COLUMBIANA COUNTY OHIO - BIO: BECK, Nathan (published 1887)
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BIOGRAPHICAL AND HISTORICAL RECORD OF JAY AND BLACKFORD COUNTIES, INDIANA
The Lewis Publishing Company, 1887
Page 515-516

        NATHAN BECK, farmer, section 30, Wabash Township, owns 160 acres of
land on the southwest quarter of the section and forty acres on section 23,
Bear Creek Township. He was born in Columbiana County, Ohio, October 30,
1825, where he grew to manhood. April 18, 1849, he came to Jay County and
purchased eighty acres of land, and afterward bought another eighty acres.
In 1844 he visited an uncle who had entered land in Bear Creek Township,
remaining a few months, then returned in 1849, as before mentioned. He did
not commence to clear his land until 1855 -six years after he had made the
purchase. But he at once went to work to earn money to pay for his land. He
was a carpenter by trade, and worked at that whenever he could get anything
to do; and when he failed in that, he worked at anything he could find. He
usually taught school during the winter season. He was married in June,
1855, to Miss Sarah Axe, who was born in Philadelphia, December 7, 1828,
and when eight years old, removed to Wayne County, Ohio, with her parents
who remained there one winter, and the following spring, came to this
county. They located on the farm now owned and occupied by a brother of
Mrs. Beck -Frederick Axe. Mr. Beck commenced to underbrush in 1855, and in
the fall, built a round-log house, one-story high and covered with
clapboards. To this cabin he brought his wife and they lived there until
1873, when he built his present frame house. He commenced with nothing but
his hands to work with, but by prudence and industry, he has secured a good
home for his old age. He was a son of Preston and Mary (Votaw) Beck. The
father was born in Loudoun County, Virginia, in 1796, and died in
Columbiana County, Ohio, in 1875. The mother was born in the same place, in
1794, and died in 1837. They were the parents of nine children, seven of
whom grew to maturity. Nathan was the fifth child; three sisters and one
brother are living. Mrs. Beck's parents were George and Hannah (Leslie)
Axe, natives of Germantown, Pennsylvania, and of German parentage. Her
grandfather, William Axe, and her grandmother, Lydia Axe were Germans, and
both died at Germantown. Her maternal grandparents, Jacob and Catherine
Leslie, also died at Germantown. Mr. Beck's grandfather, Preston Beck, was
probably born in Pennsylvania, and when a young man he went to Loudoun
County, Virginia, and married there. He died in Columbiana County, Ohio.
His grandmother, Sarah Beck, also died in Columbiana County. His maternal
grandparents, John and Rebecca (Burson) Votaw, died in this county. The
Becks are of German origin and the Votaws are of French origin. Mr. and
Mrs. Beck have had five children, four of whom are living -Charles S., born
November 2, 1859; Ruth, born September 28, 1861, wife of William R. Black;
Aaron M., born September 7, 1863; Clark G., born September 30, 1866;
Edward, born December 22, 1856, died November 14, 1864. Mr. Beck was a
candidate for county commissioner in the fall of 1884 on the Republican
ticket, but was defeated by five votes. He was elected justice of the peace
in 1861, serving eight years. In 1880 he was elected township trustee and
served two years. In politics he is a Republican, and was reared a Quaker.


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