John of
Danison, Texas and four sisters; Mrs. Martha Jones of Yates Center, Knn., Mrs.
Diana Aldrich of Mondota, Illinois, Mrs. Mary Atherton of Serich, Kansas, and
Mrs. Cora Potter of Kalamazoo, Michigan.
The funeral was held at the late home
Sunday morning 10:30. Rev. O.J. Canfield
officiating and interment was in Wyoming Cemetery.
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