BECK, JAMES

BECK, STARK, ANDERSON, RASMUSSEN, PETERSON

Posted By: Jean Kramer (email)
Date: 5/25/2004 at 16:43:36

Biography reproduced from page 441 of Volume II of the History of Kossuth County written by Benjamin F. Reed and published in 1913:

James Beck is a well known and highly successful agriculturist and stockman of Swea township, where for nine years he has owned and operated a farm of one hundred and sixty acres located on section 29. He is a native of Denmark, his birth having occurred on a farm in the vicinity of Horsens, December 21, 1866. His parents, Gargen and Hannah (Stark) Beck, were also born and reared near Horsens, where the father owned a farm that he cultivated until 1886, when he retired and removed to Horsens. He passed away in 1890, but the mother is still living and continues to make her home in Horsens. Six children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Beck, of whom our subject is the youngest. The others are as follows: Meren, who died when twenty-two years of age; Annie, the wife of Carl Anderson, a hotel man in Horsens; Peter, who engages in the raising and breeding of horses at Humboldt, Iowa, where he has a large stock farm; Martin, who is a farmer in Humboldt county; and Hans, who died when nineteen years of age.

The boyhood and youth of James Beck were passed on his father’s farm. At the age of sixteen years he left home and for three years thereafter worked for a neighboring farmer. He subsequently went to Harsens to become coachman for a wealthy family, in whose service he remained for two years, at the end of which time he decided to emigrate to America. He came direct to Humboldt county, Iowa, where he obtained work as a farm hand, following this occupation for two years. He was next employed in a stone quarry, but at the end of eighteen months he joined a section crew on the railroad. He later took charge of a farm of six hundred and forty acres, located three and a half miles south of Humboldt, which he cultivated for two years. At the expiration of that period, he rented one hundred and sixty acres of land two miles north of Humboldt, that he cultivated for seven years. This undertaking proved to be very remunerative and during that time he acquired sufficient capital to buy the southwest quarter of section 29, Swea township, where he is now living. During the period of his ownership he has wrought extensive improvements in the place, including the erection of a large modern barn, substantial cattle shed and other outbuildings. His place is fully equipped with everything essential to its cultivation and he has installed many conveniences and appliances that minimize labor. Mr. Beck is diligent and enterprising as well as progressive and keeps in close touch with modern methods in everything he does, as is evidenced by the appearance of his fields and the condition of his stock. In addition to the tilling of his own land he annually rents from eight to one hundred and forty acres, that he cultivates with such assistance as his sons can render him. In connection with his diversified farming he raises stock of a high grade. He owns some fine blooded cattle, the head of the herd being registered, while his hogs, which are Poland China, are eligible to registration. He feeds large numbers of cattle and hogs and makes annual consignments to the Chicago markets.

In Horsens, in 1889, Mr. Beck was married to Miss Anna Rasmussen, who was born and reared in that vicinity and is a daughter of Sorn and Elsie Catharine (Peterson) Rasmussen. The parents were likewise natives of Denmark, and the father still lives in Horsens, where for many years he was a dairyman but he is now retired. The mother, however, is deceased, her death occurring in 1909. Mrs. Beck came to America about six months after her husband’s emigration. She is the third in a family of six children born to her parents, the others being as follows: Mary, who died at the age of nineteen years; Thomas E., a guard in the prison at Horsens; Rasmus, a hotel man in Horsens; Magnus, who is a drayman at Horsens; and Chris, who died when he was nineteen years of age. The family of Mr. and Mrs. Beck numbers nine: Chris H., who was born December 8, 1890, in the employ of his uncle, Martin Beck, a farmer in Humboldt county; George H., who was born September 26, 1891, and is working for Dr. West in Armstrong, Iowa; Johannah Elsesa, who was born Christmas day, 1893; Elsie, whose birth occurred on the 24th of August, 1895; Einer, who was born June 26, 1897; Shirley, whose natal day was the 15th of December, 1900; August who was born on the 6th of August, 1903; Harry, whose birth occurred December 23, 1907; and William, who was born January 20, 1909.

Mr. and Mrs. Beck are members of the Danish Lutheran church in Denmark township, Emmet county, and in politics Mr. Beck is a republican, giving his support to the progressive faction of that party. He served for five years as trustee of his township, and has recently been appointed to fill out an unexpired term, while for the past seven years he has been school director in district No. 9, Swea township. Mr. Beck was one of the organizers of the Farmers Elevator Company of Armstrong, and has ever since served on the board of directors, and he is also a stockholder in the Cooperative Creamery Company of Armstrong. He is a man of commendable methods and habits, and has achieved success through the intelligent concentration of his forces and unremitting diligence, for he came to America empty-handed and has made his way unaided.