LUKE P. BEAZELL is a son of William Beazell, the oldest voter in Fallowfield township, who was born February 22, 1807, in Allegheny county, Penn., a son of Luke Beazell, whose mother was of Irish birth, and father a native of Germany. Luke Beazell was born in 1773, in Westmoreland county, Penn., and when a young man was married to Elizabeth English, also a native of Westmoreland county. Ten children were born to this union, of whom one son and three daughters are yet living, namely: William, Catherine (Mrs. Ails), Mary (Mrs. Smith), and Eliza (unmarried). Luke Beazell, who always followed farming, died in 1857. William Beazell learned the shoemaker's trade, which he has followed in connection with farming. On May 6, 1830, he married Susan West, a native of Fallowfield township, this county, and they have had seven sons and three daughters viz.: Leander N. (deceased, served three years in the army), Elmira, R. West, Luke P., Margaret E., Mary L., William H., John S., R. W. B. (deceased) and Samuel. Mr. Beazell owns ten acres of land located four and one half miles from Monongahela City. He has filled almost every public office in Fallowfield township. Luke P. Beazell was born January 19, 1839, on the home farm in Fallowfield township, and first attended the common schools, completing his education at Monongahela City, Penn. In 1861 he enlisted in Company D, Seventy-ninth Regiment, P. V. I., under Captain McBride; they were first sent to Louisville, Ky., and took part in the battle of Perryville, then marched into Tennessee and fought at Stone River; from the latter place they followed Bragg to Chickamauga, and after that engagement returned to Tennessee, taking part in the battles of Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge. At this time Mr. Beazell re-enlisted, and being assigned to the same division, joined in the contest at Buzzards Roost, Ga.; then remained with Sherman until the capture of Atlanta, afterward accompanying him in his famous march to the sea. Luke P. Beazell also fought in the battle of Bentonville, where his division had to confront Johnston's entire army, and, finally, participated in the grand review at Washington, D. C. He was promoted during Sherman's raid to the rank of lieutenant, and July 12, 1865 received an honorable discharge. After the war Mr. Beazell returned home to Washington county, and opened a planing mill at Monongahela City. On August 30, 1866, he was married to Josephine, daughter of John McCrory, and she has borne him the following children: Effie, Harry, Albert, Lillie, Josie May, Bessie and Bertha; of this family Harry, Lillie and Bertha are yet living. After his marriage Mr. Beazell opened a saw and planing mill at Coal Centre, and then conducted a tannery business for three years. He afterward opened a meat market, which he kept for twenty years, and is now a partner in and superintendent of the California Glass Company, dealing also in agricultural implements. In political matters he votes with the Republican party, and has held many borough offices; he has served for fourteen years as trustee of the Southwestern State Normal School at California. He is a member and trustee of the Disciple Church. Socially he is a member of Harry Billingsley Post, No. 168, G. A. R., having joined the post as a charter member in 1867.

Text taken from page 951 of: Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). Transcribed March 1997 by Neil and Marilyn Morton of Oswego, IL as part of the Beers Project. Published March 1997 on the Washington County, PA pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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