The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.

Meet Your Neighbor

by Deb Olson, The Quill

This week's Meet Your Neighbor article is a departure from the norm, just for this week.

Meet your neighbor Dr. D. F. Beacom who lived in La Harpe from 1913 until his death in 1942. During his years in La Harpe, Beacom lived in a house on Main Street and to this day his name is written on the sidewalk in front of his house

Daniel Fisher Beacom was born to William H. and Elmira Fisher Beacom on January 20, 1861 in New Salem.

He studied at Lombard College in Galesburg from which he graduated in 1882. After graduating he taught in rural schools for three years and then took the Superintendent of schools job at Good Hope.

For four years Beacom was a school administrator in Kansas. Then he went to medical school at Rush Medical College in Chicago, graduating in 1894. He practiced medicine in Blandinsville and Macomb before moving to La Harpe in 1913.

On June 20, 1888 Daniel Beacom married Miss L. Sula Nolon. Three children were born to them. First, a son Dean Nolon Beacom, born in 1894, and then two daughters, Clarice born in 1897 and Adalee, born in 1902. Clarice died in 1908, aged 11.

Dean attended Western Illinois Normal, graduating in 1917. He studied medicine at University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver, CO, and Colorado School of Medicine, Boulder, CO graduating in 1922. Sadly he died at a young age in 1927.

Adalee married Carol Stokke of LaCrosse WI and made her home there after the marriage.

He was a member of the La Harpe A. F. & A. M. Masonic Lodge #195 and of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity at Lombard College.

Dr. Beacom died in the Mary Davier hospital on Monday, August 3, 1942 at age 81. He had practiced medicine in the La Harpe area for 47 years.

Look for his name which was engraved in the sidewalk near the curb along Main Street, in front of his former residence. This copper reminder of Dr. Beacom's presence in La Harpe is st ill there today.