2.12.11. Herbert Bartist Beck (1889-1981)

Herbert Bartist Beck was born on 19 September 1889 in Mascoutah, Illinois, to John B. Beck and Christina Beyerle. His paternal grandfather had immigrated from Germany. When the 1900 census was enumerated, Herbert and his family lived in Irving, Illinois, on his father's farm. In 1910 Herbert lived with his brother on a rented farm in Lebanon, Illinois, and helped his brother on the farm.

Herbert married Jane "Janie" Muir on 20 June 1912. Their first child was born in Summerfield, Illinois, but by 1917, when Herbert registered for the World War I draft, they lived in Trenton, Illinois. He was a farmer and his appearance was described as medium height and build with blue eyes and light brown, slightly balding hair. Their second and last child was born in Trenton. In 1920 the family lived on a rented farm in Sugar Creek, Illinois.

Herbert's oldest brother and his wife, Ethel, moved to Fergus County, Montana, in 1918 and homesteaded land there. Herbert and his family followed in 1923, traveling by train. They arrived on 7 April 1923 and lived with Herbert's brother while he filed for his homestead.

In two separate transactions with the General Land Office, Herbert acquired nearly 425 acres of land in two counties -- Fergus and Phillips counties:

26 September 1928

• South half of the northeast quarter of Section 34 in Township 20 North, Range 24 East
• Southeast quarter of the southeast quarter of Section 31 in Township 20 North, Range 25 East
• West half of the southeast quarter of Section 32 in Township 20 North, Range 25 East
• East half of the southwest quarter of Section 32 in Township 20 North, Range 25 East
• Southwest quarter of the southwest quarter of Section 32 in Township 20 North, Range 25 East
• Lot 4 of Section 5 in Township 19 North, Range 25 East
• Lot 1 of Section 6 in Township 19 North, Range 25 East

17 October 1928

• Southeast quarter of the southeast quarter of Section 27 in Township 20 North, Range 24 East

For the next 20 plus years, Herbert and his family worked on the farm they established in Montana, growing winter wheat and other crops as well as raising dairy cows.

In 1949 Herbert acquired another 40 acres of farm land from the Great Falls, Montana, General Land office. 

Eventually Herbert retired from farming and he and Janie moved to Washington to be closer to their daughter. Herbert died on 20 November 1981 and was interred at Grand Mound Cemetery in Rochester, Washington.

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1900 US Federal Census, Census Place: Irving, Montgomery, Illinois; Roll: 331; Page: 6B; Enumeration District: 0084; FHL microfilm: 1240331

1910 US Federal Census, Census Place: Lebanon, Saint Clair, Illinois; Roll: T624_323; Page: 5B; Enumeration District: 0144; FHL microfilm: 1374336

1920 US Federal Census, Census Place: Sugar Creek, Clinton, Illinois; Roll: T625_304; Page: 10B; Enumeration District: 20; Image 971

1930 US Federal Census, Census Place: School District 207, Fergus, Montana; Roll: 1255; Page: 1B; Enumeration District: 128; Image: 1063.0; FHL microfilm: 2340990

1940 US Federal Census, Census Place: Roy, Fergus, Montana; Roll: T627_2218; Page: 1A; Enumeration District: 14-117

Alice (Muir) Jennings Genealogy Notebook, page 25

Exploring Central Montana's Past: Missouri Breaks Historical Homestead Tour, (Lewiston, MT: Bureau of Land Management), pages 1-32

Global, Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current, Memorial No. 36909316

Roy History Committee (editors and compilers). Homestead Shacks Over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County (Montana), (Bozeman, MT: Color World Printers, 190), pages 1-533

US, General Land Office (Billings, MT), Original Survey of Township 20 North, Range 24 East

US, General Land Office (Billings, MT), Original Survey of Township 20 North, Range 25 East
US, General Land Office (Billings, MT), Original Survey of Township 24 North, Range 24 East

US, General Land Office (Billings, MT), Record of Patent No. 1019564

US, General Land Office (Billings, MT), Record of Patent No. 1019937

US, General Land Office (Great Falls, MT), Record of Patent No. 1125139

US, Montana County Marriages, 1865-1950, 1934 Erickson, William Eugene - Beck, Thelma C.

US, Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014, Number: 533-24-0982; Issue State: Washington; Issue Date: Before 1951

US, Washington Death Index, 1940-1996, 1981 Beck, Herbert B.

US, Washington Find A Grave Index, 1821-2012, Memorial No. 36909316

US, World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918, Registration State: Illinois; Registration County: Clinton; Roll: 1504090