BECKLEY, George, b 1840 1905 Bio, Delta County, Colorado http://files.usgwarchives.net/co/delta/bios/beckleyg.txt --------------------------------------- Donated September 11, 2001 Transcribed by Judy Crook from the book: Progressive Men of Western Colorado Published 1905, A.W. Bowen & Co., Chicago, Ill. --------------------------------------- George Beckley An industrious mechanic and a progressive farmer in times of peace, and a serviceable soldier during a part of the Civil war, George Beckley, of Delta county, living two miles from Delta, has faithfully performed his duty as a citizen in whatever form it has made its call, and without looking for the showy reward to fidelity that comes in men's praises or positions of prominence or distinction. He is a native of Indiana, born on September 6, 1840, his parents having been Edwin and Polly (Tiffany) Beckley, the former born in Connecticut in 1806 and the latter in New York in 1815. The father was a carpenter in Indiana, Ohio and Michigan, and died in the last named state on December 23, 1873, having survived his wife twenty-two years, she having died on May 22, 1851. At the age of fourteen, after receiving a meager education at the district schools, their son George was apprenticed to the carpenter trade, and after completing his apprenticeship he worked at his craft in Ohio until the fall of 1862. He then left that state and moved to Indiana, where on July 18, 1863, he enlisted in Company D, One Hundred and Eighteenth Infantry. In this company he served in defense of the Union until March 3, 1864, participating in a number of engagements, among them those at Blue Springs, Taswell and Walker's Ford, Tennessee. He passed one night in the hospital, but at all other times was in the line of duty during his term. After leaving the army he returned to Indiana, and in 1868 moved to Michigan, where he remained until the autumn of 1881, at which time he came to Colorado. For a year and a half he worked at his trade at Tincup, Gunnison county, then, in the spring of 1883, he moved to the town of Gunnison, where he passed three years in the same occupation. In 1886 he changed his residence to Delta county and his employment to ranching, taking up a homestead at the mouth of Tongue creek. On this place he lived until 1895, and he improved and cultivated it to the best advantage, planting a portion of the land in good fruit trees and devoting a large part of the rest to raising alfalfa, also raising a number of cattle. In the year last mentioned he sold this place and bought the one of one hundred and twenty acres on which he has since resided. Here his principle crops are wheat and oats, which he raises in good quantities, harvesting an average of eighty bushels of oats and fifty of wheat to the acre. He also produces potatoes of fine quality in increasing volume and good crops of alfalfa. On November 6, 1864, he was married to Miss Martha J. Hart, who was born in Ohio on May 27, 1845, and is the daughter of James and Margaret (Bowles) Hart, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of Ohio. The father is living, but the mother has been dead a number of years. In the Beckley household twelve children have been born, Dora R. (deceased), Lola A., Cora E., James E., Mary B., Walter H., Morton S., Charles N., Maggie E., George F. (deceased), Carrie L. and Jennie E. The head of the house belongs to the Grand Army of the Republic, and in political allegiance is a Republican. =================================================== Contributed for use by the USGenWeb Archive Project (http://www.usgenweb.org) and by the COGenWeb Archive Project USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access.