The Becks - Alabama to Arkansas
by Claude Beck 1939

PREFACE

In this little volume I have tried to give all the details possible; for this sketch. I realize that I have made some mistakes, which are subjects for criticism. I but I have done the best I could with what information I have and could get. I hope in some way it will help the coming generation to be noble men and women. I have gotten these facts together without the cost of anyone except myself. and hand to each sister or brother cheerfully this volume. With a heart full of love for all. Your brother,
Claude Beck
Terrell Wells, Texas.
1939

The writer of this sketch has gone to no little effort in trying to get the data and all information regarding the family tree of  Becks. After careful search I find that the  Becks,  Lowerys,  Longs and Walkers all came from a foreign country and landed in or near Charleston, South Carolina, in the early seventeenth century, coming from Germany, England, Ireland and Scotland. So our tree is made up of these different nationalities, but we are proud to say they are all of the Anglo-Saxon race. My father's grandfather, William Thomas, came during the War of 1812 and settled in Alabama, where his son, William Beck, was born in 1823. William Beck married Darling Long's daughter, whose name was Mary, in 1844 and moved across Alabama and settled in Itawamba County, Mississippi, near the little town of Marietta, where he 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 and flour ground 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 came on. He was a Methodist preacher and traveled allover that country on horseback, spreading the gospel of the Methodist Church. He also wrote and composed the music to this song which is entitled, "Why I am a Methodist" 

[Lyrics of song not transcribed]

Rev. William Beck was a member of the Masonic order. being a charter member of the lodge at Baldwin. Mississippi. of which he was Worshipful Master for a number of years. He and his wife had five children born in their wedlock. two sons and three daughters: Thomas, William, Maggie, Dona and Elizabeth. Thomas Beck was a local Methodist preacher but never served in any charge, but preached from boyhood until his death. He was married to Ella Bean in Mississippi, who came west, settling in the Indian Territory until 1895. When he came and settled at Winters Valley in Sevier County, Arkansas where he remained and reared a large family. five boys and seven girls.

The elder moved to Dawson, New Mexico where he and his wife both passed away in 1912 and their remains were laid to rest in that city. Their children are nearly all living in and around Texarkana,. Arkansas and Texas. as far as the writer is able to ascertain.

Maggie married John Youngblood, who reared three daughters and three sons. All but two of these are living at the present time. Her son Walter and daughter Ora are dead. Both she and her husband passed away several years ago and are buried near Ben Lomond. Arkansas. Elizabeth married B. F. Johnson. She and her husband came in the covered wagon caravan. in 1880 from Mississippi to Arkansas, settling three miles from where the subject of these biographies had his home. Where they both lived and reared a family of four boys and four daughters near the town of Brownstown, Arkansas. All their children are living except two daughters and two sons. They both having passed away and were buried in the Beck Cemetery at Ben Lomond, Arkansas. Dona married W. A. Tabler at Marietta. Mississippi, rearing a large family of boys and girls, of which most of them are living at the present time. Their youngest son, Marshall is at present Representative in the Legislature of Sevier County, Arkansas and has been for the past two years. Both Dona and her husband died several years ago.

Grandfather William Beck was found dead on a Sunday morning in 1861 but he was known throughout northern Mississippi as a great progressive man in religious and agricultural interests.

The father of our subject, William I., which we are mostly interested in was born at the old home place in Mississippi, March 1st, 1847, where he remained, helping his father at his mill and also assisting on the farm until the Civil War broke out in 1861. At the age of fourteen he joined in the fight against the North in the cavalry division in Company "F" 26th Mississippi Cavalry and the last two years of the War he operated principally in Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee. Was captured twice. his first time in 1863 near Selma, Alabama. and was made an exchange for soldiers between the North and South. getting a furlough to come back home where he remained for sixty days and joined his company at Chattanooga, Tennessee. in the spring of 1864. where they engaged in that famous battle of Chattanooga, Tennessee. In the spring of 1865, he was captured the second time and put in the barracks at Richmond. Virginia. and was released there at the end of the War; returning home. he came back to the old plantation, rebuilding the old mill and cleaning up his farm from the wreckage caused by the War.

He met Nancy A. Lowery. and after one year's friendship they were married on September 18, 1866 by Rev. Jim Honnell, she being a native of Mississippi and the daughter of John B. and Martha Lowery. natives respectively of Georgia and Alabama. Her parents had eight children to their union. Fanny, Nannie A, Dollie, Maggie, Ella, George, Mose and Blanton. Blanton is the only one now living. Willie, his son, is County Judge of Little River County. Arkansas.

Mother Nannie Beck's grandparents, Frank and Mary Walker passed away soon after her marriage in 1868. John and Martha Lowery, her parents, received their final summons in Mississippi in 1879 and in 1877, respectively.

After William and Nannie's marriage they went into the stock and farming business, where they remained until the spring of 1880; one coincidence in his life was the return. the first year of his marriage. of his famous mule that he rode during the Civil War, and for two years was lost sight of and came back home as a flash out of the sky.

They left in the spring of 1880 with a bunch of fifteen families in ox wagons with horses and mules, and started West. They made their first stop at Texarkana, where William Beck took charge. and as superintendent of the 4-C Lumber Mills, of Texarkana, Texas, operated the same; shipping his lumber to Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana and to Oklahoma, then known as Indian Territory.

While on a business trip in Arkansas in 1880, he met Dr. Wilson of Ben Lomond, who induced him to come there and settle. In the spring of 1881 he moved his family on a farm of two hundred and thirty-one acres which he operated for years. He joined the Methodist Church when thirteen years of age and one of his last acts was to build the present Methodist Church near his old home place, which is still being used by many denominations there.

He was postmaster at Ben Lomond. Also for eighteen years was Justice of the Peace and was a member of the Masonic Lodge No.445 of which he served as Worshipful Master for many years, and was the same until his death. He was a noted stock raiser, raising great numbers of heads of horses, cattle and hogs in what is known as Little River Bottom, Sevier County, and was one of the first to put in an agricultural way the successful operations of alfalfa. For many years he was known as the Alfalfa King of Southwest Arkansas. He was the first commissioner in the County of Sevier, which covered the entire county; in which same capacity he served for six years. One of father's famous slaves after the freedom of Negroes in 1865 came and lived with father after his marriage, and stayed with him until his death. He was known as Uncle Ben. He lived Several years after father, passing away in 1918. Though he was a Negro he never associated much with the Negroes and was loved by all whom he met.

To the family union of William I and Nannie A. Beck were born fourteen children. eleven of which are still living. On another page in this volume will be found their ages and deaths, respectively. William I, Beck's greatest hobby was his church life and for thirty years was Sunday School superintendent of the Methodist Church at Ben Lomond. During that time I have often heard him say that he was never late and unless being called away, never missed Sunday School regardless of sickness or anything else. He was always layman of his district and never failed to attend the annual conferences in the Little Rock Conferencess of Arkansas. of which a number of the pastors still remember him and his devoted life to his church. His wife, Nannie A. whatever we might say about her in this volume, is too little. For our knowledge of the English language does not permit us to express the character of this true, noble Christian mother; being the mother of fourteen children, eleven of which are living. I am sure there is none that can ever say but what they always saw her with that Christian smile upon her face and her ways sparkling sunshine and love with everyone she met. She was known throughout her community as the helping hand. When trials and troubles and sadness came into any home she was called upon in the way of sickness or to assist. The nights were never too stormy, dark or long or the weather bad enough to keep her away from helping those who needed her. Doctors in that country were very few and lived miles apart and when they reached the bedside of a sick one, their first question was: Where is Sister Beck? -and she always showed up with that pleasant smile and was of great assistance.

She too was converted at the age of thirteen at the little old school house that nothing remains of but a few shattered old logs on the banks of the Tom Bigby River near Marietta, Mississippi and as I have often heard her say during the fifty-four years of her Christian life, each day that she lived; she tried to make it a better one and always scattered sunshine with whomsoever she met. She lived nine years after her husband passed away and her last summons came on March 11, 1921; her husband William I. Beck having passed away on October 28, 1912. They were both placed in the old family cemetery which he donated for that purpose at Ben Lomond, Arkansas. William I. Beck and his wife were both devoted to their home and their family life and did their best to give their children the better things in life.

Allie, their first child, was married November 18, 1882, to C. S. Rhyne, who was a lumberman, farmer and stockman.

He built the present Masonic Lodge at Ben Lomond the year of his marriage which still stands and is used for the same purpose. To their union they had three children: Pearl, John and Willie, all of which grew to womanhood and manhood. John living at present at Dallas, Texas where he has nine children in and around that vicinity. Willie lives at DeQueen. Arkansas marrying J. C. Fenton. Pearl, marrying Dr. Buford, passed away very suddenly a number of years ago in a fire accident, leaving three children. Allie Pearl lives with their grandmother at the present writing. Mr. Rhyne passed away through an accident five years after their marriage, getting a broken leg from the fly belt which broke and caught same, and one week later died from blood poisoning but Mrs. Rhyne still continued farming and running the mercantile establishment for a number of years until she retired and lives at present at 1214 Texas Avenue; Texarkana.

Two years after the death of Mr. Rhyne, she married a teacher by the name of Sam Adams of which union there was one daughter, Ethel. She and her husband operate the Fawcett Sales Company of Texarkana. The second child, John B. died when thirteen years of age at Ben Lomond.  Leanna  Bellvie was married to E. O. Oxford in August, 1893. She and her husband resided for a number of years coming to West Texas, bringing their two sons and two daughters: Willie, Annie, John and Kitty. Willie is still single and lives with his mother at Lorenzo, Texas. Annie married Harm Barber and lives at Rocky Ford, Colorado. Kitty married Wesley Higgins at Hereford, Texas, where she is engaged in the school work. John lives at Hope, Arkansas operating the picture shows there. Their fourth and fifth children, who were sons: Willie and Jesse, respectively, died in infancy.

Eula D. was married to J. L. Potts in 1899 having one child, Elsie, who is a teacher in the schools at Red Water. J. L. Potts having died recently at their home in Hooks, Texas. she and her daughter are living together since his death. Ella, being a twin of Della, was married to C. S. Walker in 1898, moving west to Hereford and engaging in the ranch business until his death in 1930.

They had five children. Dubois, who took up his father's operations and is still at Hereford and still running same there. Lowery lives on a ranch, eighteen miles north of Hereford. Bessie, marrying Earl Booth, who at present is the Sheriff of Farwell County and has been in county offices for a number of years. Eunice, marrying C. C. Pcrryman, who is the main teacher in civil engineering at Texas Technological College at Lubbock, Texas. Clinton and Ella live together at 2319 Fifteenth Street. where Clinton finishes in electrical engineering in the Tech College there this year. Della, the other twin, married George W. Bell in 1898, who was engaged in the farming and carpentering business. In later years they moved with their family to the Rio Grande Valley. Having three children, Flora married A. Conatser and lives at Terrell Wells. Texas. William is with the John Deere people at Harlingon, Texas, and has been for a number of years. Luther finished his school education at the Texas A. & M. College; mastering in 'civil engineering and also in the ranks as a Lieutenant Colonel. Having been the first Lieutenant for a number of years with CCC camps but at present is with the Portland Cement Company at Austin, Texas. George and Della are now retired and live in San Antonio. Texas,

Minnie married Walter Marlar. They came west to Hereford, Texas, having ten children to their wedlock. Walter passed away in 1928 and was buried at Dimmitt, Texas. Their children are as follows:

Cora married L. J. Thompson in 1909 at DeQueen, Arkansas at the home of Claudis. She being a teacher in the county school at that time and they moved to El Paso, where her husband was engaged with the Government in civil service. For the past twenty-five years they have been living in Texarkana, at 1303 Olive Street, where Mr. Thompson is in the money order department of the Post Office. They had four children:

Ruth married a Mr. Fomby who is in the oil business at Texarkana and she being a teacher in the city schools there. Ruby married Mr. Hyle Gardner and she and her husband are engaged in the furniture business. Claudia Christine lives at home and is a junior at the Junior College at Texarkana majoring in violin music. Junior died in a cyclone accident a few years ago.

Luther married Sallie Potts in 1913 and moved to West Texas, living in several different towns. and finally in 1924 engaged in the farming and ranch business. He and his brother operated a mercantile store for twelve years near Hereford, Texas and three years ago moved to 601 Harding Boulevard; San Antonio, Texas, where he is engaged in the monument business.

To this union were born four children: Luther Lee, who is married and lives in Amarillo, Texas. LaVell, LaRue and James are at home with them. All having completed their high school education in the schools of Texas.

W. Robinson Beck married Lorena Thornton in 1912 and they are living at White Cliffs, where he is engaged in the cattle raising and farming business. To this union are five children living :

Aloise is married and lives in Chicago. Her sister, Inez, who is a cashier in Sybel's Department Store. lives with her. James is in the CCC camp at Ashdown, Arkansas. Helen and Maude Ellen are at home with them.

R. Lowery married Alta Mize in 1915, daughter of W. C. Mize, who came to Arkansas with father in the caravan from Mississippi in 1880. Her father, Mr. Mize, is at present operating the store that W. I. Beck operated for a number of years. To this union there were born thirteen children. Eleven are now living and we are unable to mention the names of all their children, but we will give the older ones:

William is married and living in Foreman, Arkansas where he teaches school. Blanche is in school at Magnolia College. Afton and Alton and the other children whose names we are unable to mention are at home with their parents at Allene, Arkansas where Lowery taught school for seventeen years as principal of the schools there but now is engaged in the lumber business.

GRANDPARENTS

FATHERS FATHER

William B. Beck - Born 1823 in Alabama; died March 5, 1877. Marietta, MISS.

FATHER'S MOTHER

Mary H. (Long) Beck - Born Nov. 17, 1825. Western Tenn. died Feb. 1873. Marietta, Miss.

MOTHER'S FATHER

John B. Lowery - Born Feb. 22, 1820. Georgia. died Sept. 10, 1877. Marietta, Miss.

MOTHER'S MOTHER

Martha A. (Walker) Lowery - Born Aug. 7, 1825. Alabama. died Aug. 5, 1874, Marietta. Miss.

PARENTS

William I. Beck - Born March 1, 1847 - Marietta, Miss.
Nancy A. (Lowery) Beck - Born May 1, 1850 - Marietta, Miss.

They were married September 18, 1866 at Marietta, Mississippi by Rev. J. W. Honnell