John Beck

Mr. Beck was born in North Carolina in the year 1800, and on the 29th day of September of that year. He was married to Juliet Shinall. Mr. Beck came to Union County, Ind., in the year 1811, remained there until 1836, when he became a citizen of Boone County, settling three and one-half miles northwest of Lebanon, and there resided until his death, October 13, 1876. He was one of the pioneers of the county, and all through life a worthy citizen and prominent member of the Regular Baptist Church for over fifty years. His wife also came when quite young to Union County, where they were married about the year 1820. Mrs. Beck was born in the year 1799. She also was for over fifty years a member of the Baptist Church, and as well as her husband, was a regular attendant of that church. She died August 3, 1875, at her home, three and one-half miles northwest of Lebanon, where, also, Mr. Beck died, and near where they lived so long, and where their best days were spent and where they were well known and loved so well. They are buried at the Beck Cemetery, and where loving hands have erected monuments to their memory. They knew all about pioneer life, and in their early home in Union County before Indiana was a state they battled with a frontier life, and had at one time to take refuge in a block house from the hostile Indians. When they arrived in this county in 1836 the county was quite new. They were then in their prime, with strong hands and a determination to make a home in this new country, they with hard toil and patience succeeded, and at the close of life at a good old age, had plenty to bless them with. They raised a large family of thirteen children, most of whom reside in this county, and like their parents, are highly esteemed as good men and women. The following are their names: Elizabeth P., married to W. R. Taylor (she is deceased). Abner, married to Martha Preston, resides in Union County, Ind. Sol. W., married to Margaret Pauly, resides in Washington Township. William, married to Sarah Witt, both deceased. John F., married to Kitty A. Kersey, reside in Center township [sic]. Samuel L., married to Eliza Pauly, reside in Worth Township. Anthony, married to Mary J. Hinton, reside in Washington Township. Jackson, married to Elvy A. Pauly, reside in Lebanon. Mary H., married to Robert Kerns; she is deceased. George, married to Arminta M. Phillips, reside in Center Township. Louisa J. deceased. Zachariah deceased. Susan A., married to Montgomery Remington, resides in Nebraska.

Mr. has 76 grandchildren, and 104 great grandchildren, living and deceased.

Transcribed by: Julie S. Townsend - June 6, 2007
Source: "Early Life and Times in Boone County, Indiana," Harden & Spahr, Lebanon, Ind., May, 1887, pp 240-241.