Look Back: Andrew Beaumont was a jack-of-all trades in the early 1800s

Listed as the occupation of Andrew Beaumont in the Luzerne County Registration of Deaths was that of a farmer.

Beaumont was 62-years-old when he died inside his home at the corner of North Franklin and West Union streets, Wilkes-Barre, on Sept. 30, 1853, 171 years ago today.

Beaumont may have been a farmer in his later years but he served as a teacher, tax collector, Luzerne County prothonotary and clerk of courts, Wilkesbarre borough postmaster and represented Luzerne County in the state legislature and the U.S. Congress. He also served one year as commissioner of public buildings in Washington, D.C.

Born in Lebanon, New London County in Connecticut on Jan. 24, 1790, Beaumont, as most Connecticuters did after the Pennamite-Yankee conflict, relocated to Northeast Pennsylvania and set up a homestead in or near Wilkesbarre borough in 1808.

Soon after arriving, Beaumont enrolled in the Wilkesbarre Academy to study and became a teacher of geography, English grammar, penmanship, arithmetic, reading and spelling at the school that was operated by Garrick Mallery.

Mathematics was Beaumont’s favorite field and he was appointed in 1814 by U.S. President James Madison as the revenue collector in the 20th District, which then included most of Northeast Pennsylvania, responsible for collecting taxes from travelers on toll roads and river ferries. He served as prothonatary and clerk of courts of Luzerne County from 1816 to 1819, and he became a member of the state legislature in 1821, 1822 and 1826.

Beaumont was appointed Wilkesbarre borough postmaster in 1826 and served until 1832, when he campaigned under the Jacksonian political ticket— winning a seat to represent Luzerne and Columbia counties in the U.S. Congress in March 1833 and again in March 1837.

After being shunned for a third nomination, Beaumont became an advisor in the White House and was appointed by then U.S. President James K. Polk in 1846 to become commissioner of public buildings in Washington, D.C., a post he held until March 1847.

As revenue collector, Beaumont often traveled to collect taxes from toll houses and ferry landings. When his horse went missing, he placed an advertisement in The Gleaner newspaper, one of the earliest newspapers in the Wyoming Valley.

“On the morning of the 8th (November), a likely, dark sorrel mare, about fifteen hands high, a natural trotter, she has no particular make to distinguish her. A reasonable reward will be paid to any person who will return the mare, and if stolen, an additional sum for securing the thief. Andrew Beaumont, Wilkes-Barre, Nov. 10, 1815,” as published in The Gleaner on Nov. 10, 1815.

Beaumont married Juliana Colt in 1813 and built their home at North Franklin and West Union streets. They had eleven children.

Their youngest child, Eugene Beauharnais Beaumont, born inside the home Aug. 2, 1837, was a Civil War Medal of Honor recipient as a major with the U.S. Army 4th Cavalry for battles in December 1864 and April 1865 in the western district of the Civil War.

The “Old Beaumont home” was razed in June and July 1939.

During demolition of the house, a leather Bible was found.

“In a little one time leather Bible, printed in 1811 - its cover gone, pages crumbling and darkened with time - are recorded the births of nine of the 11 children. All of these children but the oldest were born in the North Franklin street house,” reported the Wilkes-Barre Record on July 7, 1939, a story about the house demolition.

Beaumont is buried in Hollenback Cemetery in Wilkes-Barre.