Carl Beckman

In the death of Mr. Carl Beckman, this county has lost its most diligent and useful citizen. He was one of the old settlers and at one time owned the eighty acre tract now constituting that part of the third ward lying east and south of the residence of George Sutherland, and on which the new court house is located.

For twelve years of the times since 1860 he has been a member of the school board, and during those many years was the most attentive member to the wants of the school district. H was to be found always in the line of progress and was finally defeated only because of his peculiar views upon the reading of the scriptures in the morning exercises. To these he entered a mild protest and could not afterward be re-elected.

He succeeded Hon. R. Blaco as supervisor of Blair Township, and was diligent in carrying to completion the excellent work done in the vicinity of Blair by that gentleman, expending large sums of money to construct the roads and bridges which are so creditable to this city. In this office he served until 1887 when he was succeed by Hon. Thomas Wilkinson and retired from public life.

During the years he was supervisor, he was also member of the county board, and one of its most useful and trusted officers.

His social qualities were good, although he was not at all times entertaining. He was, however, a man always on the move and what he lacked as an entertainer and talker, he made up in good honest work. He had become very fairly in sympathy with America and American institutions by his adaptability.

He had been ailing for a number of months and troubled with some difficulty of the heart the nature of which we are not fully apprised, and his death was quite unexpected to the people of this community.

He died on Tuesday night and was buried on Thursday, the school board acting as pall bearers and the Germania Bau Verien participating in the ceremonies.

He was aged 50 years.

Note: Since the actual death date was not given, the news article date was used.

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