JOHN H. BEAN.
John H. Bean, having been a resident of Atchison county for a period of nearly sixty years, is naturally considered as one of the pioneers of the county. He has lived in the county since the year 1857, when his father, Michael Bean, filed on a Government homestead in Mt. Pleasant township, seven miles southwest of Atchison. John was born on a farm in Illinois October 22, 1850. His parents were Michael, born in Winchester, Ky., and son of William Bean, a native of Virginia, and Rebecca Northcutt, wife of Michael, who was born and reared near Winchester, Ill. Michael Bean came to Atchison February 5, 1853, filed on a claim, as stated above, and developed it into a splendid farm. On account of border troubles he returned to Independence, Mo., and remained for four years, and then returned to his claim. Michael died December 9, 1893, when a little over sixty-five years of age. He was a soldier in the Union army, having enlisted in Company F of the Thirteenth Kansas regiment in 1862 and served until the close of the war. He was mustered out at Ft. Leavenworth, after taking an active part in military operations in southeast Missouri, Ft. Smith and Little Rock, Ark. To Michael and Rebecca Bean were born seven children, namely: John H.; Mrs. Mary Barber, deceased; William, in Colorado; Paul, deceased; Mrs. Minnie Ledger, of Kansas City; Mrs. Ida Mayfield, living on the old homestead in Mt. Pleasant township; Alvin, farmer, living in Shannon township; Barbara died in infancy; Mrs. Barbara Helen Hayes, of Lincoln, Neb. The mother of these children died in 1903, at the age of seventy-five years.
When John H. Bean was twenty-three years of age he left home and went to Colorado, where he spent the intervening years until 1893 in the gold and silver mines of the State with intermittent fortunes attending his efforts. After two years’ residence in St. Joseph, Mo., he spent four years engaged in lumbering in the woods of northern Michigan. He then returned to Atchison, and after two years on the Atchison police force, and for four years, from 1909 to 1913, inclusive, he was cell-keeper in the State reformatory at Hutchinson, Kan. He returned to Atchison and was attached to the Atchison police department as one of its most efficient and faithful members until October 1, 1915, when he became gate-tender for the Atchison Bridge Company. He has been twice married, his first wife being Florence Bridges, who bore him one child, Mrs. Armina Bolen, of Leon, Kan. His second wife was Ella Mitchell, who died in Michigan in 1898.
Mr. Bean has always been a Republican in politics, but has never been a candidate for any political office. In this respect he follows in the footsteps of his father, Michael, who was an active politician in his day, although he never sought official preferment. Michael Bean was considered as one of the really influential men of Atchison county in political affairs and was a great and stanch friend of Senator John J. Ingalls, besides having a wide and favorable acquaintance with the people of the county. He counted among his friends many of the famous men of Atchison and the State. For thirteen years he was in charge of the county poor farm, and during that time he made a record since unsurpassed for management of the farm. Michael was a large man, physically, of the true pioneer type—one of those outspoken, honest fellows, who said outright what he thought, and was a friend to all who knew him and trusted him. It is said that no needy settler went to Michael Bean for assistance when in dire need and came away empty-handed. If a settler needed money to buy a cow or horse, it was forthcoming without the usual security or note which accompanies latter-day transactions of this character. Liberal in his views, he was liberal with his means and was always ready and willing to help an acquaintance.