Charles Hoffman Beggs Sr.
Some boys from Missouri go very far…and Charles H. Beggs is one. He was born in Missouri, somewhere between 1863 and 1865. Some put the date of his birth on July 8, 1865, but the 1870 U.S. Census gives his age as 7 years (1863) and his headstone in Rolla, Missouri, 1864. I’ll stick with the census, so 1863 is my personal choice.
Charles was from a well-off family. His father, Francis S. Beggs, was an Irish immigrant and his mother, Sarah Odele née Norman, was a Missouri native. He had an older brother, William Norman born in 1862, and two younger siblings, Vernon Leroy and Gertrude Harper, born 1873 and 1874, respectively.
Francis Beggs was a circuit (traveling) minister for the Methodist Episcopal Church, and his territory was Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois (1), explaining all the locations Charles and his family lived while growing up. Francis’ Draft Registration shoes Polk, North of Springfield, in 1863, Nodaway, North of St. Joseph in 1864, Cape Girardeau in the Southeast in 1868, and Warrensburg outside of Kansas City in 1870.
in 1874, Charles Hoffman Beggs began attending school at Drury College in Sprinfield Missouri. His major was English. His family’s residences changed throughout his tenure at Drury, one year it was St. Louis, then Springfield proper. Incidentally, the Drury catalog lists his name Charles Huffman Beggs.
Now for the rest of the story…
Charles H. Beggs rose to great heights in the railroad industry. He became Vice President of the Union Pacific Railway. He was in charge of making the St. Louis to Galveston line a reality. It was an important job that saved the livelyhood of many wheat farmers, particularly in Kansas where inaccsibilty to a shipping destination was economically damaging the regions farming industry. Being able to get whet flour quickly and cheaply from Kansas City, to St. Louis, and then on to Galvestion ensured access to the World market, and the profits needed for contnued success (2).
Part of Charles’ job was debarking in his private company Pullman coach and following the rails as they were constructed, establishing water stations and towns along the route. Two in Oklahoma were personally named by Charles, Beggs and Norman…one for his dad, and one for his mom.
Charles was married twice. First to Laura Burgess née Buckingham (1871-1942), by which he had two children, Ruth Beggs died in infancy (1895-1896) and Charles Norman Beggs (1897-1964). They were divorced in Denver Colorado on April 9th, 1912. From Colorado, Charles moved out to California…
And this is where Charles Hoffman Biggs comes into my family…
He met and married Anna Lola née Patton. She was 19 years is junior. They had a son in 1925, Charles Hoffman Beggs, Jr., my 1st cousin. Lola and Charles Sr. Lived in many places throughout Southern California, Los Angeles, Glendale, Whittier and finally settling in Long Beach. They were very well off and were avid collectors of Art. Unfortunately, life happens and Charles H. Beggs Sr. Passed away in Los Angeles in 1942. Anna Lola continued on in Long Beach for many more years, until her passing in 1983 at the age of 99. According to her granddaughter, my cousin Marti Guzman Charles Jr. and Lola wouldn’t speak of Charles Sr. all that much. The pain surrounding his loss was great…and Anna Lola never remarried.
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How I’m related:
Mary Elizabeth Wible (1846-1888) m. William Benton Patton (1842-1912) - my 3rd Great Grandparents
Cora Etta Patton (1867-1947) m. Leander Edward Trinkle (1869-1949) - my 2nd Great Grandparents
Anna Lola née Patton/Beggs (1884-1983) Cora Etta Patton’s youngest sister and my 2nd Great Grandaunt
That makes Charles Hoffman Beggs my 2nd Great Granduncle…by marriage.
This is always a work in progress! If you have any info you would like me to add…just drop me an email, I’d love to hear from you!
Many, many, many thanks to Marti Guzman, Charles Hoffman Beggs Jr.’s daughter, for bringing Charles H. Beggs to my attention and providing info and pictures to make this story possible! Thanks cousin!
Charles Hoffman Beggs Sr.
2. The Galveston Daily News. Sunday January 12, 1896. Page 8
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