| Johann George Beck
was born September 24, 1839, in Bernau, Bavaria, Germany the son of Johann Simon
and Anna Barbara Beck. They were simple farmers and the family of 7 came
to America in May, 1852 seeking freedom and new opportunities in the new world.
On May 31st they came to port at New Orleans after almost 2 months in steerage
on the steamship Olbers. They immediately boarded a steamboat for the
journey up the Mississippi River. On June 12th George lost his mother to
sickness outside of St. Louis. 6 days later they reached their destination
of Gutenberg, Iowa. George immediately went to work for other farmers in
the area while his father worked for a beer brewer. After two years in
Gutenberg the family moved north about 8 miles to farm in the Garnavillo
township of Clayton County, Iowa.
George enlisted at Garnavillo, Iowa on the 15th of August, 1862
under Captain Daniel E. Meyer of the 27th Iowa Infantry. He was
mustered-in at Dubuque, Iowa on October 3rd.
On December 3rd, 1862 at Holly Springs, Mississippi George
became sick and was sent to a military hospital in Memphis, Tennessee where he
died on February 8th, 1863. He was buried in the Mississippi Valley
National Cemetery.
His older brother Frederick enlisted in the Missouri Infantry
August 1861 and was mustered in December 1861. He was wounded in the
Battle of Pea Ridge and was mustered out in December, 1864. He died in
Waseca County, Minnesota on July 21st, 1893.
George's other brother, Christian Beck (b. December 17, 1845 -
d. May 5, 1905) became a successful merchant in Elkport, Iowa
His sisters were Margaret and Barbara. Margaret (b. Jan
11, 1833 - d. Nov. 7, 1920) married Henry Bluhm on Feb. 19, 1856 and with
nothing but what they could put in a covered wagon, moved from Gutenberg to
Waseca County, Minnesota.
Barbara Beck (b. April 2, 1841 - d. Sept. 4, 1912) married Karl
Senholz on Nov. 19, 1859 and raised her family in the Garnavillo area until 1875
when they moved north a few miles near Postville, Iowa. Then in 1892 they
retired from farming and moved to Postville, Iowa.
George also had two half brothers from his father's second
wife:
William Beck, b. Jan 3, 1859 - d. June 8, 1905) farmed with his
father, then moved to Oklahoma in 1901.
Carl Dietrich Beck (my great grandfather) (b. March 29, 1861 -
d. October 4, 1932.), farmed down by Elkport, Iowa.
George's father, Simon Beck, died of complications from a
strangulated hernia on October 4, 1884 while visiting his son and daughter in
Waseca County, Minnesota.
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