Jeannette Eleanor Beck

BECK, DOOLEY, MILLER, THOMPSON

Posted By: Judy Wight Branson (email)
Date: 8/8/2004 at 11:52:06

Miss Jeannette E. Beck is capably and acceptably filling the position of county recorder of Madison county with office in Winterset. She is one of the county's native daughters, having been born in Jackson township. Her parents are James G. and Mary B. (Thompson) Beck, natives of Ireland and of Scotland respectively. They came to the United States as young people, Mr. Beck arriving in 1857, while the lady who later became his wife reached America in 1856. They became residents of Illinois and were married in 1864 in that state, residing there until 1868, when they removed to Iowa, settling on a farm in Jackson, township, Madison county, where they resided until the fall of 1909, when they left the farm and took up their abode in Winterset. Throughout the intervening period Mr. Beck continuously carried on general agricultural pursuits, save for the period of his service as a soldier of the Civil war. He enlisted as a private in; the Seventh Iowa Infantry and was promoted to the rank of sergeant, serving altogether for four years. Being captured, he was confined for a time in Libby prison, where he suffered all the hardships of southern prison life. He became one of the charter members of Pitzer Post, No. 55, G. A. R, and thereby retains pleasant relations with his old army comrades. Both he and his wife are members of the United Presbyterian church and their sterling worth has won for them the high and enduring regard of all with whom they have come in contact.

To Mr. and Mrs. Beck were born seven children, of whom two died in infancy the others being: Elizabeth, the wife of A. J. Dooley, of Topeka, Kansas; John C., who follows farming in this county; Samuel M., a farmer of Adair county, Iowa; Jeannette E.; and Mary Ethel, the wife of W. O. Miller, of Winfield, Kansas.

Jeannette E. Beck was reared upon her father's farm in Jackson township and pursued her education in the public schools. In 1912 she was elected to the office of county recorder and served so acceptably in that position that in 1914 she was reelected on the republican ticket without opposition, so that she is now serving for the second term. The work of the office is done in a most methodical and systematic manner and promptness as well as capability characterizes the discharge of all of her official duties. She is a well known representative of one of the pioneer families of the county and the name of Beck has ever been an honored one in this part of the state.

Taken from the book, “The History of Madison County, Iowa, 1915”