John W. Beachy

    John W. Beachy, son of Peter A. Beachy, was born in 1826 and reared on his father's farm.  He attended the school of that grand old instructor, Jost J. Stutzman, and thus laid the basis for his success in life.

    Being the eldest son at home, at the early age of fifteen years he became the manager of his father's farming operations, his father's attention being largely absorbed in other business matters.  His early manhood being thus occupied with the arduous labors of farming, it perfected a naturally robust constitution, thus preparing him for the labors of after years, and at the same time inculcating in him the true theories of farm management, which are the basis of successful farming operations.  He remained on the home farm for a time after his marriage, when he purchased, in 1848, the well known Patrick Sullivan farm of five hundred and eight acres.  The soil was at this time so much exhausted by injudicious farming that it almost approached sterility.  Mr. Beachy immediately commenced to supply the exhausted elements of the soil by the free use of lime, with almost marvelous results, for, after a period of fifteen years, the farm was redeemed and made one of the best in the county.  So clearly was the efficacy of lime as a land- restorer demonstrated by him, that at last some of his neighbors (who in the meantime worked some of his land on shares, deemed their own nearly worthless) were induced to pursue the same plan, and they are now deriving the same benefits therefrom.  Twenty years after purchasing this farm Mr. Beachy disposed of it, having in the meantime erected fine farm buildings, and purchased the farm near Salisbury, upon which he lived fifteen years.  He disposed of it to his son Milton J., in 1883.  In the erections of fine farm buildings, surrounded with appropriate enclosures neatly whitewashed, Mr. Beachy has taken a foremost part and the results of his example are apparent in Elk Lick township, where he takes rank as one of its best agriculturists, although at the present time he is not engaging in farming, he now being classed among their capitalists.  He has successfully settled up some of the largest estates of the township.

    Mr. Beachy was one of the original stockholders and a director in the National Bank at Meyersdale -- now changed to a private bank -- which went successfully through the panic of 1873.  In all of his financial ventures he has been uniformly successful, which is the best evidence of sound business judgment.

    Mr. Beachy was one of the originators and heaviest stockholders of the Salisbury Foundry Company, which was organized in 1871, when the present buildings were erected.  He was the first treasurer of the establishment, which position he still retains, although since the spring of 1882 it has been leased to a company who are now operating it.  He also, in connection with his brother, A.P., laid out quite an extensive addition to Salisbury on the south side, and as a result of their management, it has largely been built up by permanent residenters, thus materially increasing the population and business interests of Salisbury.

    In 1846 he was married to Susan Lichty, daughter of John C., one of the pioneers, who was born in 1828.  Mr. and Mrs. Beachy are members of the German Baptist church.  They are the parents of eight children -- Anna M., Harriet, Elizabeth, Milton, Franklin, Ellens., Richard and John L.
 

Information taken directly from: "History of Bedford, Somerset and Fulton Counties, Pennsylvania 1884" Waterman, Watkins and Co."