January 17, 1881 Cullen H. Beadle was born to John A. and Mary Jackson Beadle on a farm in Jefferson County in Grand Prairie Township. Cullen grew to manhood there along with two sisters, Mrs. Bert (Cora) Miller and Mrs. Albert (Carrie) Moore. On August 6, 1901 he was married to Gilla Breeze, daughter of Isaac and Louisa Timmons Breeze, and moved to a farm north of Cravat. Here Cletis E. was born, September 29, 1903. Cullen was a farmer and did carpenter work.

After Cullen's parents died, he inherited 75 acres of prairie land in Section 18. His grandfather, Richard F. Beadle was born October 12, 1814 and died June 25, 1885. Cullen's parents: John Beadle was born 1848 and died September 8, 1924; his wife, Mollie, was born 1850 and died in 1932. Cletis did much of the farming beginning at the age of eight.

The main crops were stock peas, corn, wheat, oats, and red top and timothy hay. The corn was picked by hand and scooped in the crib or cut and shocked to be shucked later and the fodder fed to cattle. The wheat and oats were cut with a binder and shocked, then threshed making a straw pile for the cattle. There were three main threshing rigs that threshed in this area; the Heitkamp Brothers, Bill and Chris of this community; Everett and Laurel Turner of near Walnut Hill, and the Koellings of Washington County. On threshing day the women would cook dinner for about 20 men.

On June 7, 1930, Cletis married Lou Catherine Hails of Casner Township, daughter of John D. and Hala Hails. Cletis bought a farm from David Baldridge and lived there his entire life. Here four children were born: Dean Lavern, Nola Faye, Mary Catherine, and Ronald Lee.

(sorry I missed part of this bio on page 86)

*NOTE* Some ommisions may have occured to protect living individuals.

"Facts and Folks A History of Jefferson County, Illinois"
Jefferson County Historical Society
Printed by Taylor Publishing Company, Dallas, TX Page 85, 86
Submitted by Sandy Whalen Bauer