Grant County Herald

Beetown Business—Some Items of its Early History.

Being called to Beetown last week on business connected with the Marshal's office, we took time to gather a few items concerning the early history and present business of that town.

Fortunate in cornering one of the pioneer settlers, we learned from him that Beetown was first settled by Matt. Edwards and a man named Arthur, in the year 1826.

During the year following Mr. Arthur while searching for a bee-tree, found in the hollow trunk of a fallen tree a great quantity of honey, and under the up-turned roots discovered chunks of mineral. This was near the present site of what is known as "Old Beetown," and the fact gave to the settlement the name the main town now bears—Beetown. The discovery soon brought to the vicinity a large number of miners, and the village flourished as mining towns generally do in their early history.

In '35 Matt Edwards built the first hotel a half mile up the hollow—then in the vicinity of the best mining, now on the site of Beetown proper. The upper hamlet rapidly improved and took the name of Edwardsville. In '45 or '46 by vote of the villagers the name was changed to "Beetown." During the year '47 the mineral raised from Muscalonge, Nip-and-Tuck, Hackett's Branch and Beetown Diggings (all within a circuit of a few miles) amounted to 1,600,000 lbs. Then there was but two smelting furnaces in that part of the county, one by Chas. Oler & Co. at Beetown and the other by Major Price at Cassville.

In 1845 the village had 2 dry goods stores, 2 blacksmith shops, 3 physicians, 2 brick-yards, several groceries, a saddler, wagon and shoemaker, tailor, jeweller, and district school house. At this date the mineral village was peopled by natives of every State in the Union and almost every Kingdom of Europe, and the population soon increased to sixteen hundred searchers after the hidden treasure. Beetown was in its glory probably in 1846 and '47; soon thereafter the Mexican war, and a little later the California exodus, told fearfully on the population of the mining towns. And until the close of the late war the mines of Beetown were comparatively idle.

Since the war and the establishment of several large companies for the development of the mines around Beetown there has been a marked improvement in the business of the place. The successful operation of the "Graham Mining Co.," employing fifty laborers, and the Pittsburgh and Wisconsin and Illinois Companies, running near as many hands each, have made business brisker the past year than at any time since the decline of Beetown.

Of these mines we intend to give further and extended notice as soon as we get time to visit them.

G. Lampson and the McCoy Bros. are doing a good business in general merchandise. W. E. Sweatland has a well stocked room with drugs and medicines. Dr. Nichols has been doing fairly in sale of drugs, groceries and dry goods. He is preparing to go East soon, and Beetown will lose a good citizen. Birch Bros. are well established in the smithing and wagon manufacturing business. John Cahill, one of the wittiest and best natured Irishmen we ever met, is doing well with a stock of tin and hardware. James Stanley does the harness and saddlery work, and has plenty of it. Ritner Stephens has a butcher shop, and Edwards & Bushnell a confectionery in connection with the same business. C. Hutchinson is proprietor of a large smelting furnace. Jacob Rockefeller is doing a good business at blacksmithing. Samuel Newick is the general business agent, notary, town clerk, everybody's adviser on legal matters, besides keeping a bachelor's hall and the good will of everyone. Dr. Millard has long been the established physician. Dr. Colburn has recently located at Beetown; he is a young man and promises well in the practice of his profession. The Good Templars' Lodge is one of the most flourishing in this part of the State, now numbering over 150 members. The "Beetown House," by W. J. McCoy, is a well kept and orderly house. The "Union Hotel," by Ishmael Bros., is also a good house.