Helping Hands

My great grandmother Florence was born in March of 1866. When she was a young woman of eighteen she was hired by Mr. and Mrs. William Henry Beasley as a live in housekeeper. Shortly after giving b

 

My great grandmother Florence was born in March of 1866.  When she was a young woman of eighteen she was hired by Mr. and Mrs. William Henry Beasley as a live in housekeeper.

Shortly after giving birth to her first son in 1884 Mrs. Sarah Beasley died of natural causes. Almost two years later Florence agreed to marry William and be a mother to baby Moses.

William and Florence were married on October 7, 1885. They resided in a four room house, high on the bank of the Wapsi Pinicon River, in the little town of Central City, Iowa. With a bridge that crossed the river toward the front of the house and the railroad bridge running right behind their home it was a busy part of town to raise a family.

Over the years my great grandparents had nine children and they all grew up right there next to the river. Both Grandma and Grandpa lived in that small house until they died, first Grandma and several years later Grandpa.

It has been a source of pride in my life to know what generous and loving people these great grandparents of mine were.

Grandpa was the driving force both financially and with his labor to build a church in their small town.

It was well known that if anyone in Central City was ill Grandma would take her own clean linens and a basket of food to the person's home and nurse them back to health.  

The railroad bridge played a big part in the lives of the Beasley family. The little house next to the river was a place for hobos who rode the rails to get a good meal. Grandpa never turned away anyone that came to his door seeking food. He invited them in to sit at the table with his family and Grandma always added a place setting for any unexpected guest. They taught their children by example to do for others and share what they had.

When I think of stories about ordinary people doing remarkable deeds for others without expecting recognition or acknowledgement in return, I have to think of these two people whose blood run through my veins. I'm proud of them even if I never got to know them personally.

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