from page 1 of REMEMBERING OUR PAST by Lee McLane and Richard White (c) 2001 "The citizens of Beebe should be proud to have their city named after Roswell Beebe. He was a unique man for his time. He was born at Hinsdale, New York on December 22, 1795 to a wealthy English family. When he was 17, he talked his father into letting him go to New Orleans. He was behind the cotton bales with Andy Jackson when they turned back the British at the Battle of New Orleans......The 1832 New Orleans City Directory lists him as a lumber merchant. He also had a brickyard there. In 1834 because of his rheumatism he was advised by his doctors to move away from the damp climate.....In 1835 he was in Little Rock and became debilitated by his rheumatism. While recuperating in the home of Col Chester Ashley, he met Col Ashley's sister-in-law. She would soon become Roswell's bride.....In the 1820's and early 1830's there were several land speculators and developers in Little Rock. Several of these people did not have clear title to the land they were selling therefore the purchaser did not have a clear title. In early 1839 Roswell acquired 240 acres which had the only uncontestable title in town. He went to Washington , D.C. in 1839 and received from the U.S Government the original patent for the town of Little Rock......In 1939 Roswell drew up a plan for Little Rock, laying off and streets. He deeded the streets and alleys to the city for one dollar. In 1843, he gave a block of land to build the new ?State Capitol building......Roswell Beebe had several business interests and was an Alderman and Mayor of Little Rock in the early 1850's. He greatest business venture was the organization of Cairo and Fulton Railroad Company. This company was to become a large part of the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railroad Company. Roswell Beebe died on September 26, 1856 while visiting his native New York. His body was returned to Little Rock for burial in the cemetery (Mt. Holly) he had donated. Because of his passed services, the Railroad Company passed a resolution that the first locomotive to be run on the railroad shall be called the 'Roswell Beebe,' and it was." The railroad was built through Beebe and the post office established on April 30, 1872. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mary Scott" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, June 13, 2002 11:00 AM Subject: [ARWHITE] Beebe > Good Morning; > I'm new to this web-site and I would like to know if anyone could give > me information about Beebe, Ar. I'm researching the family name of > Beebe and found it very interesting to see a town named Beebe. Thanks > Mary > > > ==== ARWHITE Mailing List ==== > Checkout the other lists being watched over by your List Mom; > http://mailing_lists.homestead.com/lists.html > > ============================== > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 >