John Ed Beggs

Wabash Valley profiles : a series of tributes to hometown heroes who have made a difference

Description:	One typed page including portrait; biography of John Edward Beggs, one of the founders of Commercial Distilling Co. of Terre Haute. WABASHP R OFIA hometown h heroes who h difference. A seriies of ttributes tto h f ib t t h have made a diff dVALLEYL E SJohn Ed Beggsne of the founders of Commercial Distilling Co. of Terre Haute, John Edward Beggs was identified with manufacturing and distilling interests throughout the Midwest. The oldest son of Col. John and Rebecca (Lewis) Beggs, Ed, as he was known, was born in Metamora, Ind., in May 1858. His father, a native of Ireland, owned and operated successful distilleries in New Richmond, Ohio; Metamora, Ind., and Shelbyville, Ind., and was very active in Democratic politics. Ed attended high school in Shelbyville and, with assistance from his parents, established a business in Cincinnati manufacturing distillers yeast. Soon after the elder Beggs was lured to Terre Haute by Crawford Fairbanks in 1884 to become an officer and major stockholder in Wabash Distillery at 311 S. First St., Ed was named superintendent and also moved to the city. In November 1886 he wed Catherine Webb of Shelbyville and the couple began raising four children--Webb, Helen, John and Edward--at 318 S. Fifth St. Tragically, Catherine died in October 1898, and Ed assumed responsibility for raising the children with support from a staff of servants, including nurse Kate Nugent, cook Mary Walker and house man Charles Porter. Meanwhile, he directed the construction of the Majestic Distillery at 1407 S. First St. and, several years later, co-founded Commercial Distilling Co. at 501 Prairieton Road, serving as corporate president and general manager. He also was a partner with Herman Hulman Jr. in Hulman & Beggs, a wholesale liquor business at Ninth and Cherry streets. After Ed came to Terre Haute, Col. Beggs two others sons, Thomas and Harry, also located in Terre Haute. Both became involved with their older brother in the distilleries. Tom became superintendent of Commercial Distilling Co. For several years, Harry was a co-owner of the Terre Haute House with Robert G.Watson and later relocated to Vincennes as president of the Vincennes Distilling Co., another Beggs enterprise. A popular business man and a liberal spender, Beggs was extremely devoted to his children. With the anticipated closing of distilleries during Prohibition, Beggs invested in other businesses. At the time of his death from pulmonary disease at the Battle Creek Sanitarium in Battle Creek, Mich., at age 59 on February 27, 1918, he was the president and chief stockholder in Pioneer Malting Company in Minneapolis, Julian Beggs Signal Company of Terre Haute, Efi Rose Sugar Co. of Cincinnati, Brazil Ice & Storage Co. and the Clinton Ice Co. He also was a large stockholder in the Terre Haute Brewing Co. Ed is interred in the Beggs family plot at Highland Lawn Cemetery.OAlways Close to HomeMEMBER FDICYoull find First Financial Bank in these and other cities and towns near you: Terre Haute 238-6000 Brazil 443-4481 Rockville 765-569-3171 Clinton 832-3504 Sullivan 268-3331 Marshall, Illinois 217-826-6311 Robinson, Illinois 618-544-8666www.first-online.com
Origin:	2006-05-04
Created By:	McCormick, Mike
Publisher:	Terre Haute Tribune-Star
Source:	http://indianamemory.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/vchs/id/1317
Collection:	Vigo County Historical Society
Rights:	http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/UND/1.0/
Copyright:	Copyright Undetermined
Subjects:	Beggs, John Ed, 1858-1918 Distilling industries Business people Business & Industry People

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