Silas Lansing BEEBE (1822-1917)

"SPARTA (BOX GROVE). A map of 1850 by George W. Phillips shows... William Beebe, a blacksmith, on lot 6W1/2, conc. 9,... and William Beebe's blacksmith shop stood on the north-east corner. William Beebe was earlier in the Buttonville area, and likely came here with the Tomlinsons, as in the 1830s they were both on lot 11, conc. 4. Mr. Beebe was a fine toolmaker, stamping his products with his name. His family, son Silas, and grandson Byron, were also noted blacksmiths. William Beebe was buried in Elmwood cemetery, Markham. the last blacksmith on this location was Frank Mann." ["Markham 1793-1900" researched and written by the Committee for the History of Markham Township, edited by Isabel Champion, published by Markham Historical Society. (Ontario, Canada).]

“Celebrated his 89th Birthday. Reminiscences of Mr. S. L. Beebe our Oldest Resident. Mr. Silas Beebe the oldest inhabitant of Markham village, the oldest Methodist, and the oldest native born resident of Markham township celebrated his 89th birthday on Wednesday the 22nd... Mr. Beebe was born in Markham township in 1822, and with his parents moved into Reesorville, now Markham village, in 1826... There were no churches in the village when Mr. Beebe came here, and no school house, but there was lots of whiskey... ” [Markham Economist, Thu 23 Mar 1911].

1848: Silas BEBEE, to Phebe MATTHEWS, both of Markham. 17 May 1848, Markham, by banns. Job MOXSOM. Joseph BEBEE and Sarah Ann MATTHEWS witnessed. [The Marriage Registers of Upper Canada / Canada West - Volume II: Part 3 - Home District, 1843-1849, p.139; Marriages by Job Moxsom, Markham, #606, p.342-3].

1850-51: Beebe Silas Con 8 Lot 5 [Extract from Roswell’s Directory of Toronto and County of York for Year 1850-51, by Henry Roswell., Township of Markham. Note there is no “V” in the entry, which would denote that the party lives in the Village of Markham].

1851: BEEBE: Silas, 29, b.Canada, religion-none; Phoebe J., 22, b.Canada; Augusta A., 3, b.Canada; Byron E, 1, b.Canada. Markham Twp., York, Ontario. [1851 Census, Markham Twp., York Co., Dist 5, Wards 3 & 5, C-11759, (near con. 5, L 7)] [alt. source: Extracts from the 1851 federal census of Markham, York County, Microfilm #C11759. Publisher: National Archives of Canada. Publication place: Ottawa. Volume/Page(s): P281] [Markham, Ontario Census Indexes 1851-1881, compiled by Louise I. Hope].

1857: “Beebe, Silas, Glen William, Halton, edge tool maker” Directory of the Province of Ontario, 1857, p.41.

? 1857-8 S. Beebe, Glem William, C.W.

1869: Anderson, McEvoy census: S. Beebe, blacksmith, Uxbridge

1861: ??

1864-5: Mitchell's classified Canada Directory, S.L. Beebe, gunsmith and edge tool maker.

1865-6: Mitchell's classified Canada Directory, S.L. Beebe, axe & edge tool maker.

1868-70:
UXBRIDGE... Beebe, S., blacksmith, &c.
TOWNSHIP OF UXBRIDGE... Beebe, Silas, 6, 7 t.
[CONNER & COLTSON'S DIRECTORY OF THE COUNTY OF ONTARIO FOR 1869-7O ]

1869: Alex Spears, Uxbridge, son of Robert, mar. 1869, Augusta Beebe, Uxbridge, dau. of Silas, Uxbridge [Ontario Co. Marriage Index 1858-69]. [Ref. 3:39 in County Marriage Registers of Ontario, Canada 1858-1869 Volume 2 Index to Ontario County, 1979: Generation Press, Agincourt, Ontario, p.5 & p.76]. Register copy: [p.39, Return George Dunkley filed 12 Jul 1869, No.55, Alex Spears, age 24, residence Uxbridge, born Pickering, parents Robert & Eliz; Augusta Beebe, age 20, residence Uxbridge, born markham, parents Silas & Phebe, witnes Samuel McKennel residence Uxbridge, date of marriage 24 Feb 1869, Archives of Ontario marriage register 1867-1869, vol 47, now RG80-27-2, formerly RG8 series I-6-B, MS248 reel 12].

1871: BEEBE: Silas S. 49 b.O EMeth English blacksmith married; Phoebe 42 b.O EMeth English married; Byron 20 blacksmith; Sarah 18 b.O school; Robert 15 b.O school; Mary 11 b.O school; Harriet 9 b.O school; William 5 b.O school. [NOTE: page signed? by Robert Spears 8 Apr 1871] Industrial Establishments: Blacksmith Shop proprietor Silas S. BEEBE, $1100 fixed capital, $200 floating capital, 12 mos/yr working, 2 avg employees, $500 aggregate yearly wages, moving power - hand, raw materials - iron & steel value $250, Products - Axes EdgeTools & general blacksmithing aggregate value $1100 [1871 census p.22, Ontario Dist No 49-A-1 North Ontario, Uxbridge Twp., C-9975]. Real Estate: “-” acres, 2 town building lots, 1 warehouse/store/factory/shop/etc. Cultivated Land: 7 range conc 30 lot, 1/2 acre occupied, 1/2 acre improved, 1/2 acre garden/orchard. Produce: 1/4 bushel potatoes, 15 bushels turnips. Livestock: 2 swine. Animal products: 1 swine killed or sold for slaughter or export. Home-made fabrics: 20 yards home-made cloth or flannel. Industrial Establishments & Forest Products: [all blank] [RMB transcription of agricultural census]. BEEBE , SILAS S. Sex: Male, Age: 49, Birthplace: ONTARIO, Religion: Episcopal Methodist/Methodist Episcopal, Origin: ENGLISH, Occupation: BLACKSMITH [Federal Census of 1871 (Ontario Index), District: ONTARIO NORTH ( 049 ), Sub-district: Uxbridge ( A ), Division: 1,Page: 22, Microfilm reel: C-9975, Reference: RG31 — Statistics Canada].

1874: #006641-74 (Ontario Co) Wm. A. MIGHTON, 25, Armagh Ireland, Uxbridge, b, photographer, s/o Benjamin MIGHTON & Isabella CARAGAN, married Sarah E. BEEBEE, 21, Markham, Uxbridge, s, d/o Silas BEEBEE & Phoebe MATTHEWS, witn: S.L. BEEBE, Alex. SPEARN, both Uxbridge, married 2 April 1874, Uxbridge. Register copy: Wm. A. Mighton, age 26, residence Uxbridge, born Armaugh Ireland, bachelor, photographer, parents Benjamin Mighton & Isabella Caragan; Sarah E. Beebe, age 21, residence Uxbridge, born Markham, spinster, parents Silas Beebe & Phoebe Matthews, witnesses SL Beebe & Alex Spears Uxbridge; marriage at Uxbridge 2 Apr 1874, groom Wesleyan Methodist, bride Wesleyan Methodist, by whom married Rev. JS Evans (?), by license [p.250, Schedule B Marriages, No. 11, ]. “Married, in Uxbridge on the 2nd inst. at the residence of the bride’s father, by the Rev. J.S. Evans, Mr. W.A. Mighton to Miss S.B. Beebe, both of Uxbridge. Mr. Mighton and his excellent bride have our best wishes for their future welfare and happiness” [Uxbridge Journal, 9 Apr 1874].

1881: BEEBE: Silas L. 57 b.O CaMethodist German Edge Tool Maker married, remarks - New Industry; Jane 51 b.O CaMethodist German married; Robert L. 24 b.O edge tool edge tool ????; Mary L. 19 b.O; Ida 17 b.O William G. (maybe J.?) 16 b.O [1881 census p.14, Ontario Dist No 134-C-1 East Toronto, St Thomas Ward, York Co., C-13246]. Silas L. BEEBE M Male German 59 O. Edge Tool Maker Methodist Canada; Jane BEEBE M Female German 51 O. Ontario> Methodist Canada; Robert L. BEEBE Male German 24 O. Edge Tool Manfg. Methodist Canada; Mary L. BEEBE Female German 19 O. Methodist Canada; Ida BEEBE Female German 17 O. Methodist Canada; William G. BEEBE Male German 16 O. Methodist Canada. Source Information: Census Place St Thomas Ward, Toronto, York, Ontario. Family History Library Film 1375882. NA Film Number C-13246. District 134. Sub-district C. Division 1. Page Number 14. Household Number 87 [LDS web site].

1891: Beebe Silas S 69 Ont (parents b. US US) MT edge tool manufacturer, Phoebe J 62 Ont (parents b. Ont Ont) 43/V. Inb household of Alonso (33) & Rebecca (27) Beebe. Each shown with “W 1/5” houses inhabited. [Index to 1891 Census, Markham Township & Village, p.2, copy obtained from Markham Museum; also photocopies of census page].

1898: Markham News - “Fifty Years Wedded - The Economist extends congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. S.L. Beebe of Markham Village on the fiftieth anniversary of their wedding which occurred on Tuesday the 17th inst.” [Uxbridge Journal, 26 May 1898].

1901: Beebe Silas 79 Ont Meth P.J. 72 Ont 14/V2 [Index to 1901 Census, Markham Township and Village, copy obtained from Markham Museum; also photocopies of census pages].

1906: “Berner-Beebe. Markham people here will be interested in the following announcement, which we clip from the society columns of last Thursday’s Globe: ‘A quiet wedding took place on Tuesday evening at Trinity Church, Buffalo, when Belle Gertrude second daughter of the late W. A. Mighton of Toronto, was married to George Franklin Berner of Buffalo. The Rev. Cameron Davis officiated. The bride was attired in a going-away gown of white rajah silk, polero of baby Irish and point de Venise; white hat with crown of lilies of the valley. Her flowers were also lilie of the valley. She was attended by her sister, Mrs. J. Hamblyn Kamman, as matron of honor.’ Mrs. Berner is a grand-daughter of Mr. and Mrs. S. L. Beebe of Markham, and well known and very popular with a wide circle of friends in this section” [Economist, 7 Jun 1906, copy from Markham Museum].

1908: Beebe, Phoebe Jane, female, died 14 Mar 1908, residence Main St Markham, occupation housewife, married, husband S.L. Beebe, born Ontario, cause dilation of heart, length of illnes chronic, physician and person making return Dr. Robinson, religion Meth[odist], registration 14 Mar. [No. 8, p.431, Deaths, York Co., Markham Village, Archives of Ontario, death registrations, RG80-8 - 1908, Vol. 18 #032969, MS935 reel 140].

1908: "Death of Mrs. Beebe.
After an illness of only a few days Mrs. S. L. Beebe passed away on Saturday afternoon. She had been in a somewhat enfeebled condition for several months past and the end was therefore not unexpected.
She was the daughter of the late Asa Matthews of Pickering township. Besides her husband she is survived by three sons and four daughters. The sons are Alonzo of Chicago, William of Colorado, and Byron of Stouffville. The daughters are Mrs. Spears of Chicago, Mrs. Mighton of Nelson B.C., Mrs. Dorset Birchall of Montreal and Miss Beebe at home. All the children were able to be at the funeral except the sons in Chicago and Colorado.
The funeral service was held at the family residence on Monday afternoon. Rev. C. J. Dobson officiated and was assisted by Rev. J. E. Fenning of Grace Church. Interment took place in St. Andrew's Cemetery.
Mrs. Beebe was 78 years old at the time of her decease and had she survived until May 8th, she and her venerable partner would have been able to celebrate their diamond wedding. She was a woman who by her sweet Christian character endeared herself to all with whom she came in contact. Her memory will be long cherished by those people who were privileged to know her, and all will extend their sympathy to the bereaved family and particularly to the aged husband who is incon-... [last part of of sentence illegible]"
[Markham Sun, Thu 19 Mar 1908, copy from Markham Museum].

1909 (5 Apr): Easter postcard from Father [and sister Mary] to Mrs. Alex Spears in Glen Ellyn.

1917 (5 Oct): Beebe, Silas Lansing, male, 95 years, died 5 Oct 1917, born Markham Tp., place of death Main St Markham, burial St. Andrews Cemetery, occupation retired, widowed, father Wm E Beebe, mother Elizabeth Van Horn, cause acute bronchitis, physician D. J. A. Macdonald, informant Mary Beebe address Markham, date of return 5 Oct 1917. Physician’s return: Beebe, Silas Lansing, died 5 Oct 1917, disease causing death acute bronchitis duration 4d, immediate cause heart collapse duration 3 hours, physician J. A. Macdonald address Markham, date of return 5 Oct 1917. [p.123, Deaths York Co., Markham Village, Archives of Ontario death registrations, RG80-8 1917, vol. 34 #036256, MS935 reel 238.].

1917: “E8.8 BEEBE In loving memoery of Silas Lansing BEEBE 1822-1917 Phoebe Jane Matthews his wife 1829-1908 Mary L. BEEBE 1859-1929 (4 cornerstones) - B”. [St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Markham, Ontario, West part of Lot 10, Concession 8, Town of Markham, Ontario. Cemetery index by Ontario Genealogical Society, Toronto Branch].

1929: "...the late Silas Beebe, a pioneer settler of Markham who settled in Markham about 1850. He was an expert edged tool maker and Beebe's axes, mill picks and pump augers were a standard for excellence throughout Ontario. Except for a few years in Uxbridge the Beebe’s resided in Markham during the length of a long and useful life, comforted by the love and care of devoted children...” [Markham Economist, 5 Dec 1929, p.1]

More information on this family is at: 

Ancestors of Dorset B. SPEARS & Ann E. GRAY