In 1881, the Great West beckoned Marcus Plin Beebe from his youth in New York. He then came
to Dakota Territory in 1883, settling in Aberdeen with his wife Leota F. Beebe and their children.
They helped organize the First Baptist Church in Aberdeen and moved on to Ipswich the following
year, to establish a bank. Marcus was one of the founders of the South Dakota Bankers
Association, a supporter of Sioux Falls College (one of five named to raise money to build Jorden
Hall at SFC), and was reckoned as one of the state's chief financial figures. He was also a member
of the State Board of Regents. In recognition of his great contribution to South Dakota, when the
untimely news of his death came in 1914, the flags at the State Capitol were flown at half-staff
for two days. He came to northern South Dakota at a time when that section was little better than
a barren wasteland. His sturdy, persistent faith in the future and the example he set prevented
scores of fellow pioneers from giving up and deserting that part of the state. His wife, affectionately
known far and wide as "Grandmother Beebe," kept up his good works for 30 years after he died.
She was instrumental in fighting the liquor traffic and other forms of vice, which were prevalent in
frontier towns. Her home was always open to temperance and suffrage workers and on one
occasion entertained Susan B. Anthony.

On September 29, 1922 at the annual business meeting of the First Baptist Church of Ipswich,
Grandmother Beebe said she'd love to see a beautiful new house of worship and would give two-thirds
of its cost, if the church could see its way to build at least a $25,000 building. When the congregation
recovered from their surprise, they accepted the offer. The church was built under the supervision of
the Rev. A. P. Waltz (father of Richard Waltz, who later was to become a South Dakota Executive Minister).

Inez Beebe, the first child of this marriage, later married Elwood Perisho who was President of the
South Dakota Agricultural School in Brookings. Although they had no children she helped finance
several young people's camping experience at the old Camp Judson. The couple was also instrumental
in setting up the Inez Beebe Perisho award at Sioux Falls College, which is given in recognition of
religious/civic achievements.

Two sons of Marcus Plin and Leota F. Beebe were later born - Plin and Hiram E., who later took
over the bank in Ipswich that his father had started. In 1932 the bank was robbed; Plin was seriously
wounded and a cashier kidnapped.

The two sons had the greatest contempt for the idle and the lazy, so they were always offering
challenges to the young people of the community. For example, Hiram offered to pay the transportation
of one car-load of at least five campers; however, they must be participating in their local Sunday
School and Youth Fellowship, and must take at least one course for credit in the camp to qualify.

It's easily said of the Beebe family, "They were identified with their church in some official way from
the beginning of its history until they passed on to higher service." Rev. A. Pierce Waltz, a pastor of
the First Baptist Church in Ipswich, wrote at the time of Marcus Plin's death, "There are those who live
for self and make their millions, and there are those who live for others and leave monuments of
perpetual good will laying up ‘treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and
where thieves do not break through nor steal’. My good friend Plin belonged to the latter."

Camp Judson's Cabin #4 was lost to a fire in 1987. No one was injured, and the staff who fought the
blaze were fortunate to contain the fire and no other damage resulted. When the cabin was rebuilt it
was expanded into a winterized duplex-type cabin housing eight campers on each side, with a
shower included.