Meet George Washington Beahm
James A. Galloway
September 25, 2002

It is interesting to note, that during the nineteenth century many of the male Beahms of Virginia were named after famous early Americans. There were four Andrew Jacksons, one William McKinley, four Benjamin Franklins, two Theodore Roosevelts, one Thomas Jefferson, and three George Washingtons.

Let us lift up just one of the George Washington Beahms. The one noted here was the great-grandson of John Beam, the Virginia pioneer. This George Washington Beahm was born April 14, 1826 in Shenandoah Co., VA (in the part that became Page Co., VA in 1831). He married Nancy Ellen Bolen (born September 17, 1829) on September 15, 1846 in Rappahannock Co., VA to. They were the oldest married couple in Virginia in 1914.

George, who reached the age of 98 years and 3 months, left a total of 202 direct descendants as follows: 7 daughters, 8 sons, 75 grandchildren, 95 great-grandchildren, and 17 great-great-grandchildren. He lived in one house for more than 70 years on Pignut Mountain in Rappahannock Co., VA.

The following is an excerpt from a book called “The Time of My Life” by Mick Beam Watkins (her real name was Myrtle Alice Beam Watkins) written in 1968. Mick was a granddaughter of George Washington Beahm:

“I know very little of Grandpa Beahm’s family history. The family name was spelled with an ‘h’ by him and also by his children, with the exception of my father Hamilton Peyton Beam (1866-1942). After he came to Ohio he dropped the letter, saying he never liked it, but Germans will use anything they can get for nothing, even a silent letter in their name.”

Continuing with Mick’s account:

“Several of papa’s uncles ran stills, hidden away in the hills, and perhaps were their own best customers. For years grandpa George Beahm was quite a drinker, according to stories told. Festivals, barn raisings, with some cain-raising thrown in, and tou’naments were held - which lasted for days. Whatever tou’naments were I am not certain, but it seems as though there were tests of skill, wrestling, dancing and frequent fights by the men, the women quilted and cooked and took care of the children. Grandma Nancy frowned upon these “goings on” and used her influence to keep them away from the family. So, when grandpa came home with only the collar and the two front sides of his coat with a bottle in each pocket, grandma lowered the boom. What she said or did I don’t know, but it must have been effective.”

“Someone commented to George that shoes must be a problem in a family of fifteen children. ‘Well yes’ he admitted in his own particular drawl, ‘Leather is hard to come by, but I have a scheme which helps a good deal. I always keep a female dog, which I have tied in the yard and when her friends come a-courtin I hit ’em over the head with a club - and that’s that. Tanned dog hide makes real good leather.’ ”

In making shoes, George would assemble the dog’s tongue between the layers of the shoe sole because the tongue would squeak after it dried and would warn George if any of his family was approaching. In the making of these shoes, George would use wooden lasts, but there was no left or right shoe; so the footwear took shape during the break-in period. Several of George’s lasts have survived and are treasured mementos, held by his descendants.

George’s children attended Sycamore school several miles from home. When a teacher applied for a job, they didn’t ask him his teaching qualifications, but “what kind of fighter are you?” Sometimes the first school week was spent finding out who was the boss. If he couldn’t lick the big ones, he might just as well pack up his bags and leave - and many of them did just that. The teachers boarded with the families of their pupils - whoever had a vacant bed in their loft. Someone in the family played the fiddle and many evenings were spent telling tall tales or just resting by the fireplace. Students were often bigger than the teacher, but they did learn to read and cipher. George learned to read from his own children when he was middle aged, with a Bible as his textbook. He never learned to read script, only print.

George and family did most of their trading at the general store in Washington, VA, the Rappahannock county seat. The account books for this store have been preserved and are on display in the county museum. Accounts show that George never failed to pay his accounts by the time agreed, either by cash or barter. George never went to town without wearing a suit coat - he didn’t want to offend the ladies.

George and Nancy Ellen raised all of their fifteen children in the cabin high up on Pignut Mountain. The farm contained 190 acres and all the land was cleared, as was that of his neighbors. The view was like being in heaven according to his grandchildren. George was an orchardist and farmer and all his children helped work the land. All of the children were not at home at the same time, since the older ones were gone before the younger ones came along. George was not a poor man, but a frugal one.

Shortly after George died (August 5, 1923), the site was taken over by the park service, which torched the house and out buildings. Of the house, only the chimney and gatepost remain. The family cemetery, surrounded by a stone wall, still exists, but is now almost impossible to reach since the park service will not allow a road to the property and the land has been reforested. This property is now part of Shenandoah National Park.

Nancy Ellen Bolen Beahm died May 3, 1915 and Ardella Belle Beahm, youngest daughter of George and Nancy, stayed with George, together with Ardellla’s husband and three children, until he died.

George was still seen riding horseback into town during the last year of his life and he liked to jump and click his heels three times before his feet hit the ground again. He was a strong and impressive figure his entire life and passed these traits along to his offspring.

The local newspaper, “The Washington Virginia Blue Ridge Guide” said of him in part:

“Thus passed a man, ripe in years, strong in faith, abundant in good works, honored by all that knew him best. He leaves to those who survive, a family, brethren, and friends that which is more desired than silver or gold, the blessed legacy of an honored name. In his passing, Rappahannock loses not only its oldest citizen but one of its best. May those that survive emulate his noble life!”