Born in Sacramento, California to William and Amelia Beem on October 12, 1887, Harold was one of eight children. In 1913 he married Mary Edna King in Salt Lake City. They had one daughter.

In 1922 he was the superintendent of the Eastern Division of the Western Pacific living in Elko, Nevada. NNRy officials offered Harold the position of Vice President and General Manger and he moved his family to Ely. As part of his conditions of employment he brought along his clerk, H.M. Peterson.

Upon his arrival in Ely it was found that the man he was to replace,G.L. Hickey,refused to retire.

NNRy officials make him the General Superintendent on January 16, 1937, a position he would hold until he was made the Vice President and General Manager on May 14, 1945 following Hickey’s retirement.

Harold Beem would be the last man to hold that title. He retired from the railroad on January 1, 1952 and was replaced by H.M. Peterson who would run the railroad as General Superintendent.

During his time at the railroad he would see the transition from steam to diesel power, a complete rebuild of the East Ely enginehouse and the war time boom of copper production.

After his retirement, he and his wife settled in Reno, Nevada where he remained until his death on May 20, 1964 at the age of 77.