Maureen Beebe, of "Misty of Chincoteague" Fame, Has Died

My cousin Maureen Beebe has passed away.  Maureen was a very private person and might be upset that I am posting this, but I felt the world should know a little bit about the real Maureen Beebe; not the fictional character that Marguerite Henry wrote of in her Newbery Award winning children's book, Misty of Chincoteague.
   Marguerite Henry had been told of Chincoteague and the wild pony round-up known as Pony Penning, and she talked her editors into a book deal about the wild ponies.  Mrs Henry stayed at Miss Molly's Inn while visiting the island in 1946, and she interviewed a lot of islanders, asking about the history of the ponies, and the history of Pony Penning itself.  One of the people she was told would be a fount of information was Clarence Beebe, who had his own Chincoteague pony farm on the southeast end of the island.
   Clarence Beebe was both a waterman and a farmer (or rancher) on the island.  He raised ponies, which he sold, pigs, chickens, and the occasional cow with calf.  He also worked as a waterman, harvesting fish, crabs, clams, and oysters, all to feed his family of eleven children.  He had married Ida Whealton in 1906 and the family grew quickly.  His sixth child was Harold Beebe, the father of Paul and Maureen.  Paul was born on 1936 and Maureen in 1937.  Due to family difficulties, Paul and Maureen ended up being raised by their grandparents, Clarence and Ida.  (Clarence and Ida's daughter Alma was born 5 January 1921; my Mother, Alma's first cousin once removed, was born on 28 January 1921.  The two were life-long friends, and Alma gave me a lot of Beebe family heirlooms before her death.)
  Marguerite visited the Beebe Ranch on 1 August 1946, and saw the new foal that had been born the day before - on Pony Penning Day.  The mother of the foal was named The Phantom because she blended into the shadows of the pine trees when she was born - she was a black and white pinto mare from Assateague.  The sire was one of Clarence Beebe's Chincoteague Pony stallions, named The Pied Piper.  Mrs Henry fell in love with the foal, who was golden and white and "looked like it had been wrapped in mist and fog."  That's how Misty came about.  Mrs Henry purchased the foal from Beebe Ranch and the foal was shipped to Fort Wayne, Indiana when Misty was weaned.
  In the meantime, Mrs Henry was charmed by Paul and Maureen, independent youngsters being raised by their grandparents, who worked very hard on the ranch, and really loved the ponies they worked with.  And so, her idea for the story was born.  Each of the four Beebes - (Grandpa) Clarence, (Grandma) Ida, Paul, and Maureen - were paid $100 apiece for the use of their names in the book Misty of Chincoteague.  I don't know what Clarence and Ida did with their payment; but the $100 was put into savings accounts for both Paul and Maureen, for their use once they each reached the age of 20. (Paul died after an automobile accident at the age of 21; he had just finished a hitch in the US Marine Corps, and had signed on for a 4-year stint with the US Coast Guard.)
   That is the only money that Paul and Maureen ever received for the use of their names in the book and in the movie, Misty, which was released in 1961.  A lot of people believe(d) that the Beebes received royalties from the books and movie. They did not.  Maureen was inundated with fan letters for her entire life, and really hated receiving mail.  She was in contact with Marguerite Henry until Mrs Henry's death in 1997.  She met Pam Smith, who portrayed her in the movie, and stayed in contact with her.
   Maureen married twice.  Her second marriage produced two daughters, of whom she was extremely proud.  She was widowed when both of her girls were young, and she returned quietly to Chincoteague to live the rest of her life, and raise her daughters on the island. She became somewhat of a recluse, and was a very private person.  Once visitors to the island found out who this quiet woman was, she was swamped with personal questions and requests and always for photographs.  She did not want to be a celebrity.  She wanted to stay at home and love her Irish Setters, and her horses and ponies.  She still loved horses and ponies of all kinds until the day she died.  She could take a five minute trial ride on any horse and know exactly what that horse or pony was capable of, and how it had been trained.  She was one of the most incredible horsewomen I have ever known.
   Maureen's health had declined over the past three years.  She was always a little more frail each time I saw her.  She passed away a few days ago.  All of her family and friends are grieving.

***  Visitation will be held at Salyer's Funeral Home on Church Street on Chincoteague on Thursday, May 30, from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m.  ***

Maureen Beebe jumping The Phantom

Maureen & Paul Beebe

Maureen Beebe at AJ's On the Creek during

Pony Penning a few years ago...