Peter A. BEAN was born 1839, in McClellan Township, the son of King William and Elizabeth RIGHTNOWAR BEAN. His father died when he was four, and left his mother to tend the farm and rear her small children. They lived in a log house in Long Prairie, east of Rightnowar School. Elizabeth's family, the RIGHTNOWARS, lived on neighboring farms, and were of great assistance to her in raising her family. Peter's grandfather Walter BEAN later moved back to Gallatin County, Illinois, but others of the BEAN family stayed here, and lived just over in the next prairie. Loving Russell, his uncle who later married Orlena DARE in 1845, lived in Wolf Prairie. Asbury, another uncle married Susan SPEARMAN and lived down in Elk Prairie. His uncle homas and his wife Lucinda FINCH, lived in Mt. Vernon, and later in Bluford.

Peter A., third in order of birth, grew to maturity, a man of large stature, tall and very broad shouldered. He was very
industrious, and chose farming as his occupation. He farmed his father's 80 acres, and in 1875 acquired 160 acres in McClellan Township. Peter A. built an extremely large log house for his family. This land is now owned by his great granddaughter and her husband George and Clarice BEAN TAYLOR. Clarice is the daughter of Edward Franklin and America RIGHTNOWAR BEAN. 

Peter A. was married three times, the first in 1855, to Martha Jane THOMPSON. They had: William Adam, 1859-1935, who married Sarah L. DEES and were the parents of Myrtie, Edward Franklin, Fern, Ethyl, Lillian, Mada, and Stanton, (died age 19). Seven other children died young. Ad and Sarah are buried at Rightnowar Cemetery; Alexander Leroy, "Lee", married Katherine BASHAM and had one son who died young. Lee died as a young man and is also buried at Rightnowar Cemetery; Sarah Cansada (Sally), married Robert Lee DEES and had Lawrence, died age three, Herman, Vesta, Bearon, Sadie, Vetra, Tracy, and Hollie. She and Lee are buried at South Hickory Hill Cemetery.

Peter A. married 2nd in 1869, Elizabeth 0. LANEY, born 1841, daughter of Robert Marion and Phanata FORD LANEY of Washington County. Two sons were born to this union:
Perry V., 1871-1 897, married in 1893, Cora Adline LOMAN, 1872-1902, daughter of Elias and Sarah GILLAND LOMAN. They had two children, one died in infancy, and Syovia, born 1895. Perry died of pneumonia at age 26, and Cora of consumption at age 29. Both are buried at South Hickory Hill Cemetery; their son George Washington, l874-1959, (see this family) married in 1896, Amanda E. RIGHTNOWAR and had Alex. Gerald, Mabel, Sadie, and Daisy. George and Amanda are buried at Rightnowar Cemetery.

Following Elizabeth's death in 1875, Peter A. married her sister, Susan Wright LANEY in 1876. They had three children and after Peter A.'s death, Susan married Henry VAUGHN and had children by him. Peter and Susan's children were: Peter Alva, 1877-1952, who married Sylvia LARGENT, who is still living at age 89, at Collinsville, Illinois; Charles Herald; Loraine; Emory. Nelson, died young; Georgie; Dorothy; Doran; and Norman. Alva is buried at Collinsville; Flara P., 1877-1963, married George W. RICHARDSON and had Irwin, Roy, and Ronald, all deceased. Flara and George are buried at Bethel Cemetery: Ira Nelson (Barney) 1881-1952, married in 1906 Sarah F. DAVIE, born 1884, who is still living at age 93, in Mt. Vernon. She is the daughter of Thomas M. and Matilda WIGGINS DAVIS. They had Junie, Reginald, philip, Mararian and Mildred. Barney is buried at Oakwood Cemetery.

Peter Alexander was a lifelong resident of McClellan Township and was a Democrat. He served as justice of the peace in 1872, just two years after the townships of Jefferson County had been organized. Peter died in 1881, and is buried with his second wife Elizabeth at Slade Cemetery in Shiloh Township.

Source: Facts and Folks History Of Jefferson County 1978
Submitted by: Misty Flannigan
Dec 26, 1997