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 In the booklet, it says, “[t]oday Beason seems a
simple, quiet bedroom village with few businesses other than the Top
Flight grain elevator, Beason Ag farm chemical company, and our post
office, but back in its prime Beason was home to many businesses
including two grocery or general stores, a feed store, a blacksmith
shop, stock yards, a bank, a restaurant, a livery, a hotel, a
lumberyard, and, of course, the train depot.”
Through the years, “Beason has been home to multiple carpenters,
doctors, harness and tack makers, threshers and custom farmers. In
later years there were implement dealerships, the telephone office
and once upon a time even a pool hall and confectionery.”
In the Beason 125th Celebration Book, Don Fink said between 1940 and
1950, he remembers people being able to buy gas and oil at four
different stations. There were also three grocery stores, a
telephone office, a barber shop, lumber company, butcher shop and
ice cream parlor.
Summer movies
During that era, Fink said, “behind the telephone office was an
area, which the local merchants would sponsor free movies on Friday
nights during the summer.” Later they were shown in a lot by the
post office. By the 50s, these had ended because there were not
enough merchants to sponsor the movies.
Beason Ag Center
Beason Ag Center has a long history and sources show it has gone
through many changes over the years. It began as Sinclair Petro
Chemical Plant in 1968 and sold fertilizer, chemicals, nitrogen,
L.P. gas, petroleum, tires, oil and filters. By 1970, Sinclair Petro
Chemical Company merged with Atlantic Richfield (ARCO). ARCO sold
the plant to First Mississippi in September 1973 and First
Mississippi closed the plant.
Gene Jannusch of McLean bought the plant in November 1973 and
renamed it Beason Farm Center. Jannusch added a new office and large
metal building to house a garage and repair shop to maintain
equipment. More employees were then hired. During this period, sales
increased as did the need for more equipment and custom application.
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By 1985, Clinton’s H.G.N. purchased the plant and
named it Beason Ag Center. Beason Ag Center is still in business
today.
Wurth Brothers, Inc.
In 1954, Lewis E. Wurth and Sons was established. It became Wurth
Brothers, Inc. as Scott and Ross continued the business after
Lewis’s 1970 death. In 1994, Scott Wurth purchased a semi to haul
his own grain and did runs for local elevator and fertilizer plants.
Scott Wurth became the sole owner of the business in 1995. Since
1996, the business has had the federal authority to run nationwide.
Wurth Brothers, Inc. is still an Illinois Transport Company as of
2022.
Topflight Grain Cooperative
Topflight Grain Elevator, formerly East Lincoln Grain Elevator, is
part of the Topflight Grain Cooperative that serves grain producers
in Logan and other nearby counties. The Cooperative acquired the
East Lincoln Farmer’s Grain in Beason, Atlanta, Lawndale, Krueger
and Johnson Siding in 2014.
In 2018, there was an explosion at the Beason Grain Elevator, but
fortunately, the structure was not damaged. This summer, a small
tornado that went through the town causing some grain bin damages.
[Angela
Reiners]
On Monday, part
three of Beason Marks 150 years will feature "Organizational
structures - church, school, government"
Come join Beason’s 150th Celebration
Past stories:
Beason
marks 150 years
Part 1: Beason gets its start
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