CHRISTIAN
BECK, a prosperous farmer and stock-raiser of Dry Grove Township, is the owner of eighty-six
acres on section 4, and is engaged principally in the breeding of fine horses
and cattle. His farm is finely cultivated and improved, and he occupies a
handsome country residence which is indicative within and without of cultivated
tastes and ample means. His barns and out-buildings are of first-class
description, and his business transactions are carried on with that method and
system which is one of the requisites of thrift and prosperity.
Mr.
Beck was born in Woodford
County, this State, on the 8th of June, 1848. He is the son of Peter and
Catharine (Gingery) Beck, who were of German birth and parentage. Peter Beck
was born in about 1805, emigrated to America
in 1833, making his first location in Pennsylvania
whence, four years
later, he came to the Prairie State and died in Woodford County,
Sept. 17, 1850. The mother was born May 27, 1809, is still living, and remains
a widow. She makes her home with her son Christian.
Of
their eight children the record is as follows: Barbara was born July 11, 1833,
and died in infancy; Daniel was born Oct. 8, 1834; Elizabeth, Oct. 9, 1836, and
married Andrew Keefer, of Allen
County, Kan.; John was born Nov. 21, 1838, and died when twenty-six years
of age; Ellen, now Mrs. A. Stephens, was born Feb. 19, 1841; Peter was born
Nov. 21, 1843, and married Miss Lydia Miller; Catherine, born May 9, 1846, died
at the age of one year and twenty days.
Christian
Beck of our sketch was the youngest member of his father's family. He remained
under the parental roof until he was twenty-six years of age, and on the 3d of
January, 1874, was married to Miss Barbara Schick.
Mrs. B.
is a native of Butler County, Ohio, was born April 19, 1847,
and is the daughter of Joseph and Magdalena (Augsberger) Schick, her parents
being natives of Germany, and are still living in Tazewell
County, this State, which has been their home since 1856.
Their
family of eleven children included the following: Elizabeth, Barbara,
Magdalena, Catharine, Joseph, Mary, Annie, Francis, Lydia, Fannie and Rosa.
Mr. and
Mrs. Beck have become the parents of four children—Ida M., Amelia A., Mary O.
and Rosa L. In religious belief Mr. Beck and wife are members of the Mennonite
Church, and politically he votes the Democratic ticket. The Lake Erie &
Western Railroad [ed., incorporated as the New York, Lake
Erie and Western Railroad Company (NYLE&W)] crosses the southwest
corner of his farm.
Portrait and biographical album of McLean County,
Ill. : containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent
and representative citizens of the county, together with portraits and
biographies of all the governors of Illinois, and of the presidents of the
United States. (Chicago:
Chapman Brothers, 1887), 296. Transcribed
and annotated by Judy Rosella Edwards.
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