ANOTHER PIONEER CALLED

Death claimed another Washington county pioneer last Friday morning when Marcus Beck passed to that great beyond at his home in this city, after an illness lasting about six days.

While having felt poorly the past several weeks, Mr. Beck was not confined to the house until a week ago Saturday when he was taken with a severe attack of the hiccoughs. The physicians were unable to relieve him and he passed away early Friday morning. The funeral services were held at the late home Sunday afternoon at 1:30 and afterward at the Danish church, Rev. Kjoller, assisted by Revs.Vig and Anderson officiating.

Deceased was born in Schleswig, Denmark, November 15, 1847, and came to America in 1868, shortly afterward locating on a farm in Lincoln Township, this county.

He was married to Maye Anderson in this city, November 3,1874, and to this union three children were born, Anders, Andrew, and Laura who died when quite young. The former died in December 1902, leaving a wife and three children, who have made their home with Mr. and Mrs. Beck.

Mr. Beck was very prominent in Danish circles and was for a number of years treasurer of the United Danish Church of America which office he held at the time of his death. He at various times served the people of this county as assessor, road overseer and justice of the peace, and for one year was chairman of the republican county central committee.

About twenty-two years ago Mr. Beck moved from his farm in Lincoln Township to this city and soon afterward became associated with J. W. Newell in the flour and feed business. He continued in this business for several years and then retired from his work.

He leaves a wife and one son, Andrew, with a host of friends to mourn his death.

#2 Pilot Wed 29 March 1911

(Photo)

MARCUS BECK SUCCUMBS.

Another Washington County Pioneer Passed Peacefully Away Last Friday Morning – Large Funeral Sunday Afternoon

Marcus Beck passed quietly out into the great beyond at 6:30 last Friday morning. Since the Saturday before he had hiccoughed until his strength was all but exhausted. For two days he had been unconscious and so when the final sleep of death came he was unaware of its approach.

About four years ago he had inflammation of the colon and an attack of hiccoughs came on at that time which lasted for a week and brought him very near to death but they finally stopped and he gradually improved, returning almost to his normal weight. About a year ago he began to fail again and a physician was called the latter part of February. He improved slightly but on Saturday the hiccoughs started again and were checked only by death.

A short funeral service was held at the residence just outside the city limits up near Dana college, at 1:30 Sunday afternoon, conducted by his pastor, Rev. L. H. Koeller, and a public service was held at the Danish church at 2 o’clock. The large church was filled to overflowing with the friends and neighbors who were anxious to pay their last tribute of respect. Addresses were made in the Danish language by Rev. Koeller, Rev. G. B. Christiansen, of Audubon, Iowa, foreman of the Danish Evangelical church of America, Rev. P. S. Vig, Dean of Trinity Seminary and Rev. N. P. Lang, of Dana college, Rev. A. M. Anderson, editor of the Danskaren, spoke briefly in the English language.

The pall bearers were F. H. Matthiesen, J. W. Newell, Christian Anderson, P. A. Jensen, Erick Anderson and M. P. Hansen.

He leaves a widow and one son, Andrew, of the firm of Beck & McKay, proprietors of the flour and feed store that his father at one time owned in partnership with J. W. Newell. A son, Anders, died in 1902, and an only daughter, Laura Marie, died at the age of six and one-half years.

Marcus Beck was born at Skaerbeksogn, Schleswig, Germany, Nov. 15th, 1847, and came to America when a young man 19 years of age. He worked in the Michigan lumber camps for a time, then in the mines of Wyoming, finally settling on a homestead out near Orum in 1868. He was married to Miss Marie Anderson, Nov. 3rd, 1874, at the old court house in this city.

In 1888 he moved to the place where he died. For a time he was associated with J. W. Newell in the flour and feed business, but gave it up on account of poor health.

He was a prominent republican and was chairman of the republican county central committee last year. He served a term or more as a member of the board of county supervisors, was precinct assessor, and treasurer and road overseer at different times. He was treasurer of the Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church of America at the time of his death, having held that position all but one year since he was first elected in 1899.

He was one of the founders of Dana College and was always a generous and faithful friend of the institution and of the church. He was also a member of the board of directors of the national organization and of the Publishing House of this city. He will be greatly missed by the church as well as by his family and the community at large.

Mr. Beck was an ideal citizen, interested in politics for the betterment of the political life of the community, and interested in the church to help hold the moral ideal high in the community. He was gentle, he was generous, he was kind. He loved his home, his family, his church and his country. He was in many ways like the Christ who came to be the great example for us all.

Good-bye Mr. Beck, we shall miss you much, but shall remember you long. Would that all our lives were as upright, as noble and as pure as yours. Good-bye.

#3 Tribune Wed 29 March 1911

Marcus Beck, one of Washington county’s oldest settlers, died at his home in this city Friday morning, March 24, 1911, after an illness of less than a week, although he had been feeling poorly for the past four weeks. On the Saturday morning before he suffered a severe attack of hiccoughs, which continued until his death. The deceased was born in Schleswig, Denmark, November 15, 1847, and came to American in 1868, settling a few years later on a farm in Lincoln township, this county. He moved to Blair with his family about twenty-two years ago and entered the feed store business with J. W. Newell, but retired a number of years ago. Mr. Beck was prominently identified with the Danish church of America, and in 1899 was elected treasurer of that organization, this being their headquarters in American in connection with their college and publishing house. Through his office as treasurer, Mr. Beck distributed he entire foreign and home missionary fund of this society, paying foreign and home missionaries direct from his office here. Mr. Beck was a life-long republican and during his residence in this county he has served the people as justice of the peace, assessor, road overseer and was at one time chairman of the republican county central committee. Of the immediate family there is his wife and one son, Andrew, left, his oldest son, Anders, having died in 1902. The funeral services were held from the family residence on Sunday afternoon at 1:30. The Rev. Taylor of the local Danish Christian church, assisted by Rev. Vig Anderson, had charge of the services and the remains were interred in the Blair cemetery.

~~~ Obituaries courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~

FindaGrave memorial #22218759