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"Time had wrought a few wrinkles on his brow and to me he was the embodiment of manly strength and beauty -tall, strong and sinewy. He was just the kind of man which my youth's fancy imagined the pioneer should be." RE: Michael Beem - From "Early History of Jackson County as taken from Files of the Banner" 1877 and republished 1928, p22
Early Jackson County Indiana history finds Indian
uprisings, children being kidnapped taken hostage back to the tribe, often
adopted and raised as part of it. Families were being massacred. This was
war. One can only imagine the perils faced daily, and fears endured.
Our Michael Beem appears during this period.
He was connected to the Daniel Beems of Indiana, but not one of the sons of Daniel Beem. In his book "Daniel Beem And His Descendants" by David Beem 1917, he names the sons of Daniel Beem, and their sons. Our Michael is not among them. The son of Daniel Beem, Michael, never married. However, mention is made of Vincent L. Beem twice, and so mentions our Michael Beem. On page 8, regarding Indian hostilities "Probably the only person now living who remembers to have seen it is Vincent L. Beem, son of "Ranger Mike", elsewhere mentioned. Vincent L. lives at Medora, Jackson County, not far from the location of the fort. He is now (1917) over ninety years old, and was a cousin of Daniel Beem." P84 says, under the heading "The Beem Family As Soldiers" in regard to the Indian fights and encounters, "Another of the Beem family, "Ranger Mike" Beem, as he was called, father of the aged Vincent L. Beem, now living at Medora, Indiana, was an active soldier in a militia company which was vigilant in protecting the border citizens." The mention that Vincent L. Beem was a cousin to Daniel Beem is a clue, but, for now, remains a mystery.
From "Early History of Jackson County as taken from Files of the Banner" 1877 and republished 1928, p22: "There were two of the Beems - Old Ranger Mike and his brother, Dick. I remember Ranger Mike well as he was when I was quite a young man. He was then stricken in years, but not infirm. Time had wrought a few wrinkles on his brow and to me he was the embodiment of manly strength and beauty -tall, strong and sinewy. He was just the kind of man which my youth's fancy imagined the pioneer should be. Long since he slept in his grave on Heighten's hill. Quite a number of his sons and one daughter still live in the full enjoyment of that Government which the father in his youth helped so much to defend and maintain."
There seems to be quite a bit of information on this family, which I haven't obtained as yet, but I'm going to type in what was written from the page sent me by another researcher from the "History of Jackson County Indiana. From the Earliest Time to Present." Chicago: Brant & Fuller 1886 pub:> P680 (or 630, I can't tell) "Vincent L. Beem was born September 14, 1827, in Carr Township, Jackson Co. Ind. about one mile from Medora, where he now lives. He is the sixth of a family of ten children born to Michael and Mary (Lockman) Beem, who were among the early pioneers of Jackson County, having come to Indiana Territory, then a wilderness, in 1811 and 1813, respectively. Michael Beem was one of the leaders of the new settlers in their defense against the depredations of the vicious red man. They fought the Indians, hunted the game and cleared away the dense forest for our present farmers. Vincent L. was born and raised on a farm, and when he began life for himself he adopted farming as his occupation, which he had followed until 1875 or 1876, when he moved to Medora. He there engaged in the hardware and hotel business, which he still follows successfully. He has been justice of the peace four years since he lived in Medora, whice (typo??) office he filled with satisfaction. He is owner and proprietor of the "Beem House," the leading house in the place. In 1852 he was married to Tabitha A. Muden, of Salem, Washington Co. Ind., and is now in his 57th year. To them have been born six children; Mary F.,Surrin D., Maud O., Willard B., Vivian and one dying in infancy. Mr. Beem has always been enterprising and interested in the society in which he has lived. He has been a member of the Christian Church sixteen years. He is also a Democrat in politics. George W. Beem was born in Brownstone Township, December 17, 1816, and is the eldest child of Michael and Polly (Lockman) Beem, who came to Jackson County in 1811 and 1813, respectively. They came from Kentucky, and cast their lot in the then new county, where George W. has lived all his life, and is now among the leading men, socially and otherwise, in Jackson county. He has devoted his time to farming and stock raising, and now owns 198 acres of land in the White River bottoms, in Carr Township, most of which is under improvement. He was married November 8, 1838, to Polly Goss, daughter of Joseph Goss, of Owen Township, one of the early settlers in that township. They have had born to them nine children: Michael (deceased), Joseph, Caroline (deceased), Dorkes, Sarah (deceased), Jonas, William, Ida and Dilla. Mr. Beem is a Democrat in "(page ends) .
MICHAEL BEEM was born Abt. 1792 in NC, and died in Medora, Jackson Cty., IN. He married MARY "POLLY" LOCKMAN, daughter of VINCENT LOCKMAN and ANNE KIRKLAND. She was born 1793 in KY, and died in Jackson Cty., IN. Generation No. 1
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