Beason Lewis, son of Neriah Lewis and Mary Moss, was born 23 February 1809 in Pendleton District, South Carolina. He married Elizabeth Ryon, daughter of Leonard Adams and Frances Ryon. When the Lewis family left Pendleton District, South Carolina and settled in Simpson County, Kentucky, Beason was only an infant. Neriah's sons, including Beason, were well trained in farming. They cleared the trees from the land, built homes, plowed, and planted. Beason and his brothers were also coopers by trade. They were also breeders of fine stock and horses. Being men of strength, they were able to protect themselves and others from the Indians and other dangers of that time. When Benjamin, Beason's brother, was killed at Haun's Mill and his family was left without his protection, Beason and Elizabeth took them back to their former home. When Benjamin's wife Joannah died, Beason and Elizabeth became guardians of their orphaned children.
Beason Lewis was well prepared to cross the plains with good horses and strong wagons. He and Aunt Betsy brought their farm stock with them, which included cows that needed milking night and morning. When butter was needed, a container of cream was put on the back of the wagon before starting the day's journey. When they stopped in the evening, the butter was churned and ready for use.
After arriving in the Salt Lake Valley in 1847, their stay was very short for they returned to Winter Quarters. Beason returned to Utah in 1849 and his wife remained in the east until September 1851.
On the 23rd of February 1852 Beason was ordained a member of the Second Quorum of Seventies in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah. Shortly before his death, Beason Lewis was ordained a patriarch by President Wilford Woodruff. In the spring of 1860 Beason and family moved to Richmond, Cache, Utah. By this time Benjamin Lewis' children were married and on their own. Beason's family at that time consisted of him, his second wife Elizabeth, and Elizabeth's daughter, Almire, Martha Ann and Maria Kingsbury, William Skidmore, and B.F. Grant. After living in Richmond for about three years, they moved to Three-mile Creek south of Brigham City, Box Elder, Utah. After 1 ½ years they moved back to Richmond, Cache, Utah.
Beason followed his trade as cooper making wooden tubs, buckets, and churns. These were made of cedar wood and bound with brass hoops. He promised the girls a set of these when they were married, but when the time came he was so crippled with rheumatism he had given up the trade entirely. Besides this trade he worked his farm and a few acres around his home. His gardens were the attraction of the whole country. He had straight rows and no weeds were allowed in his garden. His natural love for fine stock and horses were satisfied as he filled his farm with domestic animals. Everything on the farm was kept in the best of condition and was in the right place. Uncle Beason and Aunt Betsy were very orderly. Gravel was hauled from the mountains for the walks around the house and stables. He was the first man in Cache Valley to invest in farm implements.
Uncle Beason was a regular attendant at church. He always went early and sat in the same place. The people all knew where he sat and left that special seat for him. He was a great lover of children, but had none of his own. In the winter he would gather the children in his sleigh and take them to school. He was a very good provider for those in his care and his heart moved in sympathy for those in distress. B.H. Grant said: "Uncle Beason and Aunt Betsy had a great influence over my whole life. No boy or girl that lived with them could have had a more loyal father and mother than they were to all of us who lived with them during my stay with them in their home. I believe God will bless their memory for what they did for us and I am sure there is a place in the Kingdom of God where they can continue in this good work - Caring for Boys and Girls."
The following was taken from the writing of Martha Skidmore - "Uncle Beason was tall, broad, and heavy, but not fat. There was no double chin, but his cheeks were somewhat sagging. His heart was so large that it fit well in that massive frame. His kindness endeared him to everyone and he was everyone's 'Uncle Beason.' He dearly loved children and neither Aunt Betsy or Aunt Sarah bore him any. He was a lover of horses and in all my life I have never seen such a beautiful team of perfectly matched dapple grays than his. He had a two seated pea-green sleigh with bells, the only one in town. On cold winter mornings he would drive out with his fine outfit. He would stop at an intersection. Children ran from every house at the sound of those sleigh bells; the Pied Piper had nothing on him. When the inside of the sleigh was filled, they would cling like leeches to the outside. He would deposit his load at school and go back for more. One day I got left. Mother gave me a handkerchief to mop up the tears and told me to run. I reached the gate just as Uncle Beason passed our place. He turned back to the stopping block and patted the seat beside him and said proudly - 'It ain't every little girl that gets a chance to ride alone with Uncle Beason in his sleigh.' When we reached the school house, the teacher was just ringing the bell. He said, 'Well, we made it by the skin of our teeth.' I thanked him and he said, 'I'll be see'n ye' and was off. That was sixty years ago and I was only six years old, but I could never forget Uncle Beason if I lived ten times that long. He was ill a long time before he died. One day our primary class went to sing for him. He cried out loud when we sang 'In Our Lovely Desseret.' We sang two songs. As we filed out, we would shake his hand and say, 'Goodby Uncle Beason.' He knew the name of every child. When I went to shake his hand, he held my hand gently in both of his and looking deeply into my eyes he said, 'Oh this is Ellen's girl,' as if my mother had been his daughter. A short time later he died. He still lives in the hearts of those who knew him. He died 22 January 1888 in Richmond, Cache, Utah.


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