Major JAMES STEELE BEAN, Regimental Staff, 86th Illinois

James Steele Bean was born about on June 25, 1825 in Civil, Brownfield, Oxford County, Maine, the son of Daniel Bean and Ruhannah (or Ruhamah) (Cotton or Bangs) Bean. Daniel was born on February 7, 1793 at Limerick, York County, Maine and died on May 15, 1873 in Brownsfield, Oxford County, Maine, while Ruhannah Bangs (or Cotton) was born c. 1795 in Oxford, Oxford County, Maine and died on ____________ __, 18__ at ___________, ___________.
James Steele Bean is believed to have left Oxford County, Maine on his own and came west to Illinois in 1850, locating initially near Peoria, Illinois. James was married to Caroline E. D. Spring on October 10, 1851 in Peoria County. However, a site on familysearch says this marriage occurred in Maine. James and Caroline did know each other back in Oxford County as Oxford County is loaded with members of the Bean and Spring family in the 1840's and 1850's and there are a number of family members who teach school there in Oxford County. Their marriage was also recorded in Oxford County, Maine, though it does appear the marriage occurred in Peoria County, Illinois.
Caroline was born on __________ __, 1823 in __________, Maine, the daughter of Alpheus Spring and Sally E. L. (Goodenow or Goodenery) Spring. Alpheus was born on February 24, 1791 in Bartlett, Carroll County, New Hampshire, while Sally was born on March 7, 1792 in Henniker, Merrimack County, New Hampshire. Alpheus and Sally were married on July 10, 1815 and both died and were buried in Oxford County, Maine, Alpheus in 1876 and Sally in 1884.
Caroline E. D. Spring was a School Teacher. She is known to have been teaching as early as 1841 in Brownfield, Oxford County, Maine and was teaching in Hiram, Oxford County, Maine at the time of the 1850 census. One son and one daughter are known to have been born to James S. & Caroline E. D. (Spring) Bean. They are:
1. Susan "Susie" Bean; born July 25, 1855 in Illinois. Susan was married to Albert A. Foster on May 21, 1879 in Kane County, Illinois. Four children were born to Susan and Albert, including;
A. Clarence C. Foster, born May __, 1880 in Illinois. Clarence is found with his parents in the 1900 census in Carroll County, Illinois and in the 1910 census in Lee County, Illinois. It is not known what became of Clarence or where his mortal remains were laid.

B. Nancy D. Foster, born August __, 1881 in Illinois. to the early 1900's. It is not known what became of her.

C. James A. Foster, born April __, 1883 in Illinois. James is found with the family in Carroll County, Illinois in the 1900 census. James was married to Josephine (__________) Bergman.
At the time of the 1910 census, James and his family, as well as his younger brother, Andrew, are all found in Sioux Ward 7, Woodbury County, Iowa;
James A Foster Head M 27 Illinois
Josephine Foster Wife F 28 Illinois
Ellis Foster Stepson M 6 Illinois
Andrew B Foster Brother M 20 Illinois

At the time of the 1920 census, James and his family are found in Des Moines Ward 3, Polk County, Iowa;
James A Foster Head M 37 Illinois
Josephine Foster Wife F 37 Illinois
Ellis C Foster Son M 15 Illinois
Bruce G Mcavery Boarder M 23 Illinois
Alice L Mcavery Boarder F 21 Iowa

At the time of the 1930 census, James is found living with his parents in Downers Grove, DuPage County, Illinois. James is listed as married, but, neither Josephine or Ellis are found in the household. James and Josephine are believed to have been divorced in the 1920's;
Albert A Foster Head M 78 Illinois
Susie B Foster Wife F 74 Illinois
James A Foster Son M 47 Illinois

At the time of the 1930 census, Josephine and her son, Ellis, now listed as a Bergman, are found in Aurora, Kane County, Illinois. Josephine is listed as divorced;
Josephine Foster Head F 48 Illinois
Ellis Bergman Son M 26 Illinois

James A. Foster died on ____________ __, 19__ and his mortal remains were laid in the ______________ Cemetery in ___________ County, ____________.

D. Andrew B. Foster, born January __, 1890 in Illinois. Andrew is found with his parents in the 1900 census in Carroll County, Illinois. Andrew is found living with his older brother, James, and his family in Woodbury County, Iowa in the 1910 census.
Andrew was married to ___________ ___________.

Andrew is found living in the city of Rochelle, Flagg Township, Ogle County, Illinois at the time of the 1940 census. He is divorced and working as a Machinist for a local locomotive manufacturer;
Vincent B O'Brien Head M 35 Iowa
Ruth O'Brien Wife F 32 Indiana
Leanne O'Brien Daughter F 4 Indiana
Andrew B Foster Lodger M 50 Illinois

Andrew B. Foster died on ____________ __, 19__ and his mortal remains were laid in the _____________ Cemetery in ____________ County, Illinois.

Now to continue with what we know about Susan "Susie" (Bean) Foster and her family;
At the time of the 1900 census, Susan and her family are found living on Clay Street in Mount Carroll, Mt. Carroll Township, Carroll County, Illinois;
A A Foster Head M May 1853 47 Illinois
Sussie B Foster Wife F Jul 1855 45 Illinois
Clarence C Foster Son M May 1880 20 Illinois
Nancy D Foster Daughter F Aug 1881 19 Illinois
James A Foster Son M Apr 1883 17 Illinois
Andrew B Foster Son M Jan 1890 10 Illinois

At the time of the 1910 census, Susan and her family are found in Wyoming, Lee County, Illinois;
A A Foster Head M 57 Illinois
Susie B Foster Wife F 54 Illinois
Clarence C Foster Son M 29 Illinois

At the time of the 1920 census, Susan and Albert are found in Aurora Ward 2, Kane County, Illinois;
Albert A Foster Head M 67 Illinois
Susie B Foster Wife F 64 Illinois
Horace Hall Roomer M 29 New York
W L Miller Roomer M 33 Illinois

At the time of the 1930 census, Susan and Albert are found in Downers Grove, DuPage County, Illinois;
Albert A Foster Head M 78 Illinois
Susie B Foster Wife F 74 Illinois
James A Foster Son M 47 Illinois

Susan died on April 3, 1936 in Polo, Ogle County, Illinois; both are buried in the Grove Hill Cemetery.

2. Oscar Bartlett Bean; born ___________ __, 1857 in Illinois. In 1882, Oscar is found in California. Familysearch has the following Voter Registration record;
Name Oscar Bartlett Bean
Event Type Voter Registration
Event Date 18 Sep 1882
Event Place 129 Turk, San Francisco, California, United States
Age 24
Birth Year (Estimated) 1858
Birthplace Illinois

Oscar died on ____________ __, 1893 at the age of 36 and his mortal remains were laid in the Grove Hill Cemetery.

James S. Bean is known to have moved to Trivoli, Illinois, west of Peoria, in the late 1850's or very early 1860's. He is believed to have been employed there as a Carpenter and Farmer. I have never been able to locate him in the 1860 census, however.
In August of 1862, James S. Bean began recruiting a company of men from the Trivoli area for service in the Union Army during during the Civil War. On August 8, 1862, the following appeared in The Daily Transcript of Peoria. "TRIVOLI FOR THE WAR. Mr. J. Bean, of Trivoli, opens a recruiting office in that place today. Many of the citizens of that vicinity are being persuaded away by recruiting officers from Chicago. He hopes to counteract the effect of this, and wishes the men of that section to form companies within their own county, rather than lend themselves to the furtherance of the interests of other places. His headquarters are at the store of Gove & Dean. Go in with him boys. You know him."
About 10 area men and boys volunteered for service on that first day his recruiting office was open. About 6 more joined on the 9th of August. Nobody enlisted on the 10th. Then on the evening of August 11, 1862, a well known area Peoria area Attorney, member of the House of Representatives, and soon to be Congressman, Ebon Clark Ingersoll addressed the citizens of Trivoli. The August 13, 1862 edition of the Peoria Daily Transcript stated the following of that meeting. "WAR MEETING AT TRIVOLI. Mr. E. C. Ingersoll, of Peoria, addressed the citizens of Trivoli on Monday night last. He spoke for about two hours, and we are informed, made one of best speeches ever listened to in that part of the country. The citizens were highly pleased, and hope to soon have the pleasure of hearing him again. The meeting was the largest ever held in that town. At the conclusion of the speech opportunities were given for volunteers to enlist, and Mr. James Bean, who is recruiting there, received fifty-four new men who were sworn in on the spot." According to the Adjutant Generals Reports, about 30 men and boys who were eventually mustered into the Trivoli company volunteered on the 11th, but that was far and away James S. Bean's best day of recruiting.
About three more volunteered to serve in Bean's growing company of the 12th, about 10 more on the 13th, at least 16 more volunteered on the 14th. On his last morning of recruiting, James S. Bean received about 10 more volunteers. By the afternoon of the 15th of August, 1862, James S. Bean had about 90 volunteers from the Trivoli area and that afternoon led them on the march into Peoria, where they went into camp at Camp Lyon, which was located across the street of present day Glen Oak Park. The August 16th edition of the Peoria Daily Transcript states that, "Trivoli sent in her deputation yesterday in the shape of a company of as fine looking men as have yet come into camp. They were Illinoisans -- that is sufficient to go forth to the world."
On August 27th Bean and 83 of his volunteers were mustered in as service as Company D of the 86th Regiment of Illinois Volunteer Infantry. The men initially elected Bean to be their Captain, but then James S. Bean was elected to serve as Major of the entire regiment, after which the men of the Trivoli company elected Frank Hitchcock, a well known Trivoli area farmer, to be their Captain.
On September 7, 1862, the men of the 86th Illinois marched out of the gates of Camp Lyon, and with much fanfare, through the streets of Peoria to the railroad depot. There they boarded a train bound for Camp Joe Holt, located in Jeffersonville, Indiana, across the river from Louisville, Kentucky, and the war. Three weeks later the men of the 86th were in the field as part of Colonel Daniel McCook's Brigade in General Buell's Army of the Ohio in search of the Confederate Army under General Braxton Bragg.
On October 8, 1862, Buell's and Bragg's Armies fought at the Battle of Perryville, Kentucky, the 86th suffering their first casualties. There would be many more the coming years. After the Battle of Perryville, Bragg's army withdrew from Kentucky and the men of McCook's Brigade marched on to Nashville, Tennessee, where they would go into winter camp.
The winter of 1862/63 was very hard on the new troops in the field. By the spring of 1863, several hundred men of the 86th had either died or had been discharged from the service for various illnesses. It is not known if Major James S. Bean was one of these sick men in the 86th, but on December 26, 1862, Major James S. Bean was allowed to resign his commission in the Union Army and he soon was headed home back to Illinois.
James S. Bean did not remain in Peoria long after returning from the service. He was soon residing in Aurora, Illinois in Kane County. I can not find him in the 1870 census, but in the 1880 census he is found working as a Carpenter and residing in the home of George Lilly;
Self George Lilly M 35 Illinois
Mother Lauie Lilly F 60 Vermont
Other George Bean M 23 Illinois
Other James Bean M 54 Maine
Other Caroline Bean F 50 Maine

The George Bean in this household is believed to be the son of Jesrel (or J. W.) Bean, who was born about 1822 in New Hampshire. It is not known if or how, Jesrel and James Steele Bean were related. George H. Bean was born on March 11, 1863 in Illinois and died on Jul. 23, 1943 in Hampshire, Kane County, Illinois. His father, Jezreel W. Bean was born on March 21, 1822 and died on April 30, 1909. George and Jezreel are buried in the Hampshire Center Cemetery in Hampshire, Kane County, Illinois.
James S. Bean's daughter, Susie Bean, is known to have married Albert A. Foster on May 21, 1879 in Kane County. About 1893, James S. Bean and his wife moved to Morrison, Illinois to be closer to their only living child, their daughter, Susie, and Major James S. Bean died there on Oct. 25, 1897. His wife and daughter are listed as his only survivors. Major James S. Bean's earthly remains were laid to rest in the Grove Hill Cemetery in Morrison, Illinois. Susan (Spring) Bean died on __________ __, 1909 and she was laid to rest beside Major James S. Bean.

JAMES S. BEAN - At his home in this city, Wednesday, October 25, 1897, James S. Bean, aged 72 years, 4 months and 2 days. The deceased was born June 25, 1825 and came to IL in 1850 and located near Peoria where he lived until the Civil War broke out. He assisted in recruiting the 86th IL Volunteers and was chosen major of that regiment. After the war closed he moved with his family to Aurora and resided there until about four years ago, when he and his wife came to this city to spend their remaining days near their only surviving child, Mrs. A.A. Foster. Mr. Bean made many friends while a resident of Morrison and they will extend their deepest sympathy to the wife and daughter. The funeral services were conducted by Rev. W.E. Leavitt at the family home Friday, interment taking place in Grove Hill Cemetery.

by Baxter B. Fite III

(Baxter would love to hear from anyone, especially descendants, who might be able to answer some of the many questions that we have about Major James S. Bean. Baxter would also love to get copies of any photographs that may have survived of Major James S. Bean, especially ones of him in uniform, for his Find A Grave site and for the local historical societies.)