When he died, he had cancer of the eye.
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No more honored family exists in eastern Indiana than that of the Beesons, now very numerous and influential, and from the early part of the present century intimately associated with the development and increasing prosperity of Wayne and Fayette Counties. Originally of the Society of Friends, they have followed the foundation principles of that sect, and have been noted for all worthy traits of character. Industrious, just and upright, they have merited the high esteem in which they have been universally held, and, as far as known, either in this state or elsewhere, there have been no criminals or paupers bearing the name and being descendants of the same American ancestor.

In 1682, one Edward Beeson, of Lancashire, England, immigrated to this country with one of the colonies, who, under William Penn, settled Pennsylvania. Some years later, Mr. Beeson removed to a Virginia settlement of Quakers, and still later he bought a tract of land on the Brandywine, in Delaware, a portion of this property being now included within the corporate limits of Wilmington. There he spent his remaining days and reared his four sons. Isaac Beeson, of the fifth generation from Edward, left the Delaware relatives and went to North Carolina, and from him is descended the Indiana branch of the family. His son Benjamin was the father of Benjamin, Jr., and he, in turn, the father of Thomas.

Thomas Beeson came to this state in 1818 and four years later took up his abode upon the identical land now owned by his son Elwood. A brother, Isaac, came here first, about 1812, settling near Richmond, and another brother, Benjamin, became a resident of this township as early as 1814. To the original quarter-section of land, upon which stood a humble log cabin in a partially cleared tract of scarcely twelve acres, Thomas Beeson added land from time to time, gradually improving the same until, at the time of his death, he owned nine hundred acres of valuable property. He was very industrious, and, having mastered the blacksmith's and wagon-maker's trades, followed these, in connection with his farming. He died in 1867, when in his seventy-fifth year, beloved and honored by all who knew him. Though a zealous Democrat, he never aspired to office and quietly pursued the even tenor of his way, doing innumerable deeds of love and kindness to those with whom his lot was cast.

In Guilford County, North Carolina, his native county, Thomas Beeson married Eunice Starbuck and one child was born to this estimable couple prior to their removal to Indiana. Mrs. Beeson was the youngest of the nine children of Gear and Eunice Starbuck, who were from Nantucket Island, Massachusetts. Their other children were named as follows: Peter, Elizabeth, Rachel, Thomas, Ruth, Lydia, Dorcas and Reuben.

The union of Thomas and Eunice Beeson was blessed with ten children, who, in order of birth were:
Junius, who died in Rush County
Mrs. Arenia Knipe
Tremilius, who died in Madison County
Mrs. Mahala Jackson
Ariel, who died in Madison County
Lexemuel, whose death occurred in Hamilton County
Mrs. Luzena Wright
Mrs. Samara Leeson
Elwood
Jacob, who died at the old homestead.

The wife and mother survived all but three of her children. Mrs. Beeson attained the extreme age of ninety-three, her death taking place January 11, 1884.