DaveBeckbio

David was born in Cattenstedt, Germany on Nov. 4, 1812. He married Elizabeth on Apr.26, 1840, also in Cattenstedt. Around 1860 they migrated to South Manitou Island in America to join 2 ? of their children who had already settled there.(Aunt Louise says that Theodore and Albert, who were the Beck children ..age 19 and 15... who came first to America, were lonely and wanted to go home).They could not write so they asked a neighbor to write a letter to their parents asking could they come home. The neighbor did not want to see the boys go (I think they were working for him), so he wrote and asked the Becks to move to the island. So David and Elizabeth homesteaded on S.Manitou island around 1860 where they farmed and cut lumber for the steamships that were cruising the great lakes.
Just a note, I believe that David came over in 1869 which is the year that his son, August lists as his immigration date in the 1910 census. Theodore and Albert were both in over here earlier (Theo 1867, Albert 1868, according to census records).
I also believe David had another relative on the Island . The 1870 census shows a Gustaff Beck (wife..Catherine), age 50 on the Island. (1880 census has his name as Chrisoper)He homesteaded 160 acres on the island on nov.1, 1869. August homesteaded 80 acres next to him on June 17, 1909.

August was born in Cattenstedt, Germany (Brunswick) Dec. 1, 1852. When he was about 17 years old he Immigrated to S. Manitou Island with his parents . According to Mrs Irwin Becks book (Irwin is one of August and Elizabeth's sons) August and his father David, helped to build the light house on the island. August married Elizabeth Haas (her father farmed next door to the Beck's), in Glen Arbor, Mi. on June 23, 1873. August lived and farmed on S. Manitou Island until his death on Dec. 5th, 1941.. The farm that they once owned is now part of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Shoreline and is being preserved as a historical site. August and Elizabeth are buried in the island cemetary. August's parents, David and Elizabeth are buried on the farm behind the house.

For more pics or info on S. Manitou Island you can email me, or check out some of the links on the links page, orrr you can find one of these books about the history of the island written by the people who lived there.I would recommend to anyone interested in the family history, or just getting away from it all, for a day, or two, or three, or four, to visit the island.
interesting pic

Facts from US Census
1870 Census lists David as "Adulphus", and Elizabeth as "Dorothe"....The children with them on the island at that time were Theodore, Albert and Augustus.
1880 Census Has Theodore running his own farm, His mother "Dorothe" is now living with him as well as his brother albert. Augustus's name is now August.....
    There are many very interesting pieces of info in the census records, some info answers questions, some info generates questions (Like where is David "Adulphus" in the 1880 census if he did not die until 1893 ?) I find that a lot of the names are slightly different from census to census. (Prob. because #1 they had so many names, and #2 they spoke with that heavy german accent ?)