John Raymond Beecher Sr. ^{1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16}

   Another name for John was Raymond J. Beecher.¹⁷

   FamilySearch ID: LHHC-W55.

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Census in 1900 in Penn Twp., Cumberland, PA. ³ John S. Beecher, farmer, 39, born Oct 1860, was married for 13 years to Carrie I., 30, Feb 1870. She had birthed 6 children, all alive in 1900: Mary M., 12, Feb 1888; Priscilla M., 10, May 1890; Ella M., 7, Dec 1892; Edna R., 4, Jul 1895; John R., 2, Feb 1898; and David H., 3 months, Feb 1900. Everyone and their parents were born in Pennsylvania.

On the next page is his brother, Samuel J. Beecher, farmer, 37, Oct 1862; He was married 6 years to Emily R., 27, Feb 1873, and she had birthed no children. Living with them are Samuel's children by his first wife: Harry J., 13, May 1887; Edward C., 10, Sep 1889; and Samuel M., 10, Jan 1890. Everyone and their parents were born in Pennsylvania.

2. Census in 1910 in Newton Twp., Cumberland County, PA. ¹⁷ The 1910 Census recorded in Newton: John S. Beecher, farmer, 49, living with wife Carrie J., 40; and their children: Mary M.; 21; Elle M., 17; Ruth E., 14; Raymond J., 12; Herman D., 10; Viola C., 8; Harold S., 4 (actually is Arnold S.); and Paul E., 4 months. Everyone was born in Pennsylvania.

3. Military in 1918 in , , Pennylvania, USA: World War I: On his tombstone: "Pfc. Co. G, 112 Inf. WWI".

4. Newspaper: Gettysburg Times: Casualty List From Overseas: Corporal John Raymond Beecher, of Newville, is missing in action., 28 Oct 1918, Gettysburg, Adams, PA. ¹⁸

5. Newspaper: Harrisburg Telegraph: Corporal John Raymond Beecher Missing In Action (photo), 6 Dec 1918, Harrisburg, Dauphin, PA. ¹⁹ Corporal John Raymond Beecher, son of J. S. Beecher, of near Newville, Pa., reported missing in action September 1. It was later learned that he is a prisoner in Camp Rastatt, Germany. He is a member of Company G., 112th Infantry. Private Herman Beecher, a brother, is also serving his country in France, and is a member of the 103rd Ammunition Train.

6. Military on 3 Jan 1919 in Rastatt, , BW, DEU: WWI. Pennsylvania Soldiers Released from Rastatt, German Prison Camp. Washington, January 3. - The war department announced today the names of one officer and 264 enlisted men of the American expeditionary force who have arrived in France after being released from the German prison camp at Rastatt. The officer is Lieutenant Don R. Harris, of Arden, N.C. The Pennsylvania enlisted men include:
John R. Beecher, Newville.
[For complete list see: http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/pa/1pa/military/ww1/pa-pow-1919-1-3.txt ]
.

7. Residence: on 5 Dec 1919 in Newville, Cumberland, PA. ¹

8. Census in 1920 in Penn Twp., Cumberland, PA. ²⁰ The 1920 census recorded John S. Beecher, farmer, 59, living with wife Carrie I., 49; daughter Colla M., 26; Ruth E., 23; John R., 21; Viola C., 17; Arnold S., 14; Paul E., 11; and Earl, S., 9. Everyone and their parents were born in Pennsylvania.

9. Newspaper: Evening News: Hurt at Shippensburg, 5 Jul 1921, Harrisburg, Dauphin, PA. ²¹ Walnut Bottom, July 7 - Raymond Beecher, of this place, an employee of the Shippensburg Domestic Engine Works, who had his eye severaly injured last week when struck by a piece of iron, was treated over Sunday by a physician from Shippensburg.

10. Census in 1930 in Penn Twp., Cumberland, PA. ²² The 1930 census recorded owning a $2000 home: John R. Beecher, sheet metal tinner, 32, living with wife Verna E. 31; daughter Evenley G., 9; and sons Harold R., 7, and Lynn K., 5. Everyone and their parents were born in Pennsylvania.

11. Newspaper: Evening News:, 21 Jul 1931, Harrisburg, Dauphin, PA. ²³ "Herman D. Beecher, of this place; John R. Beecher, Jr., Centralia; Arnold Beecher, Paul Beecher, Earl Beecher, of Centerville R. D., and Marshall Kough, of Mechanicsburg R. D., were on a fishing trip over the week-end to Annapolis, Md.

12. Residence: on 15 Aug 1937 in Centerville, Cumberland, PA. ²⁴

13. Census in 1940 in Penn Twp., Cumberland, PA. ²⁵ The 1940 census recorded John Beecher, roofing tinsmith, 42, living with wife Verna, 41; daughter Evelyn, presser in dress factory, 20; son Harold, 17; son Lynn, 15; son Donald, 3. Also in the home is a lodger: Nevin Le Dane, 19. Everyone was born in Pennsylvania.

14. Newspaper: Harrisburg Evening News: Cherry Picker Falls 35 Feet, 29 Jun 1940, Harrisburg, Dauphin, PA. ²⁶ Centerville, June 29. -- Although he fell approximately thirty-five feet from a cherry tree, John B. Beecher, 45, Centerville tinsmith, appeared to be recovering today from painful injuries at his home.
Beecher fell last evening while picking cherries in a tree on a farm tenanted by Joseph Hance, a half mile east of Centerville along the Walnut Bottom road. Dr. H. H. Longsdorf, Cetnerville, said an examination failed to show any broken bones.

15. Newspaper: Shippensburg News-Chronicle: "John R. Beecher, of Centerville, World War veteran, was admitted Wednesday morning to the Carlisle hospital.", 9 Jul 1940, Shippensburg, Cumberland, PA. ²⁷

16. Residence: on 1 May 1943 in Dickinson, Cumberland, PA. ¹⁰

17. Residence: on 4 Jul 1943 in Chicopee Falls, Hampden, MA. ¹¹

18. Newspaper: Harrisburg Telegraph: John Beecher's Car Kills Boy, 9 Dec 1943, Newville, Cumberland, PA. ²⁸ Services for Boy Set

Services for George Luther Snyder, 5, Newville, who was fatally injured in the street near his home Tuesday when struck by an automobile, will be held Friday at 2 p.m. at Rearick funeral home, Newville. Burial will be in Prospect Hill Cemetery.

The child died at midnight Tuesday in Carlisle Hospital.

The boy had been waiting on the sidewalk for the return of his mother from work. When their saw her car turn into their driveway the boy ran toward the machine and into the path of a car driven by John Beecher, Centerville.

The Beecher car, although traveling slowly, dragged the boy 50 feet, according to State Motor Police. The speed of the car was estimated at 10 miles an hour.

The boy, son of Mr. and Mrs. George Snyder, suffered a fractured neck, skull and left leg and internal injuries.

He was a member of the Primary Department of the Big Spring Presbyterian Sunday School. Besides his parents, he is survived by a grandmother, Mrs. Luther Heffelfinger, Newville.

19. Newspaper: Harrisburg Telegraph: Absolved in Boy's Death, 25 Feb 1944, Harrisburg, Dauphin, PA. ²⁹ John Beecher, Centerville, was absolved of all blame in the death of 5-year-old George Lutcher Snyder, Newville, on December 7, yesterday when an inquest was held at the Rearick Funeral Home in Newville.

Testimony at the inquest, at which Coroner Edward A. Haegele presided, revealed that the child had darted into the path of the Beecher car as he ran to meet his mother returning from work. Eye-witnesses stated that Beecher's machine was moving slowly, and that the driver had no chance to avoid striking the child.

20. Occupation: truck driver on 18 Sep 1945 in Dickinson, Cumberland, PA. ⁵

21. Census in 1950 in Penn Twp., Cumberland, PA. ³⁰ The 1950 census recorded John Beecher, carpenter, 52, living with wife Verna, 51; and son Donald, 13. In the next household is Ella Beecher, 56, who operates a machine in a shoe factory. Everyone was born in Pennsylvania. She is John's sister.

22. Newspaper: The Sentinel: Four Hurt in 2-Car Crash on Route 11, 20 Feb 1961, Carlisle, Cumberland, PA. ³¹ -----
Four Hurt in 2-Car Crash on Route 11
-----
Four persons were injured on Saturday afternoon in a two-car collision on Route 11 five miles west of Carlisle.
John R. Beecher, 63, Dickinson, driver of one of the cars, was admitted to Carlisle Hospital with fractured ribs.
Treated at the hosptial were Lee Donal Kesserman, 19, Newville, a driver, and his wife, Charlotte, 19, for forehead lacerations, and their two month old son, Donald Lee, for a contusion of the head.
State Police reported Beecher drove out of the Greason Road into the path of the westbound Keeserman car. Keeserman was unable to stop in time to avoid a collision.
Police estimated the damage to the Beecher car at $450 and the Keeserman car $350.

23. Newspaper: The Sentinel: Centerville: John Beacher, who has been hospitalized is improving., 2 Mar 1961, Carlisle, Cumberland, PA. ³²

24. Residence: on 16 Sep 1961 in Dickinson, Cumberland, PA. ¹⁶

25. Newspaper: The Sentinel: Centerville: Miss Ella Beecher has returned home from Mr. Baughman's near Williams Grove. Mr. And Mrs. Lynn Beeche, Carlisle, visted Mr. And Mrs. John Beecher on Sunday., 6 Oct 1961, Carlisle, Cumberland, PA. ³³

26. Cause of Death: myocardial infarction, myocardial failure, hyptertensive cardio-vascular disease, 8 Mar 1964, Dickinson, Cumberland, PA. ¹³

27. Occupation: carpenter on 8 Mar 1964 in Dickinson, Cumberland, PA. ¹³

28. Obituary: The Sentinel: obituary of John Raymond Beecher on 9 Mar 1964 in Carlisle, Cumberland, PA. ¹⁵ John Raymond Beecher, veteran of World War I, died on Sunday at his home at Dickinson. He was 66 years old.
Mr. Beecher, a carpenter, was a member of American Legion Post No. 101 and the Penn Township Fire Company.
Surviving are his wife, Mrs. Verna E. Beecher; three sons Harold R. and Donald R., both of Dickinson, and Lynn K. Carlisle; a daughter, Mrs. Evelvn LeDane, Dickinson; four brothers, Herman, Camp Hill; Samuel, RD. Shippensburg; Paul, RD, Fayetteville, and Earl, Walnut Bottom; three sisters, Miss Ella Beecher, Dickinson; Mrs. Ruth Kough, Plainfield RD3, and Mrs. Viola Russell, Honey Brook, 17 grandchildren and four great-granchildren.
The funeral service will be held on Wednesday at 2 p.m. in the Rearick Funeral Home, Newville. The Rev. Laveme Stough, will officiate. Burial will be in Centerville Cemetery.

29. Newspaper: The Valley Times-Star, 27 Oct 1966, Newville, Cumberland, PA. ³⁴ ----------------
TELLS TRUTH
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Unusual Sign by Road Not Boast of Progress
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"Travel at your own risk your tux dollars are not at work here." -- So reads a sipn in Centerville off the Walnut Bottom Road. The road in back of the sign is not inviting. It came about about 15 years ago when John R. Beecher of Penn Township bought a 12-acre field from the widow of Albert S. Snoke and set out to develop it as a real estate project. A bulldozer accounted for the road. Mr. Beecher started to build houses, the first for his son, Harold; then a daughter was married to Nevin LeDane and wanted a house too. Mr. Beecher purchased an old mill from the Johnson Moore estate, called Moore's Mill, along the Yellow Breeches Creek, and had the big white pine logs sawed into joists and rafters and studs for several houses he planned to build as a means of developing the field into a real estate boom for Centerville. After Nevin LeDane finished his house, Mr. Beecher built another for sale and Calvin Barrick bought it. Next Lester Walker bought a house and then Lester Mell and then Don Beecher. Robert Eckert built the final house in what became known as Beechertown. There are seven houses now. Thirteen children board the bus each morning for Big Spring High School and a like number attend Centerville Elementary School. "The problem here is the road," residents complain. "Since John Beecher laid out the road, the township supervisors seem to think that the Beecher estate should keep up the road, but the estate has other problems and the residents feel that the township should do something to serve seven substantial taxpayers in a growing and worthwhile community." The protest was devised by Nevin LeDane, son of the late Thomas LeDane who for years was foreman of the large Dennis orchards of Huntsdale and a community leader in Penn Township.

John married Verna Eldema Moore, daughter of Charles Eyster Moore and Annie Rusia Brindle, on 5 Dec 1919 in New Kingston, Cumberland, PA.¹ (Verna Eldema Moore was born on 17 Jul 1898 in Walnut Bottom, Cumberland, PA,^{6 35} died on 22 Nov 1969 in Centerville, Cumberland, PA ^{6 35 36} and was buried on 25 Nov 1969 in Newville: Centerville Memorial Park, Cumberland, PA ^{6 35 36}.)

John had a relationship with Edith M. Rice, daughter of George Washington Rice and Mary Magdalene Fuller. (Edith M. Rice was born on 22 Jan 1901 in Saville Township, Perry, PA,^{37 38 39 40} died on 4 Mar 1997 in Carlisle, Cumberland, PA ^{39 40 41} and was buried in Carlisle: Cumberland Valley Memorial Gardens, Cumberland, PA ³⁹.)