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Beck Family History

Section 1

The Beck Booklet mentioned at the bottom of this page contains the name of William Thomas Beck as our GGG-Grandfather but in a 1907 Cherokee Indian Application filed by William I. Beck (My G-Grandfather's brother), he says his grand-father was William J. (Bill) Beck. In my Great-Grandfather's (Thomas M.) application, he says his grand-father was William Beck and his Great-Grand-father was Jeffrey Beck. Since there were several Jeffrey Becks at that time, more investigation is needed.

William (Thomas? (J)  Beck

Born in Georgia in 1793, moved to Pickens County, Alabama in the late 1820s. William T. married Margaret E. (Peggy) Pate. They were the parents of three sons that we know of.

Read about the life of William Thomas Beck in Section 2

William and Margaret were parents of the following three sons:




Wayne Beck
Last Revised on 09/01/1998

Section 2

The life of William (Thomas?) Beck

William was Born in Georgia (possibly, Columbia County) in 1793. He and a Jesse Beck won Land in the Georgia Land Lottery of 1806. Jesse's land was in Morgan County and William's was in Wilkinson County. Jesse and his family moved to Pickens Co., Alabama in the late 1820s where William met and Married Margaret E. Pate on 06/09/1812. William served in the War of 1812 with his brother, Jesse Jr. and both later received bounty land for their service. They had at least three children (sons) named William B. Beck, Jesse M. Beck, & Thomas P. Beck, born in Alabama. William Thomas was of Scottish Descent and was a very extensive farmer and slave owner. After moving to Itawamba County, Mississippi, William had amassed a large farm with 2 slave houses and 13 slaves, 6 females and 7 males. In 1860, his farm was valued at $16,000 compared to $1,000 in 1850. In 1860, William and his sons (except William B.) moved to Polk Co., Arkansas where William T. Beck was found dead at his home on a Sunday Morning at the age of 68.

Slavery

In the 1870 Itawamba County, Miss. Census, there were 3 slaves still living on the land with William Isaac Beck, Grandson of William Thomas Beck. They were:

Their Mother and Father listed as born in Africa and Benjamin eventually moved to Arkansas with William Isaac and Family and lived there with them until his death in 1918. He was called Uncle Ben by everyone.

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Section 3

William B. Beck

William B. Beck was born in Alabama on August 31, 1823. William moved to Itawamba County, Miss. with his parents between 1840 and 1850, where he met and married Mary H. Long on November 3, 1844. Mary was born in 1825 and was the Daughter of Darling Long and was raised in Western Tennessee. William B. and Mary moved to the little town of Marietta, Mississippi where William started out in business as a farmer and miller. His mill was known for miles and miles and his customers came from the Southern part of Tennessee and all over Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi to have their corn ground into flour from this old watermill on the Tom Bigby River.

He also had what is called a Southern Plantation negro colony which he owned and operated until the War between the States. He was also a Methodist Preacher and Traveled all over the country on horseback, spreading the Gospel of the Methodist Church. He also wrote a song which is entitled, "why I am a Methodist." Rev. William B. Beck was a member of the Masonic Lodge at Baldwin, Miss. of which he was Worshipful Master for a number of years. He and his wife had five children born to their wedlock, two sons and three daughters: Thomas, William, Maggie, Dona, and Elizabeth.

Thomas M. Beck

Thomas Beck was born in Fulton, Itawamba County, Mississippi in July of 1843. He married Mary Ella Beene (daughter of Russell O. Beene, well known Lawyer and District Attorney for Itawamba Co.) They were married immediately following the War in 1865. Thomas served during the entire War, being promoted to Sergeant of Co. F., Ham's Regiment, Mississippi Cavalry. See The Beck Brothers in the Civil War

Thomas and Mary Ella lived on a farm near Mantachie, Miss. just northwest of Fulton. Their land had belonged to the Chickasaw Indians only 30 years earlier. On their farm they owned cattle and hogs. One Bay Mare was named mollie, a roan mare named Bet, and a mouse colored mule named Kit.

Thomas began preaching the word of God at an early age like his father but never served in any one church but traveled from church to church on horseback. Thomas and Mary Ella and their children packed up in the early 1890's and first moved to Indian Territory until 1895 when they again moved to Sevier County, Arkansas; following the steps of his brother William Isaac and settled at Winters Valley near Ben Lomond, Arkansas. In the early 1900's, Mary Ella developed a lung disease and was advised by doctors to move to a drier climate. In 1910, her condition worsened and they packed up and moved to Mosquero, N.M. It turned out to be too late as Mary Ella died January 14, 1912. Not long after this, Thomas also died, leaving most of their children, who were grown, living in New Mexico. Lee Prather Beck (My Grandfather), also had homesteaded near his parents, but in about 1914, Lee and his family moved back to Arkansas and settled near Texarkana, Arkansas.

Thomas M. Beck and Mary Ella Beck are buried in Harding County, N.M. in unmarked graves. The old cemetery where they were laid to rest was moved for a highway and their tombstones were destroyed.

According to a Book by Claude Beck (1939) of Terrell Wells, Texas, 
William Sr. was William Thomas (J) Beck, who came during the War of 1812 and settled in Alabama, where his son William B. was born.  No other documentation has been found to prove his middle name was Thomas or middle initial J.

BECK RESEARCHERS 


Written by Wayne Beck, Great Grandson of Thomas M. Beck
Last Revised on 02/28/2005

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