Alfred M. Beasley

Alfred M. Beasley, attorney at law ar-td one of the leading members of the Greene county bar, is a native of Martin county, Indliana, and a descendant of Scotch- Irish ancestors, who came to this country from England in colonial times and settled in Vrigina [Virginia] On the maternal side he is of English extraction, antecedettts of his mother’s family having been among the early pionieers of South Carolina. Arron Beasley, subject’s father, was born, March 1, 1835, in Lawrence county, Indiana, and married in the year- 1852, Rebecca Barnes, whose birth occurred on the 15th day of May, 1832. in the county of Martin. Having devoted the greater part of his life to agricultural pursuits ant1 meeting with success in his chosen calling. Aaron Beasley is now living in retirement at Linton, though still owning the homestead in Martin county 0n which he so long resided. He was a loyal Union man during the rebellion, an ardent supporter of President Lincoln, and served during the entire period of the war as recruiting officer of Martin county. Physically incapacitated for military duty, he rendered valuable service to the state and nation by inducing others to enter the army, having sent many men to the front during his incumbency as recruiting officer. Mrs. Beasley died in 1889, the mother of ten children, Alfred M. being the youngest of the number. Winnie, Nancy J. and Mahala E. died in infancy. James died at the age of thirty-five. John L. is a large farmer and stock raiser of Martin county and trustee of the township in which he lives. Rebecca is the wife of Lewis Kail. of Indian Springs. and Aaron Grant, lives in Linton. William T. is a farmer of Daviess county, this state, and George, of Linton, is one of the well-known and prosperous business men of Greene county.

Alfred M. Beasley was born at Burns City, Martin county, on the 18th day of April, I875. After finishing the common school branches he entered the State Sormal School at Terre Haute. with the object in view of fitting himself for teaching. which profession he followed with marked success for a period of seven years. not caring to devote his life to educational work, he discontinued it at the espiration of the time indicated, but meanwhile, actuated by a laudable ambition to increase his scholastic knowledge, he spent three years in the State University, and by this splendid mental discipline, laid broad and deep the foundation for his future career in one of the most responsible and exacting of the learned professions, Having decided to make law his life work, he began the study of the same at Bloomfield in the office of Cavins and Henderson, and later entered the law department of the State University, in order that he might prepare himself for the practice of law, where he prosecuted his studies and researches until his admission to the Greene county bar in 1904. since which time he has practiced at Linton, where he has a large and lucrative legal business.

Mr. Beasley entered the law with a mind we11 fortified by mental and professional training, and from the beginning his practice has grown steadily in volume and importance until he now occupies a commanding place among the younger members. of a bar long noted for tile high order of its legal talent. He is well versed in the principles of jurisprudence, familiar with the methods of practice, and, by reason of his familiarity with the law, has become a safe and reliable counseloy, whose advice and opinions are seldom, if ever, at fault, and whose painstaking industry and success in prosecuting or defending causes have gained him an honorable reputation and quite an estensive clientele. At one period he weilded an influence in the field of journalism, having for three years edited the Linton Record, during which time the paper became very popular and earned for him creditable repute as a clear, logical writer of vigorous English, to say nothing of his facile pen and elegant diction in treating of the more sentimental subjects.

In politics Mr. Beasley is strongly Republican. In 1900 he was nominated for the legislature. but went down in defeat with the rest of the ticket, the county being at that time Democratic by a very large majority. In secret fraternal and benevolent circles he has long been quite proniinent, especially in Odd Fellowship, being a leader in the local lodge to which he helongs, besides holding the high office of grand herald of the Grand Lodge of Indiana. He has also been preminent in the encampment, Rebecca lodge and Court of Honor, having filled the principal chairs in each and contributed largely to their growth and success. He holds memberhip in the Improved Order of Red Men, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the Fraternal Order of Eagles. in all of which he has been honored with high official stations.

Mr. Beasley is a married man and the father of two living children, who answer to the names of Kern G. and Ray M. Mrs. Beasley was formerly Miss Anna Gertrude Morgan. daughter- of Thomas and Mellissa Morgan, of Stockton township the ceremony by which her name was changed to the one she now bears having been soleninized on August 31st of the year 1901, and useless to add that the subsequent life of this couple has been happy and harmonious.

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"Biographical Memoirs of Greene County, Ind. with Reminiscences of Pioneer Days", B.F. Bowen & Co., Indianapolis, IN, 1908, Vol. 3 pg. 1104-7

Last updated 9.11.2009