| The Highland
Township Historical Society THE BEACH FAMILY |
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BACK TO THE FAMILY PHOTO ALBUM PAGE
In the spring of 1891 Ulysses S. Beach, then 15, had raked together a pile of leaves and other debris while cleaning the yard of the family farm. Since the day was windy his father warned against burning the pile. Disregarding this caution, however, Ulysses set it alight, only to watch as burning leaves blew up on and set fire to the wooden shingles of the family home! Since the fire burned from the "top down" there was time to save most of the furniture and family keepsakes, including some of the photos shown in this album. The house, however, proved a total loss and the family was forced to take up temporary residence in one of the barns. Their misfortune was compounded when the proceeds of insurance on the home were deposited in the Milford State Bank just days before it crashed in the fall of 1891. Despite such setbacks, a new home was quickly erected on the original site and was ready to occupy before winter set in. Davis Beach's account book shows he paid Enos St. John $1032.91 to design and build the replacement dwelling, plus another $24.63 to have it painted. The photo below shows this second house as it appeared circa 1910, with Davis Beach standing in front of the porch steps. At right is the Mail Wagon which his son, Ulysses S. Beach, used on his route as an early mail carrier.
