Biography of John A. Beaner
John A. Beaner, postmaster of Canastota, McCook County, South Dakota, was born on July 5, 1853, in Winnebago County, Illinois. Orphaned early, he was raised by George Fisher. Beaner worked as a farmer in Illinois and Iowa before moving to South Dakota in 1880, where he homesteaded in Turner County. In 1889, he relocated to Canastota, becoming the town’s first grain dealer. A dedicated Republican, Beaner served as postmaster under Presidents Cleveland and Roosevelt and has been involved in local Republican Party leadership. He is a Mason and a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen. Beaner married Mary E. Ellis in 1875, and they have one daughter, Gertrude M., married to Grant Roberts of Rock Valley, Iowa.