NJGenWeb ~ Morris County, New Jersey

Source: History Morris County New Jersey, Volume II, Lewis Publishing Co., 1914

Morris county is signally favored in the class of men who have contributed to its development in a variety of business lines and in this connection George S. BEAVERS demands recognition as he has been actively engaged in the hotel and livery business at Mendham for the past twenty-six years. He has long been known as a prosperous and enterprising citizen and he is a man whose business methods demonstrate the power of activity and honesty in all walks of life. He has not confined his energies to personal affairs but has served his fellow men in various offices of important trust and responsibility. For three years he was marshal of Mendham and for ten years filled the office of constable. Furthermore, he is a veteran of the Civil War, having devoted three years of his life to defending the cause of union and justice.

George S. BEAVERS was born in Hunterdon county, New Jersey, February 3, 1843, son of William A. and Julia A. (SUTTON) BEAVERS, the former of whom was born and reared in Pennsylvania and the latter in Hunterdon county. The father was engaged in the general merchandise business during the years of his active career and he and his wife were the parents of two children: 

• George S., whose name forms the caption for this review; 
• Caroline E., wife of J. P. JOHNSON.

After completing the curriculum of the public schools of his native place, George S. BEAVERS worked at farming until his nineteenth year, August 8, 1862, he responded to President LINCOLN’s call for volunteers and enlisted as a soldier in Company A, Fifteenth New Jersey Infantry. He served as a private until the close of the war and was mustered out as corporal, June 27, 1865. He participated in many of the most important battles marking the progress of the war, among them being Fredericksburg, Salem Heights, Gettysburg, the conflict at Funkton, Maryland, the battle of the Wilderness, Laurel Hill, Hanover Courthouse, Cold Harbor, Snickers Gap (Virginia), Newmarket, Cedar Creek, the capture of Petersburg, Sailors’ Creek, Farmville, and the surrender at Appomattox. He was distinguished for bravery and daring and won considerable praise from the officers in charge of his regiment.

After the close of the war and when peace was again established, Mr. BEAVERS returned to Hunterdon county and continued to reside in that section of the State until 1871, devoting most of his attention to agricultural pursuits. Subsequently he was engaged for four years in the hotel business at Califon, New Jersey, then followed that line of enterprise at Chester Depot for three years and in 1878 went to Somerset county, where he conducted the Bedminster Hotel at Bedminster for a period of ten years. In 1888 he came to Mendham and assumed charge of the Black Horse Inn, which is up-to-date in its equipment and which caters to a very select patronage. In connection with his hotel business Mr. BEAVERS conducts an extensive livery. He has been very successful as a hotel man, his kindly disposition and genial good nature making him an ideal host. He is a Democrat in political affiliations and served that organization on the town committee for four years. He was elected constable in 1890 and held that office for ten years and for three years was the efficient incumbent of the office of marshal of the borough of Mendham. He retains a deep and sincere interest in his old comrades in arms and signifies the same by membership in A. T. A. Talbert Post, No. 24, G. A. R. He is affiliated with the Somerville Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and in religious matters is a member of the Presbyterian church.

In 1866 Mr. BEAVERS married Mary Ann PACE, daughter of John and Mary (WISE) PACE. Mr. PACE was a farmer in Morris county, New Jersey, during his lifetime and he was twice married, the name of his second wife being Sarah PERRY. The first marriage was prolific of four children: 

• Tamison, wife of Lemuel SHEETS; 
• Elias; 
• Mary Ann, wife of Mr. BEAVERS; 
• Sarah, wife of Taylor FLOMERFELT. 

To the second union were born: 

• John; 
• Amanda, wife of Augustus HAHN; 
• Elmira, wife of Henry FARLEY; 
• George E.; 
• Prudence, wife of George A. FARLEY; 
• Eliphalet. 

Mr. and Mrs. BEAVERS have the following children: 

• John, married Grace CRAMER; 
• Emma, widow of Harry WOODHULL and she is the mother of Mabel and George B.; 
• Carrie, married George THOMSON, and they have two children: Clay and William, 
• Bloomfield, married Sarah FREEMAN and they have Clifford and Mildred; 
• Jesse, married Dora HOFFMAN. 

Although Mr. BEAVERS is now seventy years of age he is still hale and hearty and cares for the details of his business with the same energy that marked the years of his prime.

Transcribed by John Cresseveur (1949-2003)

Copyright ©1999-2018 by Brianne Kelly-Bly, all rights reserved.