Beck, Charles

BECK, MATHWIG, SCHROEDER

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, Plym. CC (email)
Date: 2/21/2005 at 17:07:30

CHARLES BECK

Farming and stock raising in Plymouth county, has held the attention of many of the ambitious young men of that locality, among the number being Charles Beck, one of the progressive men of Plymouth township, who was born in Stanton township on April 5,1879, and is the son of Joseph and Caroline (Icorst) Beck.

Joseph and Caroline Beck were born in Germany and there they received their education in the public schools, grew to maturity and were later married. Joseph Beck was born on August 17, 1838, and after some years of married life, he and his wife came to the United States in 1864. On their arrival in this country, they after a time located in Stanton township, Plymouth county. Here they established a home on a farm, which they at once began to develop and improve. In addition to looking after his own interests, Mr. Beck took an active part in the general welfare of the township and the county. He had much to do with its growth and development and was recognized as one of the influential men of the district, and was held in the highest regard and esteem by all who knew him. Before coming to Plymouth county, Mr. and Mrs. Beck were for three years residents of Wisconsin and were for a time in Minnesota. After many years of active life in Stanton township, Mr. and Mrs. Beck, retired from the activities of farm life and moved to Le Mars, in 1909, and it was there that he died on May 21, 1912. Mrs. Beck is still living at her home in Le Mars.

Joseph and Caroline Beck were the parents of the following children, Emma, August, Minnie, Rose, Charles, Albert, Edith, Julius, Ed, Clara and Herman. Emma is the wife of Henry Ideker, of Lincoln township; August is engaged in general farming and stock raising in Stanton township, Minnie married Mike Konkle, a well-known farmer, of Stanton township; Rose is the wife of George Konkle and they live in Canada; Albert is a substantial farmer, of Stanton township; Edith is the widow of Henry Prust and lives at Le Mars; Julius is engaged in farming in Hungerford township, and Ed. and Herman are engaged in farming in Lincoln and Stanton townships, respectively; Clara is the wife of John Hoffman, of Lincoln township. Mr. and Mrs. Beck were reared in the faith of the German Lutheran church and, during their active life, took much interest in all church work.

Charles Beck received his education in the public schools of Plymouth county, and grew to manhood on the home farm, where as a lad he assisted his father with the work on the old homestead. He remained at home until the time of his marriage on October 1, 1907, to Amelia Mathwig, a native of Lincoln township, the daughter of Gottleib and Augusta (Schroeder) Mathwig. Her parents were natives of Germany and there received their education in public schools and there grew to maturity. They later married and came to the United States. Here they established a home on a farm in Lincoln township, and here the father died in 1888. The mother is still living at an advanced age. They were the parents of eight children, Lena, Edward, John, Emma, Rose, Minnie, Ida and Herman. Lena resides in Sioux township; Edward, John and Minnie are at home; Rose is the wife of Herbert Seles, of Hinton, Iowa; Ida is the wife of John Konkle, a well-known farmer, of Lincoln township, and Herman is a resident of Hungerford township.

Charles and Emma Beck are the parents of four children, Joie, Raymond, Harold and Arthur, all of whom are at home. After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Beck established their home in Lincoln township, where they remained until the spring of 1911, when they moved to their present farm in Plymouth township. Here they have a most excellent farm of one hundred and sixty acres, all of which is under high cultivation and well improved. Mr. Beck is engaged in general farming and stock raising in which he has been most successful. He has many Shorthorn cattle and Hampshire hogs, together with some very fine draft horses. He has always taken an active interest in the civic life of the township and votes the independent ticket, but has never aspired to office. He and his wife are active members of the German Lutheran church and have long been prominent in church work, in Lincoln township.

BOOK SOURCE:
History of Plymouth County, Iowa
Indianapolis, Ind.: B. F. Bowen, 1917