Portrait and biographical record of Christian County, Illinois : containing biographical sketches of prominent and   representative citizens, together with biographies of all the Governors of the state, and of the Presidents of the United States.  Chicago, Ill. : Lake City Pub. Co., 1893.  Transcribed and annotated by Judy Rosella Edwards, 2007.

JOHN BEYERS, a retired farmer and stock dealer, now living in Pana, is a native of Germany. He was born in Hesse Darmstadt [ed., Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt], March 26, 1821. His parents, Job and Margaret (Ernst) Beyers, spent their entire lives in their native land. There were only two children born of that union, and Adam, the brother, is now deceased. The mother died at the age of twenty-eight, when John was a babe of three summers, after which his father married again, and by his second union had one daughter. There was also a daughter born of his third marriage.   He was a trader on the river, and owned vessel, which was used in commercial interest. His death occurred when about sixty-eight years of age.   The gentleman whose name heads this recordremained at home with his father until about eighteen years of age, when he was drafted into the regular army, in which he served for four years. The following year, in 1847, he bade adieu to home and friends, and, in company with some acquaintances of his youth, sailed for America. His first location was in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he remained for a few months, when he removed to Franklin's Landing, Ohio [ed., possibly Franklin Furnace Landing, Ohio], where the succeeding two years of his life were passed. During that time, Mr. Beyers was married. On the l0th of September, 1849, he wedded Miss Sarah Shepherd, daughter of Xaphier Shepherd, who was born in Baden, Germany. They have become parents of eight children, seven sons and a daughter, but the latter died in infancy. Henry, the eldest, wedded Mary J. Enders, and resides on a farm, three miles from Pana, with his wife and three children, Celia, Herman and Arthur. Joseph, who is also a farmer, living near Pana, married Emma Eckholt, and they have three children: Lizzie, John and Benjamin. Frank A. married Minnie Goodhouse, by whom he has two sons and a daughter: Sadie, William and Frank. John S., an agriculturist, married Barbara Wagner, and unto them has been born a daughter, Gertrude. Louise F. is the next younger. Edward married Tillie Goodhart, and with their daughter, Nellie Louise, they reside on a farm north of Assumption. Goodhart, the youngest of the family, was drowned in the Ohio River, at the age of three years. Mr. Beyers came to Illinois in November, 1867, trading his business in Ohio for seventy-five acres of land. This he traded for one hundred and seventy acres, three miles southwest of Pana, where he made his home until 1882. As his financial resources increased, he extended the boundaries of his farm until it comprised four hundred and sixty-eight acres of valuable land. The fields were placed under a high state of cultivation, and the farm was supplied with all modern improvements and conveniences. He also engaged quite extensively in stock-dealing, and his efforts in this direction also met with good success. Having purchased some lots in Pana, he built a fine residence upon one of these in 1882, and has since here made his home, surrounded by all the comforts and many of the luxuries of life. Himself and wife are members of the Catholic Church, and, in politics, he is an advocate of Democratic principles. He has made his money through his own labors, perseverance and well-directed efforts and the assistance of his estimable wife. He is a man of generous impulses, and has given his children a good start in life.

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