Heathcock Genealogy Database - Person Sheet
Heathcock Genealogy Database - Person Sheet
NameRolf Classen Beckman 2890
Birth1821
Death1899, Chatsworth, Livingston Co IL Age: 78
BurialChatsworth-Charlotte Cemetery2929
Spouses
Birth4 Feb 1817, Victorbue, Ost Friesland, Germany
Death4 Jan 1911, Chatsworth, Livingston Co IL Age: 93
BurialChatsworth-Charlotte Cemetery2930
Marriage10 Apr 1846
ChildrenLena
 Claus (1850-1919)
 Folkert R. (1853-1935)
 Ella (1855-1857)
 John Clarence (1858-)
 George William (1861-1947)
Notes for Rolf Classen Beckman
A schematic of the family and descendants of Rolf Beckman and Atge Uphoff was prepared in 1995 by their great grandson Kenneth Wayne Beckman. This schematic does not contain many dates, but it does outline the members of the family as known by Kenneth. This shematic may be downloaded from: http://heathcock.org/genealogy/Beckmans.pdf

1860 Census of Pleasant Plains, Sangamon Co IL
Name Age
C Beckman 39 Hanover
A Beckman 33 Baden
L Beckman 4 IL (Lena)
B Beckman 2 IL
H Beckman 2/12 IL
C Boyd 36 Russia

The adjacent listing is for L. Beckman, 37, b Hanover, and wife R. Beckman, 29, b Switzerland. This may be a brother of Rolf Classen Beckman.

1870 Census of Avoca, Livingston Co IL
Name Age

Rolf Beckman 49 Hanover, Germany
Augusta Beckman 53 Hanover, Germany
Closs Beckman 17 Hanover, Germany
Folcot Beckman 15 Hanover, Germany
John Beckman 11 IL
George Beckman 8 IL

This census suggests that the family immigirated from Germany between 1855 and 1859; however, this is not in agreement with the birthplaces given in the 1860 census.

1880 Census of Charlotte, Livingston Co IL
Name Age
Rolf Beckman 59 Friegland Friegland Friegland
Acta Beckman 63 Friegland Friegland Friegland
George Beckman 18 IL Friegland Friegland
Notes for Agatha (Atge) (Spouse 1)
Her name is given variously in census records as Augusta, Acta and Agatha. She was recorded as Agatha in the 1900 and 1910 census and that is the name I am using here.

In 1900 and 1910 she lived with her son Folkert in Chatsworth, Livingston Co IL.

1900 Census of Chatsworth, Livingston Co IL
Name Age

Folkert R Beckman 46 Dec 1843 Germany Germany Germany, blacksmith, immigrated 1857, naturalized, m 17
Theresa Beckman 37 Nov 1862 IL Germany Germany, m 17, mother of 2, 2 living
Robert Beckman 12 Oct 1887 IL Germany IL
William Beckman 6 Oct 1893 IL Germany IL
Agatha Beckman 83 Feb 1817 Germany Germany Germany (mother of 7, 6 living) immigrated 1857

1910 Census of Chatsworth, Livingston Co IL
Name Age
F R Beckman 56 Germany Germany Germany (no occupation, ”own income”)
Tressa Beckman 47 IL Germany Germany
William Beckman 16 IL Germany Germany
Agatha Beckman 93 Germany Germany Germany

The following newspaper articles are reproduced from research of Mary Runyon-Hanshew2930

From the Chatsworth Plaindealer
MRS. AGTE BECKMAN
JANUARY 20, 1911

The death of Mrs. Agte Beckman, which occurred on Saturday (Jan. 14) morning at the home of her son, F.R. Beckman, and family, on the south side of town, removed one of the oldest and most highly respected ladies of Chatsworth and one of the oldest women in this section of the state. Had Mrs. Beckman survived until the 4th of next month she would have been 94 years of age.
Mrs. Beckman was a native of Germany, having been born on February 4, 1817, at Victorbue, Ost Friesland. On April 10, 1846, she was married to Rolf K. Beckman. In 1857 they came to America, landing in New Orleans, coming up the Mississippi and Illinois rivers to Peoria. They were nine weeks on the ocean voyage and two weeks on the river trip. In crossing the Atlantic Mrs. Beckman's mother and infant child died of ChoLera, as did others on the vessel in which they took passage. In 1857 they moved east of Minonk and in 1869 to a farm near Fairbury. Ten years later they moved to Charlotte township, where they resided until Mr. Beckman's death in 1899, since which time Mrs. Beckman had made her home with the family of her son, F.R., in this city.

Mrs. Beckman was the mother of the following children, all of whom are living; Mrs. Lena Johnson, of Fairbury; Mrs. John Ommen, of Charlotte; C.R. Beckman, F.R. Beckman, of this city; John C. Beckman, of Rensselaer, Ind.; George W. Beckman of Cullom. She is also survived by 24 grandchildren, 33 great-grandchildren and 2 great-great-grandchildren.

The funeral services were held on Monday afternoon at one-thirty o'clock at the German Evangelical church. Rev. Koepp, of Charlotte, officiating In German and Rev. Gronewald making a few remarks in English, and the remains were interred in the Chatsworth Cemetery. The attendance at the last obsequies was large, showing the high esteem in which Mrs. Beckman was held in this community.

Among those from out of town who attended the funeral were: Mr. and Mrs. Alex Tronc, of Pontiac; Mr. and Mrs. Henry Yonkers, of Saunemin; Mr. and Mrs. John McKinney, Mr. and Mrs. H.G. Flessner, F.O. Walrich, Mrs. and Mrs. James Keefe, Mrs. John Parsons, Mrs. H.J. Parsons, Mrs. F.J. Nightingale, of Piper city; Mr. and Mrs. G..W. Maddin, of Thawville; Mr. and Mrs. M. C. Madden, of Del Rey; Mr. and Mrs. Robert Beckman, of Kankakee; Mr. and Mrs. J.C. Beckman, of Rensselaer, Ind.; Mrs. Lena Johnson and two sons, of Fairbury; Mrs. John Ommen and two sons and one daughter, Ralph and Albert Ommen, of Charlotte; Mrs. and Mrs. Geo. Beckman and son, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Mackinson and daughter, Lawrence Haag and two daughters, of Cullom.

Agte had celebrated her 93rd birthday one year before:
NINETY-THREE YEARS OLD TODAY
FEBRUARY 4, 1910

Mrs. Agte Beckman is celebrating her 93rd birthday at the home of her son, F.R. Beckman, today, and she is probably the oldest, or at least one of the oldest women in Livingston county, if not in this section of the state.

Mrs. Beckman is a native of Germany, having been born on February 4, 1817, at Victorbue, Ost Friesland. On April 10, 1846, she was married to Rolf. K. Beckman. In 1857 they came to America, landing in New Orleans, coming up the Mississippi and Illinois rivers to Peoria. They were nine weeks on the ocean voyage and two weeks on the river trip. In crossing the Atlantic Mrs. Beckman's mother and infant child died of choLera, as did others on the vessel in which they took passage. In 1850 they moved east of Minonk and in 1860 to a farm near Fairbury. Ten years later they moved to Charlotte township, where they resided until Mr. Beckman's death in 1899, since which time Mrs. Beckman has made her home with the family of her son, F.R., in this city.

Mrs. Beckman is the mother of the following children, all of whom are living, and whose visits make her advanced years pleasurable; Mrs. Lena Johnson, of Fairbury; Mrs. John Ommen, of Charlotte; C.R. Beckman, F.R. Beckman, of this city; John C. Beckman, of Renesselaer, Ind.; George W. Beckman, of Cullom.

For a person of her age Mrs. Beckman enjoys very good health and retains possession of her faculties to a remarkable degree. She is loved by all who know her, and her many friends only hope that she may be spared to enjoy many more years with those by whom she is held in such high reverence.
Last Modified 30 May 2022Created 3 Jul 2023 using Reunion for Macintosh
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