Meeker County MN Archives Biographies.....Becker, George 1842 - 
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Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 December 28, 2019, 11:52 am

Source: Alden, Ogle & Co.
Author: See Below

GEORGE BECKER, a successful and prominent farmer and stock-raiser, who resides on
section 23, Greenleaf township, has the distinction of being one of the oldest
settlers of Minnesota, who now resides in Meeker county. He is connected with a
family that has given a number of pioneers and prominent public men to the State.

   Mr. Beoker was born in Schoharie county, N. Y., September 30, 1842. When he was
three years old his parents settled in Michigan, and remained there until 1855,
when, they came to Minnesota, and located near the present site of St. Cloud, in
Stearns county. They made part of the journey by railroad, a portion by steamboat
and the latter part by team. They arrived at their destination in May, 1855, and
were among the very first settlers in that county. The government survey had not yet
been made; the old Territorial Road was opened that far, but that was the terminus
so far as settlement was concerned. The father made arrangements, in 1854, to claim
the land which afterward became the original plat of St. Cloud, but, through the
duplicity of one in whom he had placed confidence, he was cheated out of it. There
they lived through the most trying times in the history of the State, and there our
subject, George, grew to manhood.

   His father, Harmon Becker, was born in 1797, and for years was a hotel-keeper in
Schoharie county, N. Y. He was married to Margaret M. Efner. and they reared a
family of eight children — five boys and three girls. Harmon Becker was a man of
prominence and ability, and in the prime of his life had a great deal of influence
in the locality where he lived. He took a great interest in stock-raising, and
imported the first thorough-bred stallion of Duroc blood ever brought to the United
States. In slavery days he was a slave-owner, but at the time of the abolition
movement he gave his slaves their freedom, and presented them with a forty-acre farm
on which to live, notwithstanding their protestations that they preferred to
continue their old relation of master and servant. In 1846 Harmon Becker removed to
Washtenaw county, Mich., settling near Ann Arbor. While in that State he erected a
large hotel, and later, sold it for $8,000 to a man named Grovenor, but lost it; and
besides this, lost another $8,000 by becoming surety for another party and having to
pay it. After this he followed farming until 1854, when he came to Minnesota to see
the country, and, being pleased with it, he made arrangements to locate the land on
which the city of St. Cloud is now located. J. L. Wilson was sent for a compass to
survey the site, and, immediately upon his return, he ran out the lines, and built a
shanty of tamarac rails and slept on the place that night. The next day, when search
was made for him, there he was, in the first house on the site, and he, accordingly,
claimed the land. Harmon Becker then returned to Michigan, and, the following year,
settled in Stearns county, as stated above. He lived there until the time of his
death, in January, 1857, aged sixty-six years. The widow, Margaret M., was very
sickly at the time of leaving Michigan. She gained strength, however, and recovered,
living until January, 1886, when her death occurred at Litchfield. She was eighty
years of age. She was a woman of rare personal courage, which stood her in good need
during the Indian outbreak. Both Mr. and Mrs. Harmon Becker were members of the
Presbyterian church, and exemplary Christian people.

    Times were very hard during their first few years’ settlement in Stearns county,
as all pioneers will realize, and at times it seemed as though starvation stared
them in the face. But with that indomitable perseverance and hope for the future
which is of necessity a characteristic of the pioneer, they lived through it all.
Just as times began to look a little brighter the Indian outbreak occurred, but they
stood their ground and lived at or near St. Cloud during all the excitement. Shortly
after this, George joined the Sully expedition, and followed the movements of that
brigade, acting as sutler’s clerk. Upon his return he remained at St. Cloud until
1865, when he went to the Pacific coast, by way of New York city, and as his
journeys, hardships and adventures form an interesting narrative, we will briefly
review them in this connection. He shipped from the metropolis on the steamer
“Golden Rule” for Central America. They crossed the Isthmus by way of the Nicaragua
river and lake, their steamer striking a rock and sinking, but the passengers
continued their journey on other crafts. The river was so low that a part of the way
they were conveyed in small boats, manned by the natives. George Becker finally
reached the Pacific ocean and shipped for San Francisco. The second day out they
learned from a passing vessel the news of the death of Abraham Lincoln, and the
flags were placed at half-mast during the rest of the voyage, and upon their arrival
at the metropolis of California, they found the city a solid mass of emblems of
mourning in honor of the martyred president. The trip from New York to this point
had consumed forty-five days, and George at once sailed for the city of Victoria,
Vancouver’s Island, and, in a small boat crossed Puget sound to Whatcom county.
There he remained for three years, following lumbering, and then returned to St.
Cloud, Stearns county, Minn., on which trip he experienced many dangers and
hardships. He first shipped on the steamer “California” for San Francisco. When
within thirty-five miles of the harbor of the latter place they encountered one of
the worst storms ever known on the Pacific and they were driven 500 miles to sea by
the gale. The cabin was partly filled with water by the waves rolling over the
vessel and the stateroom doors were broken in by the force of the water. When the
vessel pitched and rolled, those in the lower berths were carried to the floor by
the water. Some were crying, some were praying, some swearing, and others, as the
saying goes, “were throwing up Jonah.” After three days the storm subsided, but the
waves were mountain high and it was not until the fifth day that they reached San
Francisco. Their vessel had been given up for lost and reported wrecked with about
eighty others that shared this fate. George Becker then shipped for Panama and on
this voyage the vessel he was in took fire. When the alarm was given it created a
terrible panic and for a time it looked as though all were lost, but the engine,
with a capacity of 320-horse power was attached to the hose, and the flames were
extinguished. Four days later, the vessel ran out of fuel, and the masts, yardarms,
deck, cattle pens, bacon, rezin and all other loose material was used for fuel, to
get ashore at Saline Bay, twelve miles from San Juan del Sura. There they anchored
and sent boats to San Juan for coal, while the passengers and crew went ashore in
small boats, to cut mahogany wood, securing about forty cords by the time the coal
arrived. That night the crew mutinied, and those who refused to do their duty, were
brought to time by being tied to the masts. Upon his arrival at Panama, George
Becker crossed the Isthmus on the railroad, the trains being queer affairs and
running only at the rate of five miles an hour, making no stops. Our subject then
shipped on the Atlantic for New York. When two days out, the vessel was wrecked or
disabled by the cylinder head being blown out, and for twenty-four hours they were
left at the mercy of the sea. They were then taken in tow by another steamer and
piloted to the Gulf Stream, off the coast of Cuba, and were then left to drift in to
Savannah, Ga. By this time, George Becker had had enough of that kind of life, as
for the last three days out, the cabin passengers had nothing to eat but rice, crust
coffee and hard tack. Accordingly, he purchased another ticket for New York by rail,
through the Southern States. This was shortly after the war, and General Sherman had
left Georgia a hard looking country. Provisions were very scarce, and the conductors
were obliged to telegraph ahead for supplies for the passengers. Mr. Becker stopped
off at several points, including Richmond, Washington and New York, and finally
arrived at St. Cloud on February 14, 1868. He remained there, following the vocation
of a policeman and various other lines of business until June, 1871, when he
returned to the Pacific coast by way of the Central Pacific Railroad, proceeding
from San Francisco to Puget Sound. He remained there until the winter of 1876, when
he came to Litchfield, Meeker county, Minn. In 1878 he settled on the farm where he
now lives, on section 23, Greenleaf township. He has one of the largest farms in the
township, and one of the most valuable in the county, and 1ms justly earned the
reputation which he bears, of being one of the most desirable citizens, and from his
extensive travels and wide association with business, is one of the most intelligent
and best-posted men in the county.

   On July 18, 1885, Mr. Becker was married to Sophia Vanberg, and they are the
parents of two children— William H., born April 28, 1886, and Lillie M., born August
18, 1887, both of whom are living. Mr. Becker is a member of the Masonic fraternity.
He and his wife attend the Presbyterian Church.

   We take pleasure in presenting a portrait of Mr. Becker on another page in this
Album.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from
Illustrated Album of Biography
Meeker and McLeod Counties, Minnesota
1888


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