Beary, Thomas

From Biographical and Historical Memoires of Louisiana, volume 2, pp. 271.
Submitted by Mike Miller

This prominent and very successful planter, who is at the present time manager of Senator White's plantation, is a native of the Empire state, born in the town of Rye in 1853. He was reared there and educated in New York city, where he served an apprenticeship at the carpenter trade. He only followed his trade a short time in New York and then, in 1874, came to Louisiana to build a residence.

Shortly after reaching this state he became manager of Magnolia Grove plantation and was connected with this nine years. He subsequently became manager of Senator White's plantation and still holds that position. Besides this he manages the LaFourche sugar refinery and superintended the erection of the same. This refines and granulates about 11,000,000 pounds of sugar annually. It is a refinery of such grade as to make clarified sugar and was erected at a cost of $150,000. It is one of the largest refineries in the state outside of New Orleans, and refines more sugar than any other plant outside of that city [Thibodeaux] last year. Mr. Beary selected as his life's companion Miss Swartenbroek, a native of New Orleans but of Belgium descent.

Mr. Beary is a thoroughly enterprising and thrifty business man. When he assumed control of Senator White's plantation it had been yielding about fifty hogsheads of sugar yearly, but by his judicious management the same place yielded last year about 2,000,000 pounds. The erection of the LaFourche refinery is greatly due to his having constantly agitated the question. He is active in all matters of progress in the parish.