"Mr. Beebe’s forbears came to this country in 1650 and settled in New London, Connecticut, where the family became large landowners and prominent in the community. As the years went by, the sons and grandsons struck out on their own in various business enterprises. In the 1830's, Lucius and Junius Beebe set up business in New Orleans as Commission Merchants. At about this time, steam power for ships came into use and a steam railroad was developing throughout the east and south. Both of those methods of transportation were a boon to the Beebe business which prospered beyond imagination. About 1844, they opened an office in Boston and later one in New York City.

After the Boston store opened, Lucius Beebe moved his family to Cambridge, Massachusetts, where they lived for a few years. Later they moved to Melrose for about a year. Here, Decius, was born on May 2, 1852. The family finally settled in the adjoining town of Wakefield where the father, Lucius, purchased the Forrester estate located on the east shore of Lake Quannapowet.
After Decius finished school, he entered his father's firm in Boston. In 1879, he married Katherine Bigelow, only child of Liberty and Harriet A. Bigelow. Their marriage was blessed with eight children.
Decius and his twin brother, Marcus, with another brother, Junius, continued to operate the leather business very successfully, and the Beebe name was well recognized throughout the trade. Decius was also active in local financial affairs; was President of the Melrose National Bank from its incorporation in 1892; was a trustee of the Melrose Savings Bank; and was a generous contributor of time, talent and money to the Melrose Hospital.

Decius died on September 23, 1915, at the age of 63 and his wife, Katherine, remained in the house until her death in 1928. Two maiden daughters continued to live there until the death of the remaining one, Selinda, in 1963. On November 19, 1963, the property was acquired by the City of Melrose and turned over to the School Department for use as its Administration Building. It served this purpose for more than thirty years until the city decided to use the restored and greatly expanded Beebe Estate barn as the Milano Senior Center, and to move the Council on Aging offices to the main house."
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"Decius Beebe, twin brother of Marcus, was born in Melrose, Massachusetts, on May 2, 1852, during the short period that his parents resided in that town before removing to Wakefield. He attended the public schools of Wakefield with his brothers and entered his father's leather business at an early age. On October 28, 1879, he was married by the Reverend Calvin Stebbins of South Boston, to Katharine Ensign Bigelow, adopted daughter of Liberty and Harriet Bigelow of Melrose. Katharine and Decius made their home in Melrose. Decius was a partner with his father and two brothers, Marcus and Junius, in the firm of Lucius Beebe & Sons, leather merchants, and he was for many years closely identified with the important financial affairs of his home city, and generous in the support of its charitable and philanthropic organizations. He died at his home in Melrose on the morning of September 23, 191 5, in the sixty-third year of his age.

"The passing of Decius Beebe marks a distinct loss to the community. He has been for many years one of the substantial and valued citizens of Melrose. President of the Melrose National Bank, he has long been identified with the successful business life of the city. But although Mr. Beebe was a business man of the conservative type he was to be found among the liberal supporters of the Melrose institutions. Among these were the Congregational Parish, of which he was a member, the Y. M. C. A. of Melrose, and notably, also, the Melrose Hospital, which he was instrumental in founding, and in which he maintained the deepest interest. . . . Mr. Beebe was a man of quiet demeanor and unostentatious in the walks among men, yet a man of acknowledged wisdom, sagacity and good works." — Melrose Free Press.

Decius Beebe was survived by his wife and eight children. Katharine (Ensign Bigelow) Beebe died at her home in Melrose on April 22, 1928." Source: Lucius Beebe of Wakefield and Sylenda Morris Beebe, his wife, their forebears and descendants by Louise Beebe Wilder [The Knickerbocker Press, New York 1930] pages 130-134.

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