Source: Portrait & Biographical Album of Whiteside County, IL
Originally published 1885 Chapman Bros., Chicago, IL

Transcribed by: Becky Jones

Pages 247-248

Rev. Oliver Beach, of Unionville, has been a resident of Whiteside County since 1853. His parents, David and Mary (Peck) Beach, were natives of Connecticut, and removed thence to Portage Co., Ohio, in 1825. In 1839 they made another removal to Iowa, where they resided as long as they lived. They had six children: Oliver, Eliada, David, Bernice, Calvin and Elizor.

Mr. Beach is the eldest child of his parents, and was born Jan. 26, 1827, in Portage Co., Ohio, where he began the acquisition of his education in the common schools. He was 12 years of age when his parents went to Iowa, where he continued to attend school and also engaged in farm labor at home until he was 20 years of age. He then engaged as a farm laborer and operated in his own interests about three years. About 1850 he purchased a limited number of acres of land in Iowa, which he exchanged in 1853 for land in Whiteside County. In the spring of that year he came hither and located on his property in the township of Newton, where he was a resident until his removal to Garden Plain Township, where he owns 129 acres of land, which is all under tillage.

Mr. Beach is an adherent of the political element known as Prohibitionists.

He was united in marriage Oct. 26, 1854, to Margaret McNeil, and they had three children: James O., David E., and William. Their mother was born in Ireland and was brought in infancy by her parents to the United States. She died Aug. 7, 1873, in the township of Garden Plain. Mr. Beach formed a second matrimonial alliance with Mrs. Mary (Nevitt) Gibler. Their marriage took place July 15, 1876, in the township of Garden Plain. Mrs. Beach is the daughter of Isaac and Rhoda (Johnson) Nevitt, and was the widow of Jeremiah Gibler. Her parents were born in Ohio. Her first husband died in November, 1872, and by him she became the mother of 11 children: Amanda J., Isaac M., Christine, Amos, James, Rhoda, Joseph, Elizabeth, Carrie, Disbury and John. Mrs. Beach was born May 13, 1825, in Harrison Co., Ohio. She is a member of the religious body known as the United Brethren. Mr. Beach is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1860 he received a license as an exhorter, and since 1876 he has been a local preacher. Feeling that he is called to preach, he has tried as well as he could to preach the gospel in school-houses as opportunity presented itself. He has also taken great interest in Sabbath-schools, organizing and superintending schools in school-houses in the country in the afternoon, after taking part in one in forenoon in the church where he holds his membership. Often he has been a member of two schools at once, laboring earnestly for the religious instruction of children.