John Beucus John Beucus, the leading hardware dealer in Cedar Springs, Kent county, Mich., is a native of Berlin, Green lake county, Wis., was born February 18, 1859, and is a son of Thomas and Ann (Baa) Beucus, natives of the Netherlands and the parents of five children, of whom three were boys—John, Thomas and Henry. John is here spoken of in full; Thomas is a resident of Cedar Springs and is a commercial traveler; Henry is the manager of the Royal Tailors’ establishment in Chicago. Thomas Beucus, father of this family, was born in 1825 and died October 17, 1885. He was an artisan by occupation and about 1847 came to America, landing in New York City, whence he went to Green Lake county, Wis., where he passed the remainder of his life; his widow is now a resident of Holland, Mich., and is, as was her husband, a Presbyterian in religious faith. John Beucus was educated in Berlin, Wis., and at Hope college, Holland, Mich., and afterward became a salesman for leading firms in Chicago, Milwaukee and Minneapolis. In 1889 he opened a hardware store in Cedar Springs, having purchased a mortgaged stock that could have been packed in a two-horse wagon. Bur his long experience as a salesman had prepared him thoroughly for the prosecution of this trade, and he now occupies a fine store, conveniently located at the corner of Main and Ash streets, and carries a full and well-selected stock of shelf and heavy hardware, Majestic ranges and the standard makes of heating and cook-stoves, and also handles the celebrated Cresent bicycles—his sales reaching at least $25,000 annually. This magnificent result, in so short a time, is due to his fair and impartial treatment of his patrons, and his desire to please. In purchasing, he does not confine himself to one firm or one city, but selects his stock from the best to be found anywhere or everywhere, and his stock on hand is never reduced to a lower valuation than $8,000. In connection with his hardware store Mr. Beucus conducts a shop for all kinds of repairs and for the manufacturing of spouting and plumbing for residences, etc., which the public find to be a great convenience. In his politics Mr Beucus is a stanch republican. He cast his first presidential vote for James A. Garfield in 1880, and was himself elected, in 1892, an alderman of Cedar Springs and held the office six years. He has ever been the friend of progress, and willingly contributes of his means toward the promotion of every project designed to advance the interests of his town and for the elevation of its inhabitants in the social and moral scales, and he is also a warm friend of public education. He is a gentleman of refinement, besides being a model business man, and well deserves the high respect in which he is universally held.