William Franklin Beck

William Franklin Beck was born January 11, 1853 in Clay County, Illinois and died February 20, 1933 in Midlothian, Texas. According to his death certificate, his father was Col. Jno. A. Beck. Family tradition holds that W. F. Beck's parents died when he was young and that he was raised by his grandfather who served as a physician during the Civil War. William Franklin Beck came to Texas when he was about fourteen years old and settled in Johnson County. Later, he married Margaret "Maggie" Elizabeth Tutt. Their children were: Margaret Hattie, Willie P., and Edward Dalton Beck. Hattie Beck was born November 11, 1876 and died March 25, 1932, and married Henry Carroll Ground on March 5, 1893. Willie Beck was born December 31, 1878 and died September 17, 1882. Dalton Beck, born November 27, 1880 and died in 1939, married Lucy Lane on May 19, 1902. Margaret Tutt Beck, born December 5, 1852 and died April 11, 1882, and was buried in Sand Flat Cemetery.

After his first wife died, William F. Beck married Amanda Louise Harp on October 15, 1882 in Johnson County. Their children were: Virgil L., Roy Elmer, Lena E., Bessie, infant son, Raymond, W. Earl, Euna and Lillian Eva Beck. Virgil Beck was born November 28, 1883, and died June 23, 1884. Roy Elmer Beck, born June 25, 1885 in Midlothian and died August 24, 1944 in Waco, married Elizabeth (Bessie) Lethella Howell. Lena Beck, born July 4, 1887 and died January 3, 1919, married Alby Lee Murphree. Bessie Beck was born February 18, 1889 and died January 22, 1891. The infant son was born January 19, 1891 and died January 21, 1891. Raymond Beck was born March 28, 1892 and died September 21, 1892. W. Earl Beck, born July 12, 1893 and died June 21, 1967, married Leona Esperance Dodgen. Euna Beck was born July 8, 1896 and married Angus Donalson, on June 11, 1914. Lillian Beck, born July 16, 1899 and died Jan. 23, 1973, married Judge Garvin.

William F. and Amanda Harp Beck and family moved to Midlothian, Ellis County, Texas where W. F. Beck served as an alderman on the first city council in 1888. Amanda Beck and Hattie Beck joined the Methodist Church of Midlothian in 1889 and 1890 respectively. In 1905 William F. Beck went to the World's Fair at St. Louis and his son Roy Elmer is remembered buying a pair of roller skates. Amanda Beck died November 30, 1912 and was buried in the Midlothian Cemetery. William F. Beck owned a business in Midlothian and was a member of the IOOF/Odd Fellows' Lodge No. 296, serving as treasurer in 1893. He was a member the Methodist Church of Midlothian. After Amanda's death, W. F. Beck married Ella McDonald, but they had no children.

William Beck's Obituary.

Contributed by T. Bradford Willis, DDS.