James R. Beecher ^{2 3 4 5 6 7}

   FamilySearch ID: LDMX-LD1.

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Census in 1860 in Wilkins Twp., Allegheny, PA. ² John Beecher, carpenter, 46, was living with wife Margaret, 37; William, apprentice, 19; James, 9; and Mary, 6. Everyone was born in Pennsylvania. John's real estate was worth $2,400 and possessions $300. The post office was Wilkins.

2. Residence: 1869 Pittsburgh Directory: Beecher James, carpenter, Frankstown road, Nineteenth ward in 1869 in Allegheny City, Allegheny, PA. ¹³

3. Census in 1870 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny, PA. ¹⁴ John Beecher, carpenter, 55, was living with wife Margaret, 46; James, carpenter, 29; and Mollie, 15. Everyone was born in Pennsylvania except John in Maryland.

4. Residence: 1876 Pittsburgh Directory: Beecher Jas R, carpenter, Hiland av & N Walnut 20th ward, East End in 1876 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny, PA. ¹⁵ All Beechers in 1876 Directory:
Beecher Harry, machinist, Charles, Allegheny
Beecher J Henry, nailor, Morgan & Meadow
Beecher Jas R, carpenter, Hiland av & N Walnut 20th ward, East End
Beecher John, helper, 134 Eleventh, South Side
Beecher John, carpenter, Hiland av & N Walnut 20th ward, East End
Beecher William, carpenter, Charles, Allegheny.

5. Residence: Liberty Street, Pittsburgh, PA on 18 Jul 1877 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny, PA.

6. Residence: 1879 Pittsburgh Directory: Beecher Jas R, carpenter, Penn av, opp station, 20th ward in 1879 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny, PA. ¹⁶ Beechers in 1879 Pittsburgh (A is abbrev. for Allegheny)
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Beecher Geo R, nailer, Forbes, bt Van Braam and Marion
Beecher H J. of H J Beecher & Co, Pleasant Valley
Beecher H J & Co. eating saloon, 27 E Diamond, A
Beecher Harvey, machinist, 89 Charles, A
Beecher Henry J, machinist, 164 Chartiers, A
Beecher Jacob H, nailer, Morgan, n Centre
Beecher Jas R, carpenter, Penn av, opp station, 20th ward
Beecher John, capenter, Sheridan av, e e
Beecher John, helper, bds 216 Beaver av, A.

7. Court: James. Beecher, age 24, was a prisoner in Allegheny County Workhouse for 30 days. Charge: interferring with an officer. This was his 3rd conviction. On 18 Feb 1879 in Blawnox, Allegheny, PA. ¹⁷

8. Occupation: carpenter on 18 Feb 1879 in Blawnox, Allegheny, PA. ¹⁷

9. He was described as James. Beecher, age 24, born in PA, brown hair, blue eyes, 5' 11", 177 pounds. On 18 Feb 1879 in Blawnox, Allegheny, PA. ¹⁷

10. Census in 1880 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny, PA. ⁸ Jame Beecher, carpenter, 29, was living with wife Lotta, 25; Royal, 2. Everyone and their parents were born in Pennsylvania.

11. Residence: 1885 Pittsburgh Directory: Beecher J R, carpenter, 5827 Ellsworth av in 1885 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny, PA. ¹⁸ Beechers in 1885 Pittsburgh (A is abbrev. for Allegheny)
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Beecher Geo R, fireman, Locust, n Gist
Beecher Henry J, machinist, 77 Beaver av, A
Beecher J H, nailor, Morgan, n Vera
Beecher J R, carpenter, 5827 Ellsworth av
Beecher Margaret, widow John, 5803 Walnut
Beecher William, carpenter, 91 Charles, A.

12. Residence: Pittsburgh City Directory: Beecher, Jas R., carpenter, Penn av, n Denniston av in 1889 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny, PA. ¹⁹

13. Newspaper: Pittsburg Dispatch: A Missing East End Youth, 5 Jan 1891, Pittsburgh, Allegheny, PA. ²⁰ A Missing East End Youth.

James R. Beecher, of Margaretta street, East End, reported to Sergeant Lose, of the Nineteenth ward police station, yesterday that his son, Roy, has been missing since last Friday evening. He is 18 years old, light sandy complexion and blue eyes. He wore a light cap and overcoat.

14. Newspaper: Pittsburg Dispatch: "To-Day's Trial List: Criminal Court: J. R. Beecher, Sarah Kane.", 22 Sep 1891, Pittsburgh, Allegheny, PA. ²¹

15. Newspaper: Pittsburg Dispatch: "Criminal Court Callings. The jury is out in the case of James R. Beecher, who was tried for immorality on information of Lottie R. Beecher.", 23 Sep 1891, Pittsburgh, Allegheny, PA. ²¹

16. Residence: 1893 Pittsburgh Directory: Beecher, James, carpenter, 113 Torrens in 1893 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny, PA. ²²

17. Court: J. R. Beecher was a prisoner in Allegheny County Workhouse for 30 days. On 19 Jan 1894 in Blawnox, Allegheny, PA. ²³

18. Newspaper: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Two Men Arrested While Working the East End., 17 Oct 1894, Pittsburgh, Allegheny, PA. ²⁴ Playing A Charity Racket.
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Two Men Arrested While Working The East End
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William Price, alias Thomas Simco, alias Frank Brodburn and James Beecher were given a hearing by Magistrate McCallin yesterday afternoon on a charge of obtaining money under false pretenses. They were arrested Saturday night while trying to work an Italian on Frankstown avenue. They had a book and over $48 subscribed by different people for the benefit of one J. A. Jones, who had a leg taken off by the Pennsylvania railroad. When arrested both were under the influence of liquor and refused to talk.
At the hearing Price asked for a week's time in which to prove that he was not swindling people. It was granted and in default of bail he was recommitted. The police say that there is no doubt as to his guilt and they give him a bad record in several places in this state. Beecher claimed he was only an aquaintance of Price and was not asking for money. The judge thought different and recommitted him also.

19. Census in 1900 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny, PA. ⁹ The 1900 Census recorded at 6931 Frankstown Avenue in Pittsburgh: James Beecher, house carpenter, 50, born May 1850, living with wife Sarah, 35, Jun 1865. They were married for 16 years (1884) and she had birthed 5 children, 4 still alive in 1900: Catherine, 15, Sep 1885; Margrete, 8, Mar 1892; Ellen, 6, Oct 1894; and Leoda, 3, Mar 1897. Everyone and their parents were born in Pennsylvania.

20. Residence: 339 44th Street, Pittsburgh, PA on 26 Apr 1906 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny, PA. ²⁵

21. Newspaper: Pittsburgh Daily Post: James R. Beecher Arrested, 8 Jul 1907, Pittsburgh, Allegheny, PA. ²⁶ IMPLICATES ANOTHER MAN.
Hollywood Carpenter Is Accused of Bogus Check Work in Connection With J. R. Reed
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James R. Beecher, a carpenter 57 years old, of Frankstown avenue, was arrested yesterday morning by Special Officers Corbett and Wessel and placed in No. 6 police station on a charge of being a suspicious person. It is alleged he was attempting to pass bogus checks in conjunction with J. R. Reed, of Kelly street. Reed was arrested Saturday at Frankstown and Park avenues and at the hearing yesterday morning before Magistrate J. D. Walker was held over until this morning.
It is alleged that Reed passed a worthless check on Golden & Crick, contractors, of Fifth avenue, and also upon W. H. Dumbaugh, a grocer, of Homewood avenue. In the latter case he is said to have used the name Jones as an alias.
Reed claims he has not been responsible for the past two weeks and the he acted merely as the tool of Beecher.
Beecher, it is said, was attempting to pass a check on his mother when arrested. Both men will be given a hearing this morning.

22. Residence: on 1 Jan 1908 in Bogalusa, Washington, LA. ²⁷

23. Newspaper: Pittsburgh Daily Post: "James R. Beecher sold to George P. Graf, of New Wilmington, Pa., a frame house on 25x83 feet in Walnut street near Roup, Twentieth ward, for $2,800.", 1 Aug 1908, Pittsburgh, Allegheny, PA. ²⁸

24. Newspaper: Pittsburgh Daily Post: "Saturday desertion and non-support cases will be heard as follows: ...Jame R. Beecher ....", 31 Dec 1908, Pittsburgh, Allegheny, PA. ²⁹

25. Newspaper: Pittsburgh Press: Mrs. Beecher Arrested in Court Room, 2 Jan 1909, Pittsburgh, Allegheny, PA. ³⁰ Woman Arrested in Court Room
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Mrs. Beecher Had Testified Against Husband -- He had Been Threatened With Punishment If He Didn't Pay
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Latter Made Charge Against Prosecutrix
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Arrested in the court room just as she finished testifying against her husband, James R. Beecher, Mrs. Sarah Beecher will have a hearing before Alderman William A. Means, of the East End, on a charge made by her husband.
Mrs. Beecher had made an information against her husband, charging him with desertion and non-support.
Both the prosecutrix and the defendant are middle-aged, and a daughter about 17 years old testified. It was brought out during the testimony that Beecher had given his wife $180 in July, after he had sold some property. Criminations and recriminations were made during the hearing. Beecher accuseing his wife of being unfaithful and stated that she even now is living with another man. The daughter testified to the unfaithfulness of the prosecutrix. Mrs. Beecher stated that she had no place to go and this man took her in as a housekeeper.
Judge Joseph M. Searingen then placed the costs on Beecher, after First Assistant District Attorney Robert T. McElroy threatened Beecher with arrest if he refused to pay the costs.
It then was announced in court that Constable Alexander Coyle, of Alderman Means' office, was in the court room ready to serve a warrant on the woman. She at once furnished bond and the parties left the court room.

26. Newspaper: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Mrs. Sarah Beecher arrested, 3 Jan 1909, Pittsburgh, Allegheny, PA. ³¹ Mrs. Sarah R. Beecher, prosecutor in a desertion and non-support hearing against her husband, James R. Beecher, was arrested immediately after the hearing to answer a charge preferred against her by her husband before Alderman Means.
The husband accused his wife of being unfaithful and was supported in his testimony by their 17-year-old- daughter. He testified to having given his wife $180 last July.
Mrs. Beecher declared that she had no place to go and was keeping house for a man in the East End. The costs in the case were placed upon Beecher. Constable Alexander Coyle served the warrant on Mrs. Beecher, who at once gave bond.

27. Court: James was a prisioner for 89 days in Allegheny County Work House. Crime: non-support of wife. Prison occupation: carpenter from 25 Jan 1915 to 23 Jan 1915 in Blawnox, Allegheny, PA. ³²

28. Newspaper: Pittsburgh Daily Post: "James R. Beecher has started excavations for two two-story brick double dupliex residences to be erected in Frankstown and Murtland avenues for J. H. Harrison, 6951 Frankstown avenue, to cost about $25,000.", 4 Jul 1915, Pittsburgh, Allegheny, PA. ³³

29. Newspaper: Pittsburgh Daily Post: New Lawsuits: County Court. James R. Beecher -- Pgh. Timber & Coal Co., Inc. 973 ... Asspt., 4 Jun 1916, Pittsburgh, Allegheny, PA. ³⁴

30. Residence: 1875 Lincoln Ave., Pittsburgh, PA on 7 Jul 1916 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny, PA. ⁵

31. Residence: 7219 Frankstown Ave., Pittsburgh, PA on 12 Dec 1918 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny, PA. ³⁵

32. Census in 1930 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny, PA. ³⁶ The 1930 census recorded James R. Beecher, 72, as a lodger at 233 Sherman Avenue. He and his mother were born in Pennsylvania and his father in Maryland.

33. Cause of Death: myocarditis, arteriosclerosis, 15 Sep 1935, Pittsburgh, Allegheny, PA. ¹¹

34. Residence: James died at Little Sisters of the Poor home at 1028 Benton Avenue. On 15 Sep 1935 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny, PA. ¹¹

James married Lottie M. Woodcooper. (Lottie M. Woodcooper was born in Mar 1847 in Burton-on-Trent, , STS, ENG,^{8 37} died in 1901 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny, PA ³⁸ and was buried in Pittsburgh: Homewood Cemetery, Allegheny, PA ³⁸.)

James next married Sarah Bertha Kane, daughter of Daniel John Kane Sr. and Catherine Hughes, on 15 Jun 1891 in Wheeling, Ohio, WV.¹ (Sarah Bertha Kane was born on 7 Feb 1870 in Cambria City, Cambria, PA,³⁹ died on 30 Jan 1920 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny, PA ^{6 39 40} and was buried on 3 Feb 1920 in Lawrenceville: St. Mary's Cemetery, Allegheny, PA ^{39 40}.)