My Genealogy Hound

S. L. BEALL.
Among the energetic, far-seeing and successful business men of Union county is numbered S. L. Beall, a representative of its financial interests, actively engaged in the banking business at Shannon City for the past twelve years. Banking institutions are the heart of the commercial body which indicates the healthfulness of trade and the bank which maintains a safe, conservative policy does more to establish and maintain public confidence in times of financial depression than any other one interest. Such a course has been followed by the bank of which Mr. Beall is the head. He is a man of undoubted business integrity and his life work is a force in the growth and development of the community.

Mr. Beall was born in Carroll county, Missouri, a son of S. H. Beall, a native of West Virginia, whose birth occurred near Wheeling, where he was reared to manhood. Liberal educational advantages were afforded him and for a number of years he was numbered among the able teachers of Kentucky. In that state he was married to Lucinda Mirich, a native of Kentucky, where the days of her girlhood were passed. In connection with his educational work Mr. Beall also engaged in general merchandising in that state. On leaving Kentucky he removed to Missouri, settling in Carroll county in 1854. He traded for a large tract of land there and developed a new farm, for the place when it came into his possession was entirely wild and unimproved. There he successfully carried on general agricultural pursuits until 1865, when he came to Iowa and bought land in Grant township, Union county. Again he performed the arduous task of developing a new farm and again his close application and energy brought him a fair measure of success, so that he was enabled to purchase more land, becoming the owner of a large and well developed farm. His life’s labors were ended in death in the fall of 1899. His widow still survives him and now makes her home with a daughter in Kansas City.

S. L. Beall of this review is the youngest son of a family of six children, two sons and two daughters. The home farm was his playground in youth and his training school, wherein he learned the value of industry, close application and energy as factors in the attainment of success. After acquiring his early education in the district schools he became a high-school student and later his undivided attention was given to the management of the farm. In 1881 the family moved to Alton, where he was employed in general merchandising. He afterward served in an abstract and real-estate office for about two years and on the expiration of that period formed a partnership with his brother in the hardware business in Shannon City. He continued in that field of activity for two years. His brother was one of the first business men of Shannon City and almost from the beginning the name of Beall has figured prominently in connection with the development and upbuilding of the place. S. L. Beall of this review was the cashier of the Shannon City Bank, which was organized in 1892 with A. E. Bigelow as president and Mr. Beall as cashier and resident manager. He has continued in the position to the present time and the success of the institution is attributable entirely to his well directed labors and keen business discernment. It was first organized as a private bank but on a reorganization a stock company was formed and it was incorporated as a state institution about 1903. The company erected the present brick bank building, in which the Shannon City Bank is now located in the conduct of a general banking business. It has many patrons and its success is being continually augmented through the well directed labors and energy of the owners. In connection with his banking interests Mr. Beall is also engaged in the real-estate and insurance business and derives not a little profit from his activity in those lines.

In Creston, in October, 1897, occurred the marriage of Mr. Beall and Miss Alice H. Groves, who was born in Ohio but was reared and educated in Iowa, a daughter of Dr. Groves, of Creston, who was one of the pioneer physicians of the county and for years a leading member of the medical fraternity. Mrs. Beall spent her girlhood days in Union county, pursued her education in its public schools and eventually became a successful teacher of Creston. She was appointed postmistress under President Cleveland and filled that position during three administrations.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Beall are very prominent socially and their own home is justly celebrated for its gracious and attractive hospitality. They are active and devoted members of the Methodist Episcopal church and in the work of the Sunday school he is deeply and helpfully interested, having served as a teacher for a number of years, while at the present time he is serving as Sunday school superintendent. He is likewise a Master Mason of Afton Lodge, and a member of the Odd Fellows society of Shannon City, in which he has filled all of the chairs and is a past grand. He has never deviated from any course which his judgment has indicated to be right between himself and his fellowmen and is honored and respected by all, not alone because of the success he has achieved but also by reason of the straightforward business principles he has ever followed.