Biographical and Historical Record of Ringgold and Decatur Counties, Iowa, (Lewis Publishing Company (1887)), pp. 565-66:
        "JOHN H. BECK, deceased, was a native of Germany, and when four years of age his parents emigrated with their family to America, and made their home in Washington County, Pennsylvania, and there our subject grew to manhood. When a young man he learned the miller's trade, which he followed for several years after his marriage. For his wife he married Miss Martha Huston, who was born in Pennsylvania, being an orphan from her childhood. Mr. and Mrs. Beck reared six sons and one daughter, four eldest being natives of Pennsylvania, and the two youngest born in Guernsey County, Ohio. The children are as follows -- John H., a farmer of Decatur Township; Thaddeus L., one of the leading farmers of the same township; C. W., county recorder of Decatur County. Clark and David died in the service of their country, the former being a member of the Fourth and the latter of the Thirty-fourth Iowa Infantry, during the late war; Mary E., their only daughter, widow of Henry Crees, who died in Missouri, now lives in Grand River Township, and Thomas T., living in Decatur Township. John H. Beck left Ohio with his family in 1854, and after spending a year in Sangamon County, Illinois, came to Decatur County, Iowa in the spring of 1855, and made his home on section 18, Decatur Township, where he entered a claim of 160 acres. His life of usefulness in a pioneer country was cut short by his death, which occurred in September of the year of his arrival, at the age of fifty-nine years. He was a worthy member of the Methodist church, and in all respects a good citizen. His widow is still living at the advanced age of seventy-eight years. The homestead is now occupied by his son Thomas, and three of his sons live in the immediate neighborhood, all being highly respected citizens of Decatur Township."

Submitted to the Decatur County GenWeb site by Christy Jay, email: Jaygenie@aol.com)