Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 607 - 611 

WILLIAM BECKER, proprietor of 320 acres of improved land, comprising 160 acres of sections 27 and 28 in Park Township, is numbered among the honored pioneers of Sedgwick County, and is one of its most substantial and wealthy farmers. He settled here in the spring of 1871, and from the uncultivated soil built up a valuable homestead which will remain as a monument of his industry and enterprise for generations to come. He has been particularly wise in his investments and possesses excellent business capacity, making the most of his opportunities, and all through the changes of a busy life and while laboring for his own interest has in nowise set aside the interests and well-being of the community around him. He labored in common with the other intelligent men of Sedgwick County, who came here during the period of its early history to advance its interests, and make it a point of attraction for immigration and settlement. 

            Northumberland County, Pa., which has given so many of its sons to the building up of the great West was the early tramping ground of our subject, and where he first opened his eyes on the 9th of June, 1813. His father, Jacob Becker, was born in the Rhine Province of Germany, where he was carefully educated during his youth and developed as a practicing physician. He came to the United States with a portion of the Hessian army and participated as surgeon in the Revolutionary War. After the conflict had ended, by the establishment of Colonial independence, he settled in Pennsylvania, where he first married a Miss Cameron, and by her became the father of several children. This lady died after a few years, and Jacob Becker was subsequently married to Miss Elizabeth Dimmick, of Bucks County. Her parents, also natives of Germany, came to the United States impoverished, and were held in durance for their passage money, their time being sold for their passage to the party who would pay the most money for the same. In time they came into possession of land, which he sold for Continental money, and on account of its depreciation lost all. The Dimmick family included John, Adam, Jacob, Peter, Michael, Frederick and Elizabeth. 

            Jacob and Elizabeth (Dimmick) Becker were the parents of eight children, namely: Benjamin, Harriet, Joseph, Amelia, Louisa, Margaret, Maria and William. The father died a few months previous to the birth of William, our subject. He was the inventor of a famous eye salve, by the sale of which article the mother realized sufficient money to maintain her family comfortably. This salve became very popular all over the country, and is still manufactured by a druggist in New York City. Mrs. Elizabeth Becker lived to see her children comfortably provided for, and departed this life April 15, 1855. 

            William Becker acquired most of his education in the Sabbath-school, and resided with his mother until sixteen years of age. He then engaged as an assistant in the building of canal-boats, and subsequently learned the trade of a mason at Sunbury, Pa. In 1834, accompanied by two other young men, he made his way to Hollidaysburg, where he secured a position as conductor on the Portage Railroad across the Alleghany Mountains, over which the cars were hauled by horses. In the fall of that year he returned home, and in 1835 went to Philadelphia via the Schuylkill Canal; in the same year, in company with his brother-in-law and family, he started by teams on a westward trip, making his way to Kalamazoo County, Mich. where he was employed on a farm at $12.50 per month until January, 1837. 

            In January, 1837, our subject started for the Black Hawk Purchase on horseback, accompanied by Thomas Macklevain, and was employed at mason work for a time in that vicinity, after which he returned east as far as Warsaw, Ill., and was employed for a time building a stone flouring-mill. In the spring of 1838 he formed the acquaintance of Miss Rebecca Peters, to whom he became greatly attached, and as the natural result, the attachment being reciprocated, they were united in marriage Jan. 5, 1842. 

            Mrs. Becker was born in Monroe County, W. Va., April 3, 1818, and is the daughter of John and Margaret (Garton) Peters, who removed from the Old Dominion to Indiana in 1835, and three years later to Warsaw, Ill. After marriage Mr. and Mrs. B. located in Van Buren County, Iowa, where our subject followed his trade until 1847. He then returned with his family to his native State, and took up his residence in Schuylkill County, but in 1855 returned to Iowa, locating again first in Van Buren County, and afterward going to Wapello County. In the latter he followed farming until 1871, and thence came to this county, where he has since remained. 

            Mr. Becker, in common with the pioneers about him, settled upon a tract of uncultivated land, and was obliged to haul the lumber 120 miles to build his house. This was but a single incident in the experiences which followed during a period when there was required the exercise of a dauntless resolution and energy to overcome the difficulties in the path of the early settler, As time passed on, however, these gradually melted away, and Mr. Becker, in addition to the cultivation of the land which he had first secured was enabled to increase the quantity, and is now the owner of 320 acres, all of which is improved, and which he devotes largely to the raising of cattle, horses and swine. He has a tasteful and substantial set of farm buildings, all the necessary machinery for the successful prosecution of his calling, and each year adds something to the beauty and value of his property. 

            There came to the home of Mr. and Mrs. Becker in due time six children, four of whom lived to mature years. Margaret, now deceased, became the wife of Henry Glessner, and died at her home in Park Township, in November, 1879; Sarah Ellen is the wife of William Burress, a physician; Jacob, William, Hugh and Charles P. The latter died at the age of thirty-three years, while on a visit to Wapello County, Iowa. As will be seen from the record, Mrs. Burress and Jacob are the only surviving children. Our subject, politically, is a solid Republican, and has served as School Director in his district. His estimable wife is a member in good standing of the Methodist Episcopal Church, at Jamesburg.

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