70Y 1M 5D
Buried at the Perkinsville is one of Madison County's first prominent
citizens--Thomas L. Beckwith.
Thomas was born in New York May 24, 1815.
He was brought by his parents Zenas and Mary to the Hoosier frontier in 1820.
At the age of fifteen he started working for Becknell Cole, an early merchant in
Madison and Hamilton counties.
In 1836, Mr. Beckwith came to the Perkinsville area, and he and Cole laid out
the plat for the village.
Beckwith remained and began a successful business, selling general
merchandise. The business lasted for forty years. Thomas was also
Perkinsville's first postmaster, a position he held for almost as long. He also
farmed the land and raised stock. Between 1840 and 1850, the days before
railroads, Beckwith would purchase large herds of cattle and hogs and drive
them to the nearest market--Cincinnati.
He was president of the Anderson/Perkinsville Turnpike Company until its
completion, township trustee for two terms, county commissioner for one, county
treasurer, and a candidate for the state assembly.
In his later years, he was instrumental in organizing the "old settlers'
meetings," in Perkinsville. There were no meetings held in the local area after
Beckwith's death in 1878.
Thomas Beckwith's home and store are pictured in the 1880 History of Madison
County, Indiana, page 110.
Of Thomas Beckwith, Samuel Harden writes,
"...few men knew more than he of early life in the woods. Being well informed
on all subjects, it is no wonder that he was held in high esteem."
Buried at the Perkinsville is one of Madison County's first prominent
citizens--Thomas L. Beckwith.
Thomas was born in New York May 24, 1815.
He was brought by his parents Zenas and Mary to the Hoosier frontier in 1820.
At the age of fifteen he started working for Becknell Cole, an early merchant in
Madison and Hamilton counties.
In 1836, Mr. Beckwith came to the Perkinsville area, and he and Cole laid out
the plat for the village.
Beckwith remained and began a successful business, selling general
merchandise. The business lasted for forty years. Thomas was also
Perkinsville's first postmaster, a position he held for almost as long. He also
farmed the land and raised stock. Between 1840 and 1850, the days before
railroads, Beckwith would purchase large herds of cattle and hogs and drive
them to the nearest market--Cincinnati.
He was president of the Anderson/Perkinsville Turnpike Company until its
completion, township trustee for two terms, county commissioner for one, county
treasurer, and a candidate for the state assembly.
In his later years, he was instrumental in organizing the "old settlers'
meetings," in Perkinsville. There were no meetings held in the local area after
Beckwith's death in 1878.
Thomas Beckwith's home and store are pictured in the 1880 History of Madison
County, Indiana, page 110.
Of Thomas Beckwith, Samuel Harden writes,
"...few men knew more than he of early life in the woods. Being well informed
on all subjects, it is no wonder that he was held in high esteem."
70Y 1M 5D
Buried at the Perkinsville is one of Madison County's first prominent
citizens--Thomas L. Beckwith.
Thomas was born in New York May 24, 1815.
He was brought by his parents Zenas and Mary to the Hoosier frontier in 1820.
At the age of fifteen he started working for Becknell Cole, an early merchant in
Madison and Hamilton counties.
In 1836, Mr. Beckwith came to the Perkinsville area, and he and Cole laid out
the plat for the village.
Beckwith remained and began a successful business, selling general
merchandise. The business lasted for forty years. Thomas was also
Perkinsville's first postmaster, a position he held for almost as long. He also
farmed the land and raised stock. Between 1840 and 1850, the days before
railroads, Beckwith would purchase large herds of cattle and hogs and drive
them to the nearest market--Cincinnati.
He was president of the Anderson/Perkinsville Turnpike Company until its
completion, township trustee for two terms, county commissioner for one, county
treasurer, and a candidate for the state assembly.
In his later years, he was instrumental in organizing the "old settlers'
meetings," in Perkinsville. There were no meetings held in the local area after
Beckwith's death in 1878.
Thomas Beckwith's home and store are pictured in the 1880 History of Madison
County, Indiana, page 110.
Of Thomas Beckwith, Samuel Harden writes,
"...few men knew more than he of early life in the woods. Being well informed
on all subjects, it is no wonder that he was held in high esteem."
Buried at the Perkinsville is one of Madison County's first prominent
citizens--Thomas L. Beckwith.
Thomas was born in New York May 24, 1815.
He was brought by his parents Zenas and Mary to the Hoosier frontier in 1820.
At the age of fifteen he started working for Becknell Cole, an early merchant in
Madison and Hamilton counties.
In 1836, Mr. Beckwith came to the Perkinsville area, and he and Cole laid out
the plat for the village.
Beckwith remained and began a successful business, selling general
merchandise. The business lasted for forty years. Thomas was also
Perkinsville's first postmaster, a position he held for almost as long. He also
farmed the land and raised stock. Between 1840 and 1850, the days before
railroads, Beckwith would purchase large herds of cattle and hogs and drive
them to the nearest market--Cincinnati.
He was president of the Anderson/Perkinsville Turnpike Company until its
completion, township trustee for two terms, county commissioner for one, county
treasurer, and a candidate for the state assembly.
In his later years, he was instrumental in organizing the "old settlers'
meetings," in Perkinsville. There were no meetings held in the local area after
Beckwith's death in 1878.
Thomas Beckwith's home and store are pictured in the 1880 History of Madison
County, Indiana, page 110.
Of Thomas Beckwith, Samuel Harden writes,
"...few men knew more than he of early life in the woods. Being well informed
on all subjects, it is no wonder that he was held in high esteem."
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