Obituary Matthew Beer Jun 4 ,1807-Oct 30, 1903 Fulton, County, Ill.
BEER, MATTHEW (jun 4, 1807 – Oct 30, 1903)
One of the oldest men in Fulton county was laid to rest in the cemetery at the Coal Creek Lutheran church on Sunday afternoon of this week.His death occurred on Friday night, Oct. 30, 1903, and he was then 96 years, 4 months and 26 days old.
Matthew Beer was born in Beaver Co., Penn., at the town of Hopewell.He came to Illinois in 1838, and in 1849 settled on the farm where he died.He was married to Miss Susan Shallenberger Dec 20th, 1848.No children were born to this union, and the wife died July 4th, 1901.They had lived together happily for nearly fifty-three years.
In his early life Mr. Beer was a hatter by trade and traveled extensively, seeing a great deal of that part of the United States between the Atlantic and the Mississippi river.He was a powerful man and did much of his traveling on foot.Several times he built flat boats and from the headwaters of the Ohio took loads of produce to New Orleans and after selling out there walked home.He was a well read and well posted man and had met many of the men who were prominent in the very early history of this nation.In politics he was always a staunch democrat, and voted for Andrew Jackson for president in 1828, and he has voted at every presidential election since. There is probably not another such a record in the state.
Although a man who revered the Bible, Mr. Beer made no public confession of religion until in March, 1901.At that time during a pastoral visit from Rev. N.A. Whitman, the latter said: “Do you believe in Christ?”He said, “I do.”Mr. Whitman said: “Do you trust him and now confess him as you Savior?” He answered:’ I do; He is my Savior, and I have asked the forgivness of my sins, and I trust Him fully as my Saviour.”
His life was a peaceful one, much beloved of his neighbors and friends, and he was looked up to as a leader.
The funeral was held at the Coal Creek Lutheran church at 3 o’clock Sunday afternoon. Nov. 1. Rev. E.F. Ott officiating.The crowd was very large indeed, the church not being large enough to accommodate the
half.