Bio of Becker, Arthur E. (b.1887) Wabasha Co., MN
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Made available to The USGenWeb Archives by: Barbara Timm and Carol Judge
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This bio comes from "HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY" 1920.
Check out Barbara's site for more great information on this book:
http://www.rootsweb.com/~mnwabbio/wab3.htm
There are also some pictures and information from descendents for some 
of the bios on her pages.

Becker, Arthur E. (page 254), one of the partners in the Becker Bros.
Music Co., of Plainview, is a business man of high reputation, who,
although still young, has an enviable record. He was born at Charles City,
Iowa, June 18, 1887, son of Herman and Anna (Lippe) Becker. He acquired
his literary education in the schools of Charles City and Mitchell, Iowa,
and the public and high school of Elgin, Minn., to which place he
accompanied his parents in 1897. After that he was actively associated
with his father in the furniture and undertaking business, and ultimately
obtained licenses as undertaker and embalmer at Minneapolis. In 1906 he
went to Plainview, where he was employed for eleven years as manager of
the furniture department of Koenig Bros. & Co., at the same time
conducting an undertaking business in conjunction with that concern. In
1916 he erected the Becker building on Broadway and established the Becker
furniture and undertaking business, which he conducted until September,
1919, when he sold the building and furniture business to M. V. Foley. For
some years Mr. Becker has been one of the partners in the Becker Bros.
Music Co., he looking after the Plainview business while his brother and
partner, Emil, conducts the Elgin store. This is quite an extensive and
widely known concern, having a large trade in various musical instruments,
including especially pianos, piano-players, and Edison phonographs. In
addition to these activities, Mr. Becker is secretary and treasurer of the
Posz Motor Co., of Plainview, handling the Chandler, Dodge Bros., and
Cleveland motor cars. He has also been very active in building and selling
houses in Plainview, in which line of enterprise he undoubtedly holds the
record with respect to the number of houses thus added to the village. For
two years Mr. Becker was president of the Southern Minnesota Funeral
Directors' Association, and in 1912 he was a delegate from the State
Association to the National Convention held at Chattanooga, Tenn. He is a
Scottish Rite Mason, and also a member of the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows, the Modern Woodmen of America, and other fraternal societies, in
which he takes an active interest. For four years also he served as county
coroner, and is now a member of the Plainview village council, and of the
Business Men's Club of the village. In all these various activities he has
shown himself a "live wire," bringing a keen intelligence, backed by
practical experience, upon every problem presented, and seldom failing to
discern the right method of handling it. The acquirement of wealth has
been for him a comparatively easy task, and he now enjoys a high financial
standing, while socially he is popular and numbers among his friends
practically all the leading citizens of Plainview and the vicinity. The
Republican party claims his political allegiance. Seven years ago Mr.
Becker assumed the responsibilities of domestic life, when on July 9,
1913, he was united in marriage with Ella Schwantz, of Plainview, who was
born September 13, 1888. Of this union there is one child, Emogene, who
was born July 2, 1919. Mr. And Mrs. Becker are sincere and useful members
of the Congregational church.