Rome Sentinel February 3, 1880 page 3 column 5 died January 30, 1880
Rev. Lyman Beach, died at the residence of his son, John Beach, at Knoxboro, Friday of last week, aged 87 years. The funeral services will be held at Knoxboro Wednesday, at 11 A.M., and the body will be buried in the Verona Cemetery Wednesday afternoon, by the side of the remains of his wife, who died seven years ago. Our Verona correspondent writes: Mr. Beach was born in Wallingford, Conn. Dec 25, 1792. He was married to Patty Doolittle in 1811. In 1816 he and his family moved to Stockbridge, N.Y., where he made a home in the wilderness and among the Indians. Mr. Beach was self-educated, and prior to 1828, he acted as a missionary among the Indians, and as local preacher and exhorter in Oneida and Madison Counties. In 1828, he was appointed to the Rome circuit, and during this year the First M. E. Church at the foot of Court Street, Rome, was erected, and dedicated by him, assisted by Rev. Alexander Irwin. In 1829, he was sent to Camden, N.Y., and in 1830 was changed to the Oneida Conference, and sent to Lebanon, N.Y. In 1832 - 33, at Brookfield; 1834-35, Norwich, 1836 - 37, Westmoreland; 1838 - 39, Litchfield; 1840 - 41, Deansville and Clinton; 1842, Sangerfield; 1843 - 44, Augusta;1846, Smyrna; 1847, Hamilton; 1848 - 49, Brookfield; 1850, Onondoga; 1851, Onondoga Mission; 1852, Camillus; 1863 - 54, Lowell; 1855, Westmoreland; 1857, Bennette Corners, 1858, Bennet's Corners and Indian Mission. He entered the ministry at the age of 20 years, going from place to place on horseback with saddle-bags behind him. He was a power in the early days of the church, and many weak societies in this and adjoining counties built houses of worship, increased in strength, and grew in influence through his zeal in the cause of religion. His manner as a preacher was forcible and many Verona people will remember the orthodox and convincing sermons he has preached when supplying the M.E. pulpit in Verona. He maintained extreme views in religion and politics, and his old acquaintances will remember his radical discussions of the political questions of the day. Born a Democrat, he at all times defended his political opinions with the same earnestness in which he expounded his religion. About 15 years of his life were spent in Verona after his retirement from active service in the ministry, until within a few years. Mr. Beach had been very active for one of his age, but had gradually failed for a year or more. "Father Beach" as he was familiarly called, was a pensioner of the war of 1812, in which he served as a musician. In his later years he delighted to play upon the fife and drum, and many of the members of the old 101st Regiment of the National Guard of 1864 - 5 will remember a tall, erect, old gentleman 72 years of age, with long white hair, marching at the head of Co. H. at all parades, with either fife and drum. Mr. Beach leaves nine children: Rev. Whiting Beach, Lyman and Charles Beach and Mrs. Voorhees, of Mansfield, Pa., Chauncey Beach and Mrs. Spaulding, of Fort Atkinson, Wis.; Mrs. Dann, of Verona, John Beach, of Knoxboro, N.Y., and Mrs. Rev. Wm. E. York, of Stockbridge, N.Y. Thus has passed away one of the eldest residents of the county, one of the pioneers of this section and one who exerted a powerful influence for good.