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Below is a family biography included in The Portrait and Biographical Record of Randolph, Jackson, Perry and Monroe Counties, Illinois published by Biographical Publishing Co. in 1894.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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CHRISTIAN BEARE, whose sketch now invites attention, is one of the oldest residents in the state of Illinois. In the course of his long life he has witnessed many changes and an immense amount of progress in the state, and has also accumulated a considerable fortune. Longevity for some reasons and in some cases is not a desirable thing, but it certainly gives a man a vast amount of valuable experience, and gains him a larger number of successes than can be accomplished in a shorter span of years. Mr. Beare is one of the progressive farmers of township 6, range 7, Randolph County, where he owns an excellent estate of four hundred and fifty acres.

Our subject’s birth occurred near Berne, Switzerland, March 28, 1817, he being the third in order of birth in a family of five children born to Joseph and Gretta (Meyer) Beare. He emigrated to America when nine years of age with his parents, who first settled in Cleveland, Ohio, and later went to Canton, the same state. Some time later the family located on a farm near East St. Louis, but remaining there only a year, came to Randolph County and located on the farm which is now the home of our subject. He obtained very little schooling in his youth, but was naturally of a studious turn of mind, and through his desire for learning and eagerness to seize upon everything to increase his store of knowledge he acquired a good idea of business. During his younger days he aided his father in the care of the farm, and energetically shared the toils of seed-time and harvest. He gained a thoroughly practical knowledge of the pursuit of agriculture, and was well fitted at an early age to self- reliantly begin the battle of life. In 1843, when he was twenty-six years old, our subject sold the first crop of wheat for himself, and has continuously worked at his chosen pursuit until he has won a goodly amount of this world’s goods. His productive farm lies one-half mile west of Ellis Grove, where he does all his trading.

His father had a family of five children, and came to this country expecting to make a good home for them. His efforts were not in vain, for they are all comfortably situated in life, and the family is one of the wealthiest in the county.

Mr. Beare was married February 9, 1843, to Martha Lenherr, a daughter of Christian and Elizabeth (Kloepenstien) Lenherr. The parents celebrated their golden wedding February 9, 1893, and were surrounded by seven children and eighteen grandchildren. They are enjoying their remaining days in peace and comfort. To our subject and his estimable wife has been born a family of eight children, one of whom died in infancy. John and Christian, are twins, and the former married Lizzie Heckman, who died in the year 1883; the latter married Sophia Heckman. Joseph married Sarah Hargis, and is a merchant in Ellis Grove; Lizzie is the wife of Louis Wehrheim, and they are residents of Ellis Grove; Henry married Emma Hargis, and is also a merchant in Ellis Grove; Isaac, who is the present County Clerk of Randolph County, makes his home in Chester; and Mary is the wife of Joseph Heob, who is a merchant in Ellis Grove. Mr. and Mrs. Beare are consistent members of the Methodist Church, and are highly esteemed by their many friends and acquaintances. Mr. Beare is now in his seventy-seventh year, and is hale and hearty. In his political affiliations he is a Democrat, casting his first vote for Van Buren. All of the children are also advocates of Democracy, and rank high in the esteem of their fellow-citizens.

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This family biography is one of 679 biographies included in The Portrait and Biographical Record of Randolph, Jackson, Perry and Monroe Counties, Illinois published in 1894.  View the complete description here: The Portrait and Biographical Record of Randolph, Jackson, Perry and Monroe Counties, Illinois

View additional Randolph County, Illinois family biographies here: Randolph County, Illinois Biographies

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