J. C. BECHER - Biography

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This biography appears on page 669 in History of Racine and Kenosha Counties, Wisconsin...
published by the Western Historical Co.: 1879.

J. C. BECHER, farmer; P. O. Dover; was born in the village of
Schnickartshausen, Grand Duchy of Hesse Darmstadt, Dec. 22, 1810, where
his father was head forester; attended the village school from his 6th
to 14th year; then a gymnasium until his 19th year, when he enlisted as
a volunteer in the Hessian army. In 1832, at his father's request, was
appointed his assistant. In 1833 his father wtis placed on a retiring
pension, and he succeeded in the office, which he held until 1843. Then
the present Czar, Alexander of Russia (then Crown Prince), married
Princess Maria, of Hesse Darmstadt. The Crown Prince had in his suite
several Russian princes, and others of noble extraction, one of whom,
Baron Theodore Ungernsternberg, needing a skilled forester, made Mr.
Becher a good offer of a position, which he accepted, after obtaining
permission from the Hessian Government. Remained in that position until
the Baron was killed in a duel, and, being unmarried, his whole
possessions on the Island of Dago, in the Baltic Sea, went to his mother
and younger brothers, and Mr. Becher was thrown out of his office. He
returned to Germany, with difficulty obtaining a passport, as he was
suspected by the Government of having assisted the person who had killed
his employer to escape. On the contrary, Mr. B. had attempted,
unsuccessfully, to secure his arrest. Finally De Caster de Tersac, a
French professor in the University of Reval, secured for him a passport
from the Governor of Riga. Reaching Germany, he could not obtain his
former position, and had such indefinite promises of another, that he
sold his property there and embarked for Russia, via River Rhine and
Rotterdam, to London. There friends persuaded him to come to the United
States instead, and after a voyage of twenty-eight days, landed in New
York. Went thence to Milwaukee, where, through distrust of all who
advised him, he lost opportunities of buying cheap property. Concluded
to buy land in the town of Brighton, of Mr. John Ide. Six acres of it
were broken, and on it was an old log cabin, in which he and his family
lived through the severe winter of 1848-49. Money gave out, and he sold
mathematical instruments, six gold watches, and six guns, for half their
value, to buy farming stock and implements. Remained there until 1855,
then tried hotel-keeping in Racine, which was no business for him, and
he returned the next year to the farm. In May, 1856, bought a house and
lot in what is now Kansasville. Kept country store with Mr. John Walter,
who had just arrived from Germany; failed and lost everything. The same
year was a pioneer of Dover; bought land for $1,400, but it had been
mortgaged and he lost it all. Mr. B. has been fourteen years Postmaster,
ten years express agent, and twenty years station agent, at Dover. He
married, on Saturday, June 30, 1832, Rebecea, Lenz, daughter of Adam
Lenz, in the village Ekhardsborn, by Rev. Dr. Krom in the church at
Schweskartshausen they had six children, two sons and four daughters-
Philip, born March 3, 1833; Ottilie, Jan. 1, 1836; Lisette, Aug. 10,
1838; Amelia, Sept. 20, 1840; Mary, Sept. 30, 1842; Gustav, Nov. 15,
1845.