George F. Beach, BiographyPorter County biographical sketches . . . .
Transcribed biography of George F. Beach
GEORGE F. BEACH. A well known and prominent citizen of Valparaiso, George F. Beach is carrying on a thriving business as a jeweler, having built up an extensive and lucrative patronage. A son of Ezra Beach, he was born March 2, 1868, in Porter county, Indiana, of pioneer ancestry, his grandparents, Truman and Catherine (Burke) Beach, having migrated from Canada to Porter county, Indiana, in 1838, locating on Morgan Prairie, where they took up a homestead claim and improved a farm.
Born in Canada, Ezra Beach was young when he came with his parents to Morgan Prairie, where he grew to manhood. Completing his early education in the old Methodist College at Valparaiso, Indiana; he was for a few years employed as a furniture manufacturer and dealer. Trading his business, however, for a farm, he was engaged in agricultural pursuits until ready to retire, when he moved to Valparaiso, where he spent his remaining days, passing away on the sixty-ninth anniversary of his birth. His wife, whose maiden name was Jennie Fifield, died at the age of sixty years. Of the eight children born of their union, five are now living, all being residents of Valparaiso, as follows: Catherine, wife of Fred Harrington; George F., the special subject of this brief biographical review; Minnie, wife of Arthur Christy; Mark; and Roy.
Brought up on the home farm just north of Valparaiso, George F. Beach acquired his rudimentary education in the district schools, later attending the Valparaiso high school. For a year thereafter he followed farming, but not content to follow the occupation of his ancestors he then served an apprenticeship of four years at the jeweler's trade with Mr. Walker. Becoming familiar with the details of his trade, Mr. Beach, in 1893, bought out the business established by Mr. Walker, and has since managed it most successfully, being now one of the leading jewelers of this part of Porter county, having built up a most satisfactory trade.
Mr. Beach married, in 1893, Miss Jennie Thatcher, a daughter of Samuel and Agnes Thatcher. Fraternally Mr. Beach is a member of Porter Lodge, of F. & A. M. and Valparaiso Commandery No. 56 and also of Valparaiso Lodge No. 500, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks; and of the Knights of Pythias.
Source: Lewis Publishing Company. 1912. History of Porter County, Indiana: A Narrative Account of its Historical Progress, its People and its Principal Interests. Chicago, Illinois: Lewis Publishing Company. 881 p.
Page(s) in Source: 441
This biography has been transcribed exactly as it was originally published in the source. Please note that we do not provide photocopies or digital scans of biographies appearing on this website.
Biography transcribed by Steven R. Shook