Lucius Beebe Memorial Library, Wakefield, Mass.

Title

Lucius Beebe

Description

"Lucius Beebe,immortalized in Wakefield history by the Lucius Beebe Memorial Library, was active in the town, both politically and personally, for the 32 years he resided in the community. Born in Hebron, Connecticut on March 2, 1810, Lucius Beebe set off at the age of 15 to seek his fortune in his uncle's flannel factory. The factory soon folded and he later went to work as an apprentice at the Yantic Factory in Norwich, Connecticut. At the age of 18, he took charge of one of the departments, a position he held until he and his four brothers opened a store in New Orleans, shipping goods from the New England area for sale at the store. Business was brisk in all sorts of commodities and, after a short time, the brothers opened an office in Boston for the sale of cotton and for the purchase of merchandise for the New Orleans store. He eventually setlled in Cambridge in 1844 and later moved to Melrose in 1851. In 1852 he settled in South Reading on the eastern shores of Lake Quannapowitt at the estate on Main Street known as the Beebe Farm. It was there that he and his wife Sylenda settled to raise their growing family of 12 children, nine of which survived to reach adulthood. At this time, he was a highly respected businessman in Boston, New York, and New Orleans. He immediately settled into his adoptive town, working in various organizations and holding several offices in the town. He was a Trustee for the public library from the time of its formation in 1856. In 1868 the library was renamed Beebe Town Library of Wakefield in his honor, as he was a major contributor, both in terms of financial contributions and his influence in its support. He was a member of the School Board, serving as its Chairman for several of those years. He was a Selectman and served as Trustee of the Wakefield Savings Bank, President of the National Bank of South Reading, President of the Real Estate and Building Association and served as a Justice of the Peace. Mr. Beebe was Chairman of the Hamilton School Building Committee and was a Co; Captions: 1. The Lucius Beebe Memorial Library in 1929. -- 2. Lucius Beebe was one of several influential Wakefield citizens on the Board of Directors of the South Reading Bank. (Standing left to right) Cyrus Wakefield and George O. Carpenter. (Seated, left to right) Samuel Gardner, Lucius Beebe, Thomas Emerson, Lilley Eaton, and Edward Mansfield.

Image from the Wakefield Municipal Gas and Light Department annual calendar, 1989

Photos courtesy of the Payro family, Louis Picardi, and the Wakefield Historical Society.

Contributor

Institution: Lucius Beebe Memorial Library

Wakefield Municipal Gas & Light Department (Wakefield, Mass.)

D'Onofrio, Jayne M.

Coverage

Massachusetts--Middlesex (county)--Wakefield

Format

image/jpeg

Publisher

Wakefield Municipal Gas & Light Department

Subject

Lucius Beebe Memorial Library (Wakefield, Mass.)

Library buildings

National Bank of South Reading (Wakefield, Mass.)

Lucius Beebe

Beebe, Lucius, 1810-1884

Wakefield, Cyrus, 1811-1873

Carpenter, George O.

Gardner, Samuel, 1800-1856

Emerson, Thomas

Eaton, Lilley, 1802-1872

Mansfield, Edward

Type

still image

Photographs

Original Format

2 pictures : b&w

Extent

7 x 9 cm. & 12 x 17 cm.