BIO: Edward BEILMAN, Beaver County, PA
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BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES. This Volume Contains Biographical Sketches
of Leading Citizens of Beaver County, Pennsylvania. Buffalo, N.Y.,
Chicago, Ill.: Biographical Publishing Company, 1899, pp. 89-91.
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EDWARD BEILMAN. Beaver county numbers among its citizens many men who
started life under the most discouraging circumstances, but who, through
their own persevering industry, struggled on to better things and finally
attained positions of prominence. Such, briefly told, are the conditions
which existed in the life of the gentleman above-mentioned, who is today
reckoned as the foremost business man of this section of the state, - being
owner and proprietor of a large department store at Beaver Falls. Twelve
years was the age at which he set out to do,, battle with the world at large,
as cash boy in the large department store then known as that of Barnes,
Hengerer & Co., of Buffalo, New York. His action was contrary to the wish of
his parents. Ambitious by nature, bright of intellect, and situated as many
another boy was, he won favor in the eyes of his employers, who were
seemingly cold and austere men of business. Having gained their good will by
taking every opportunity to serve them as best he could, he was from time to
time advanced until he was their trusted head cashier at the age of
twenty-four years, - a very young man for a position of such responsibility.
This was the only firm by whom he was ever employed, and in 1889, he severed
his connection with them and removed to Beaver Falls, Pa., where he has since
been one of the most active and prosperous citizens.
F. Edward Beilman was born in Buffalo, Erie County, N. Y., June 21, 1860,
and is a son of Jacob and Catherine (Speiser) Beilman. Jacob, the father of
our subject, was born in Bavaria, Germany, and came to this country with his
parents at the age of seven years, first settling in New York City. When the
Erie Canal was opened, they traveled by that route to Buffalo, N. Y., which
was then an unimportant place. The union of Jacob Beilman with Catherine
Speiser was blessed with eleven children, as follows : Anthony; Mary;
Josephine (Lechleiter); James; Adeline; Edward; Catherine; F. Edward; Helen
(Schneider) ; Frank, and Elizabeth (Triller). Anthony is a resident of
Chicago. Mary, James, Adaline and Edward are deceased. Catherine married E.
G. Burns, who is charity agent in Buffalo, and about whom there is an
interesting bit of history. He was one of seven pair of brothers who enlisted
in the Civil War, all being in the same company and the best of friends.
Singular to relate, one of each pair of brothers fell in battle. F. Edward is
the gentleman to whom this record pertains. Helen's husband has
90 BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES
held a responsible position with the water works for the past fifteen years.
Frank is a civil engineer.
The subject of the present writing received his early mental instruction in
the parochial schools of Buffalo, and, in 1872 (as before stated), entered the
employ of Barnes, Hengerer & Co. as cash boy, and, by native shrewdness and
perseverance, worked his way up to the place of office boy, and then to that
of assistant cashier, which he held for six years. He had gained the entire
confidence of his employers and they offered him the position of head
cashier. It was by no means a small undertaking for one so young, but
possessing unlimited confidence in his ability he accepted it and performed
its duties with credit, - justifying the faith reposed in him. Alive to the
fact that his future depended upon himself, he saved his money and invested
it in real estate in Buffalo, which he subsequently sold at a good round
profit. This he repeated several times and in a few years was the fortunate
possessor of a respectable bank account, and some very valuable realty. At
this time he began to deal more extensively in lands, forming companies,
which bought up tracts and laid them out into building lots, which they put
upon the market. In this manner he was largely instrumental in building up
the suburban districts of the city, and realized largely on his investments.
That he is shrewd and gifted beyond the ordinary, is evidenced by the fact
that he has never lost on any of these transactions. He was seemingly gifted
with the Midas touch, and having once acquired property its value increased
with wonderful rapidity. Upon one occasion he bought a lot in one of the
residence districts, and before eight o'clock the next morning, disposed of
it at a profit of $350. At another time he bought a tract of land in an
obscure part of the town for $700, and shortly after sold it for $1,500. Soon
after the year 1880, his attention was attracted to the oil business, and
journeying to McKean county, near Bradford, he invested in oil to good
advantage. He began to look for other investments, and in 1889 he resigned
his position with Barnes, Hengerer & Co., and, removing to Beaver Falls,
formed a five years' partnership with William Rowan. starting a large dry
goods business. Disposing of his interest in this firm to his partner, in
1894, he built his present store, the largest and finest in the borough; it
is a two-story, iron-front building and covers a lot 100x40 feet in
dimensions. It has steel, sixteen feet high ceilings. The large assortment of
stock is carefully systematized and arranged in orderly fashion. The basement
is the salesroom for carpets, linoleum, lace curtains, mattings and oil
cloths, and also contains the carpet workshop. Upstairs is carried a
comprehensive line of general dry goods, notions, ladies' suits and cloaks,
millinery, gentlemen's furnishings, and the thousand and one other things
which go to make up a department store. Mr. Beilman is a man who through his
great enterprise has attracted public attention, and is universally held in
high esteem. He has identified himself with many paying
BEAVER COUNTY 91
ventures, being an organizer, the principal stockholder, and a director, of
the Keystone Store Service Company, manufacturers of a computing scale, an
invention far superior to any other on the market. This company have had
considerable litigation with a Dayton concern, but have beaten them at every
point. Mr. Beilman is a prominent stockholder in the People's Water Company;
a stockholder and director of the Riverview Electric Street Railway Company;
and is a member of the executive committee of the Beaver Falls Improvement
Company, in which he has been an indefatigable worker. He was one of the most
faithful workers in securing $50,000 required, and was made a special
representative, to bring the Eclipse Bicycle Company to Beaver Falls. He is
an earnest advocate for free bridges, a city charter and a "Greater Beaver
Falls." Politically, he is independent and although frequently importuned to
accept office, he has always declined.
Mr. Beilman was united in marriage with Matilda M. Doll, who was born in
Buffalo, N. Y., in May, 1865, the nuptials occurring September 19, 1887; they
have two children: Louise, born August 9, 1889, and Norman A., born in
February, 1892. Mrs. Beilman was called to her reward on February 20, 1892,
just eight days subsequent to the birth of her second child, and was interred
at Buffalo. The subject of this biography formed a second union, with Margaret
McDunn, who was born March 30, 1870, and is the daughter of Patrick B. and
Margaret McDunn of Cambria county, Pa., - their union being blessed with
three children: Homer J:, born in August, 1893, and died in January, 1894;
Melvin J., born December 25, 1895; and Martha, born April 1, 1897. In a
religious connection Mr. Beilman is a member of the Catholic church. He is
also a member of the order of the R. A. For many years he was a member of the
Buffalo City Guard Cadet Corps, one of the crack organizations of Buffalo,
from which came many brave officers of the late war. Mr. Beilman's portrait,
executed from a photograph, taken in the fall of 1899, is shown in connection
with the above account of his successful career.