Beatrice Daily Sun
September 16, 1905Every reader of this paper will be grieved to learn of the death of Hon. Jefferson B. Weston. For several weeks it has been known here that he was seriously ailing and lately his demise has been expected by those familiar with his condition. But to his large circle of friends throughout the state the announcement of his death will prove a painful surprise.
At the noon hour yesterday, September 15, he passed peacefully to that borne from which no traveler has ever yet returned. His death, it may be safely stated, will be deeply mourned by all who have ever known him. The limitations of a newspaper article enables us to present only a brief and an imperfect outline of his life.Mr. Weston was born at Bremen, Maine, on the 3rd day of March, 1831, and at the time of his death he was well along in his seventy-fifty year. When about twenty years of age he entered Union college at Schenectady, New York, from which institution he graduated in 1856. In less than a year after his graduation he joined the crowd of emigrants pushing westward and in April, 1857, he came to the new Territory of Nebraska.
He was one of the leaders of that band of intrepid men and women, who, on board the old river boat "Hannibal," on the 3rd day of April, 1857, while stuck on a sand bar opposite Doniphan, Kans., entered into a compact to remain together and locate somewhere in the new territory of Nebraska and found a city. He was the principal member of the committee representing this company who upon personal inspection in May of that year determined upon the site which comprises the original town of Beatrice as the location of the prospective city, and he answered to his name when the roll of this company was called on the site of this city June 27, 1895.
In 1860, Mr. Weston married at Nebraska City, Miss Helen Towle, daughter of Albert and Catherine Towle, and as the fruit of this union there has been born Ralph A. Weston, Elizabeth L. and Herbert T. Weston, all of Beatrice, and the late Catherine W. Wing.
From the date of his arrival in the territory to 1872, he led an active, though a somewhat varied life. During this period he engaged in various freighting ventures with ox teams across the plains to Denver and other points, and in trade with the Indians and in mining, and having been admitted to the bar early in his career, he, for some time prior to 1872, practiced his profession here in Beatrice to a considerable extent.
In the fall of 1872 he was elected auditor of public accounts of the state of Nebraska and continued to hold this office by successive elections from January, 1873, to January 1879. From 1875 to 1885 he with his family resided in the city of Lincoln, but with this exception he has held a continuous residence in the city of Beatrice since 1857.
On the 18th day of November, 1883, he with Daniel W. Cook, Hiram W. Parker, Cyrus Alden, S. P. Wheeler, Nathan Blakely and William Lamb of Beatrice, and N. S. Harwood of Lincoln organized the Beatrice national bank of Beatrice, and he was by this first board of directors elected its president, a position which he held over twenty years and until his death. Of the original board of directors of the bank none now survive him except Mr. Cook and Nathan Blakely.
Beatrice Daily Sun
February 27, 1917Mrs. Helen T. Weston, one of the earliest pioneers of Beatrice, and widow of the late Jefferson B. Weston, died Sunday evening at 7 o'clock at her home at 904 North Seventh street. A fall she received at her home about a week ago hastened her death, she not being able to overcome the shock. The news of her death will come as a shock to her many friends in Beatrice who were not aware of her illness.
The deceased was born in Illinois in 1842 and came to Beatrice in 1860 with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Albert Towle, the former being better known as "Pap" Towle, the first postmaster in Beatrice. Here sister, the late Kate Towle Ayres, was the first white child born in this city.
She was married to Jefferson B. Weston in 1860. Mr. and Mrs. Weston lived in Beatrice until 1873, when they moved to Lincoln, returning in 1886. Mr. Weston, who died in 1905 at his home in this city, carried mail into Beatrice on horsebac when at young man and was interested in a number of enterprises in this city when he passed away. He was for many years one of the officers of the Beatrice National bank.
Mrs. Weston is survived by three children, Ralph A. Weston of Millet, Alberta, Canada, Miss Elizabeth Weston and Herbert T. Weston of Beatrice.
Funeral services will be held this afternoon at 3 o'clock from the family home, conducted by
Find-a-Grave
Mr. Horatio H. Crawford, who died Wednesday, aged 38 years was born in Searsmont, ME but had lived in Boston since he was 16 years of age. He was beloved for his sterling character. For many years he had been a member of Commonwealth Lodge I.O.O.F. also a charter member of Joseph Webb Lodge of Masons, holding the office of Senior Warden at the time of his death. For three years he had held the office of Treasurer of the Sunday School of the People's Church at which the funeral services will occur next Sunday at 2:30PM.