Lake County IN Archives Biographies.....Beckman, John N. 1856 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/in/infiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com January 1, 2007, 8:40 pm Author: T. H. Ball (1904) JOHN N. BECKMAN. The German-American has played a conspicuous part in the affairs of this nation, and Lake county has been especially benefited by their presence and activity in the important industries and social and public affairs. As a class these people have been noted for their pluck, industry and accumulative methods, and their love for home and community makes them citizens par excellence. Mr. Beckman is a man who needs no introduction to the citizens of Lake county in mercantile and political circles. He is a native of Hanover township, Lake county, where he was born October 26, 1856. He is the eldest of nine children, three sons and six daughters, born to Herman C. and Elizabeth (Fink) Beckman, and eight of them are still living. Gesina M. is the wife of Dr. A. Groman, of Odebolt, Iowa, and their son, Herman C., is a graduate, with honors, in the class of 1904 from Yale University; Mrs. Groman was educated in the common schools and by individual study and application. Elizabeth K. is the wife of William H. Rohe, a banker and druggist of Crete, Illinois. Anna M. is the wife of H. H. Gansbergen, a music publisher, with Root and Company of Chicago. Hermina, a lady of charming and lovely character and disposition, is a bookkeeper with E. F. Root and Son of Chicago. Margaret J. is the wife of Charles J. Murphy, who is a farmer and stock dealer. Herman C, who is married and a resident of Chicago, is in the employ of the DeLaval Separator Company. B. Frederick, who is married and a resident of Red Oak, Iowa, is road master of the C., B. & O. Railroad. Father Beckman was born in Hanover, Germany, June 3, 1822, and died July 5, 1894. He was reared to young manhood in his native land, and gained his education by personal application and by reading the newspapers. He was a man of more than ordinary intelligence, and in the later years of his life he corresponded for some agricultural papers. He bade adieu to his native land and came to America to cast in his lot among a strange people and with not a great deal of cash on hand. It was about 1846 when he came to New York, and he remained there until 1856. He spent a short time in South Carolina, and in May, 1856, he arrived in Lake county. He began the mercantile business at Hanover Center, and also the breeding of high-grade cattle. Most of his life in Lake county was spent in merchandising. He was an ardent Republican, and prior to the formation of that party was a Whig, and was a warm admirer of Lincoln, Blaine and Garfield. Fraternally he was a member of the Masons and the Odd Fellows. His wife and the mother of Mr. Beckman was born in the province of Hanover, Germany, August 14, 1835, and she died in July, 1879. Mr. Beckman was reared and educated in his native county of Lake. He was educated in the common schools and at T. H. Ball's Institute and at Bryant and Stratton's Business College. His early life was spent on the farm. Mr. Beckman is one of the cordial gentlemen who are popular with both the masses and the classes, and by his courtesy and genial manner he has won the confidence of the people of Lake county, and has played a conspicuous part in the political arena. November 3, 1880, he married Miss Mary A. Echterling, and twelve children have been born to them, six of whom are living. The eldest, John F., is at the present writing in the model dairy of the agricultural department of the World's Fair at St. Louis. He was educated in the common schools and at Crown Point, and took four years at Purdue University, graduating in the class of 1904. August C. is a civil engineer in northern Wisconsin in the employ of the C. & N. W. Railroad. He was also educated at Purdue University, graduating in 1904. Elenora M. is in the public schools, as are also Marie T. and Frederick Herman, and William Edgar is the youngest of the family. Mrs. Beckman was born in the province of Westphalia, Germany, May 14, 1858, being a daughter of Frederick and Mary A. (Cloidt) Echterling. She was educated in the German and English languages, and is a member of the Roman Catholic church. Mr. Beckman has always espoused the principles of the Republican party, and cast his first presidential vote for James A. Garfield. Mr. Beckman is a lover of his county, state and nation, and has always had the good of his county at heart. He received the nomination for the office of county auditor in 1892, but was defeated by the Democratic landslide of that year. In 1900 he was elected joint representative of Lake county, and each year since, including the present year, has been chosen to that important office. Fraternally he is a member of the Independent Order of Foresters and also of the Knights of Pythias. He is now to a great extent retired from business. We are pleased to present this brief text of this worthy gentleman who has spent his entire life in Lake county, to form an enduring record in the Encyclopedia of Genealogy of Lake county. Additional Comments: Extracted from: ENCYCLOPEDIA OF Genealogy and Biography OF LAKE COUNTY, INDIANA, WITH A COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY 1834—1904 A Record of the Achievements of Its People in the Making of a Commonwealth and the Founding of a Nation. REV. T. H. BALL OF CROWN POINT, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ILLUSTRATED CHICAGO NEW YORK THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY 1904 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/in/lake/bios/beckman630gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/infiles/ File size: 5.9 Kb