AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



329 



contributors to our columns, both by his 

 answers to queries every week, and by 

 an occasional contribution — all of which 

 show practical experience and an edu- 

 cated naind. 



Mr. Demaree is of Huguenot stock, 

 and was born in Henry county, Ky., on 

 Jan. 27, 1832. His father owned a 

 large farm, and, in those days, was con- 

 sidered "well to do." The farming op- 

 erations were carried on quite exten- 

 sively, and young Demaree was brought 

 up to do all loorli on the farm, and, with 

 his brothers, was exceedingly fond of 



O. W. DEMAREE. 



breaking and training the large number 

 of fine horses they reared. 



In the old-fashioned yard was to be 

 seen a long row of bee-hives perched on 

 a platform of puncheons, and protected 

 from the sun and rain by a narrow shed 

 erected over them. Mr. D. was his 

 father's main reliance for help with the 

 bees. He was a natural mechanic, aad 

 helped make the necessary bee-hives and 

 " honey-caps," and later on made them 

 without any help. Many of those box- 

 hives were nicely " dressed " and painted. 

 At an early age he developed a remark- 

 able interest in insect life, especially in 

 honey-bees, and was never happier than 

 when prying into the ways of bees and 

 other insects. Amid all these busy 

 scenes his education was not neglected, 

 and being an enthusiastic aspirant for 

 knowledge, as well as an untiring stu- 



dent, he outstripped many of his age 

 who had spent much more time in the 

 school-room. 



When he reached manhood he left 

 home and went West, where he con- 

 tinued his studies, attending school and 

 working at the mechanic's business. The 

 year 1855 found him in the (then) wilds 

 of Upper Missouri and Kansas. In the 

 past he has published in newspaper arti- 

 cles a description of the wild bees he saw 

 while on that trip to the new West. 



In 1856 he was again found on the 

 old farm, in his native State. The 

 " boys " indulged their slang by declar- 

 ing that "calico" was the attraction! 

 And perhaps this was nearer the truth 

 of the situation than they themselves 

 believed, for in 1857 he was married to 

 the woman of his choice, and began life 

 in earnest. Once on a farm of his own, 

 he began his career as a bee-keeper, and 

 "began to invent new bee-gums with 

 much enthusiam." 



Then followed the unhappy years of 

 the Civil War. The terrible scenes he 

 witnessed— the bending over the pros- 

 trate form of a cherished brother, with 

 a bullet hole through his body; men 

 with shattered limbs, and dead men with 

 their boots on— will haunt his memory 

 until " He that sitteth upon the throne" 

 shall "make all things new." 



The war over, Mr. Demaree left the 

 farm, and entered the practice of the 

 law, and from thence his life became an 

 exceedingly busy one. He has held pub- 

 lic trust in his county (Shelby) for 25 

 years, three years of which he was 

 chairman of the Board of Public Charity 

 of the county — a most difficult and deli- 

 cate position, owing to the increase of 

 poverty by reason of the sudden emanci- 

 pation of the colored people. 



During these years Mr. D. has found 

 time to manage an apiary of not less 

 than 50 colonies, reared queens, and 

 produced profitable crops of honey. In 

 May and June he can always be found 

 in his apiary, and is ready to "talk 

 bees " with all visitors. In the past two 

 years he has retired from the greater 

 part of the business that has engaged 

 his attention, and now enjoys more 

 leisure, and is happier than ever before. 

 Mr. D. has been a member of the 

 Presbyterian church for 37 years, and 

 is an Elder in his church. He is a firm 

 believer in the pre-millennial advent of 

 Christ, having given the subject much 

 study, and now believes that the " signs 

 of the times " warrant the belief that 

 we are nearing the world's great crisis, 

 which will culminate in the promised 

 " restitution of all things." 



