Beans, Joseph bio

History of Fulton County, Illinois; together with Sketches of its Cities, Villages and Townships, Educational, Religious, Civil, Military, and Political History; Portraits of Prominent Persons and Biographies of Representative Citizens. Chas. C. Chapman & Co., Peoria, Illinois, 1879, page 907, Vermont Township
Joseph Beans, farmer and brick-maker, was born in Bucks Co., Pa., in 1814. His father, Amos Beans, was also a native of Penn., married Miss R. H. Congler, by whom he had 3 children. They moved to Harrison Co., O. where Joseph grew up and learned the mason's trade; married Abigail Rankin, daughter of John Rankin, of Pa., in 1837; in 1844 he came to Illinois, Vermont Tp., and bought 60 acres of land from Morris Merrick, who had recognized Mr. B. on his arrival here from the loss of two fingers which he, Mr. M., had accidently cut off when they were boys 30 years before. In 1857 Mr. Beans built the largest brick dwelling-house in the township. He has had 5 children, 4 of whom are living; Sarah J. who married Wm. Forquer; Amos, who enlisted in Co. B, 84th Ill. Inf., severely wounded. John R., who was a soldier in Co. F, 65th Ill. Inf. and wounded at Marietta; George, who died in the army while enlisted in the Union cause; Martha, who married Jas. Forquer, and resides in California; and Joseph, who enlisted in Co. G 50th Ill. Inf., went through Sherman's campaign, returned to Fulton County, married in 1874 Margaret Toland.