References

• [01] The German origins of the Beck family was first published by Sharon Mary Beck, granddaughter of Theodor Beck, as a result of family research in the late 1970s, plus records searches privately commissioned and funded by her and conducted by professional genealogists in Germany in the early 1880s. Most other researchers have relied upon that information. Her family tree can be found online at Ancestry.Com - http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/27083809/family?cfpid=1987136592.
• [02] The Beck Family Immigrates From Germany to South Manitou Island - 1860, Mrs. Irwin Beck Jr., July 2000, self-published.
• Note: The genealogical information provided in the first few paragraphs of this booklet appears to be mostly definitive and reliable, probably because it was derived from Sharon Mary Beck's definitive work. After that, the narrative appears to become imaginative and fictional, some of it lifted almost verbatim from Myron H. Vent's book about the Johann Hutzler family, who came from Bavaria.
• [03] Note: For reasons unknown, family genealogical information does not mention this fourth and youngest son. However, as indicated in this essay, Christoph Beck was almost without doubt David Beck's brother.
• [04] The name "Gustaff" appears only in 1870 Census records, the reports for which were very neatly and legibly done, suggesting that they were probably transcriptions of data taken in the field. "Gustaff" might have been an erroneous transcription of a less legibly written and misspelled "Cristoff."
• [05] An obituary and funeral record published on the occasion of August Beck's death asserts that upon their arrival on South Manitou Island "The family stayed with Mr Beck's uncle." - from the November 1993 issue of the South Manitou Memorial Society Newsletter.
• Note: The error or implausibility of certain other facts mentioned in this article suggests that it was based on an interview with a member of the family, rather than reliable family records.
• [06] Copies of original land patents - South Manitou Island
• [07] Coming Through With Rye, Brenda Wheeler Williams, National Park Service - Omaha, 1996, pg 34 and page 37.
• Note: When filing his proof of claim in August of 1868, Christoph Beck affirmed that he had lived on his property since February of 1863, and his witnesses attested that they had known him for five years. These statements arose merely for the purpose of compliance with the provisions of the Homestead Act, and are not useful in determining when Christoph and Catharine Beck might have arrived on the island.
• [08] Ibid. 7; pg 147. See also the 1870 U.S. Population Census for South Manitou Island, pg 2.
• [09] South Manitou Island - From Pioneer Community to National Park, Myron H. Vent, 1973, pg 37.
• [10] Death record of Christopher Beck, June 4, 1900, Traverse City, MI.
• Note: The reference to Traverse City probably denotes the central Post Office (postal area) rather than the deceased's actual place of residence.
• [11] New York Passenger List, S.S. Hansa, Bremen to New York, arr July 6, 1868.
• [12] The German-Americans - An Ethnic Experience, Willi Paul Adams (1993), Ch 2. The Immigration Office of the Senate of Berlin. (from http://maxkade.iupui.edu/adams/cover.html).
• [13] Immigration record - David Beck family, 1869.
• [14] New York Passenger List, S.S. Deutschland, Bremen to New York, arr May 15, 1868.
• [15] 1870 U.S. Census for the 5th Ward, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, pg 132.
• Note: Although the census data is not extensive or accurate enough to identify this "Dora Beck" definitively, all the other possibilities discovered in the 1870 U.S. Census can be eliminated by their location, age, association with other family members and spouses, etc. This "Dora Beck" is listed as coming from Prussia, which would not have been strictly accurate, but then William H. Wolf is also listed as having been born in Ireland, whereas his biographical sketches, published by Milwaukee historians, indicate that his actual birthplace was Wendelsheim, Germany.
• [16] Beck family history page by Lori (David E.) Morris - webpage archived here as found at http://www.geocities.ws/dmorriscat/BeckPage.html.
• Note: The source cited actually thought that Theodor and Albert had immigrated together, whereas the Deutschland manifest shows that Albert immigrated with other members of his family a year later.
• [17] Williams, Brenda Wheeler, Integrating Cultural And Natural Landscape Management Decisions For Historic Agricultural Landscapes At South Manitou Island, 1995, Thesis/Dissertation.
• Note: Unfortunately, thus far it has not been possible to obtain a full copy of this document, so the source of this information cannot be determined.
• [18] Image - Possible Christoph Beck Farmstead.
• Note: The image suggests the presence of two large structures, probably a house and a barn, with roadways providing access to both. These structures were originally discovered by NPS Historic Architect Kimberly Mann, who remembers ... "It is what I saw when I arrived here 20 years ago. There is a house that has been completely grown over with the forest. It was still standing when I saw it then; at least a wall. More than likely the forest was holding it up at that point. The vegetation was so deep, I didn't see the structure as I was climbing through the brush until I was right up on it. I remember the direction from the August Beck house was to head towards the grave site up the knoll and veer to the left up across the field towards the forest. I would guess it was the circle towards the top of the image that I was blindly led to through the reforestation."
• [19] Non-Population Schedule 2 - Production of Agriculture, 1880. Unfortunately, the schedules for 1890 were destroyed by fire, and those for 1900 and 1910 were destroyed by Congressional order.
• [20] Note: Michael F. O'Donnell was a teacher, Justice of the Peace, and person of note on Beaver Island, County Seat of the former Manitou County, which included North and South Manitou Islands.
• [21] Note: The order in which the Christoph Back and August Beck households are listed is inverted on the population enumeration sheets, compared to the agricultural inventory, which was taken during the same visit. The neatness and legibility of the population data sheets suggests that these permanent records were probably transcriptions of the raw data taken in the field, Mr. O'Donnell then deferring to the senior Beck's by listing them first.
• [22] Note: This is probably an error, the numbers actually being 13-acres tilled, 3 in pastures and 54 "unimproved" for a total of 80-acres.
• [23] Note: viz.: the elder William Burton; not his son William N. Burton.
• [24] Ibid 9, pg 45.
• [25] See the biographical essay The Burtons and ...
• [25] ... the Phyllis Begens Collection on the www.manitouislandsarchives.org website.
• [26] See August 1972 Interview with George & Goldie Johnson on the www.manitouislandsarchives.org website.
• [27] Journal of the Senate of the State of Michigan, 1885, Volume 1, pg 295.
• [28] Journal of the Senate of the State of Michigan, 1891, Volume I, pgs 84 and 85.
• [29] The Grand Traverse Herald, July 1886 issue. (The new barn highlighted in the article was presumably the one built on the stove wood foundation currently being preserved by the National Park Service.)
• [30] The American Duroc-Jersey Record of December 1915 indicates that "Gus Beck" of South Manitou Island, Michigan was the buyer of the pedigreed female swine #65683 "Volunteer Oak 3D" at Chicago's Union Stock Yards.
• [31] Coming Through With Rye, Brenda Wheeler Williams, National Park Service - Omaha, 1996, pg 111.
• [32] Ibid. 17
• [33] Grand Traverse Herald, issues of July, and ...
• [33] September of 1889.
• [34] Possible Immigration Record - Christoph Bernhard Beck, 1854, and ...
• [34] ... Birth Record - Chatharina Barbara Angele, June 13, 1814, and ....
• [34] ... Possible Marriage - Christoph Beck and Catharine Angele, March 15, 1861, ...
• [35] Original Marriage Certificate: Oswald Fuerst & Dorothea Beck, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, September 15, 1876.
• [36] Notes on Oswald Fuerst, Exploring North Manitou, South Manitou, High and Garden island of the Lake Michigan Archipelago, Robert H. Ruchhoft, The Pucelle Press, Cincinnati - 1991, pg 118.
• [37] Death record and headstone - Paulina Furst.
• [38] Marriage Record - Martin Furst and Zella Mabie, September 24, 1905.
• [39] "I Remember When ...", Ethel Paulina Furst Stormer, South Manitou Memorial Society Newsletter, March 1999.
• [40] Marriage Record - David Furst and Sarah Blow, December 3, 1906.
• [41] Death records and headstone for Oswald and Dorothea Furst.
• [42] Marriage Record - August Beck and Elizabeth Haas, June 28, 1873.
• [43] Letter from Iona (Morris) Fox in the South Manitou Memorial Society Newsletter, July 1990. Also 1930 U.S. Population Census, Glen Arbor Township, Sheet 5A.
• [44] Miscellaneous records for Mary Carolina (Beck) Morris: Birth, Baptism, Death of Samuel Morris' first wife, residence in Lima, Ohio in 1910, residence on South Manitou Island in 1930.
• [45] Miscellaneous records for Josephine (Beck) Hutzler: Marriage, Death, Headstone.
• [46] Miscellaneous records for Alvina (Beck) Wiest: Census Records for 1910 - 1930, Roma's birth record, 1928 Grand Rapids City Directory, Death Record for Viola.
• [47] South Manitou Memorial Society Newsletter, November 1993.
• [48] George Beck Death Certificate, May 29, 1900.
• [49] Miscellaneous records for Matilda (Beck) Thompson: Birth Record, Marriage Record, Death Certificate.
• [50] The Johnson - Thompson Story, 2010, www.manitouislandsarchives.org.
• [51] Miscellaneous Records for Hattie (Beck) Thompson: Birth Record, Marriage Records, Death Record.
• [52] Ibid. 38
• [53] Flashback to the Past, South Manitou Memorial Society Newsletter, November 1993. Transcriptions of articles from the Grand Rapids Herald and Traverse City Record-Eagle, submitted by Sandra M. Black.
• Note: There are several other unmarked graves on this same row in the cemetery; possibly other members of the August & Elizabeth Beck family whose wooden headboards deteriorated and disappeared over time.
• [54] August and Elizabeth Beck headstone, South Manitou Island Cemetery.
• [55] Note: Anna Hoeft was a granddaughter of George Johann Hutzler; daughter of John Hoeft and Elizabeth Hutzler.
• [56] Marriage Record - Theodore Beck and Alvina Virgin, November 4, 1891.
• [57] Note: The birth date for Willie Beck is uncertain. August 25, 1893 is given on a Manitou County Birth Registry, which appears to be the most authentic record. Dates appearing elsewhere are August 15, 1893, November 27, 1893, August 1894, and November 27, 1894. The 1894 birth dates are very unlikely, since sister Ida Emma was born next, in February of 1895.
• [58] Note: Based on data in the 1910 and 1920 U.S. Population Census', Alma Alvina Back was probably born between December 28, 1905 and May 9, 1906.
• [59] Miscellaneous Records for Minnie Beck - Birth Record, Death Record, Death Certificate, Headstone.
• [60] Per Ronald Rosie in the November 1998 issue of the South Manitou Memorial Society Newsletter.
• [61] Miscellaneous Records for William Frederick Beck - Birth Record, Ww-I & WW-II Draft Cards, Marriage Record, Death Record.
• [62] Miscellaneous Records for Ida Emma Beck - Birth Record, Marriage Record, 1930 Census Record (Park Township, MI), Death Records for Ida and Henry Rocheleau, Photo of Ida and Henry Rocheleau.
• [63] Miscellaneous Records for Alma Alvina Beck - Birth date based on census records, Marriage Record, origins of husband Gordon Retzlaff, probable son Gordon G. Retzlaff Jr.
• [64] Miscellaneous Records for Arthur Theodore Beck - Life summaries for Arthur Beck and Helen Burgess, origins of Helen Burgess, Death records for Arthur Beck and Helen Burgess.
• [65] Theodore Beck Death Certificate and Headstone.
• [66] Note: J. Lee Barrett was Secretary of the Southeast Michigan Tourist and Publicity Association.
• [67] Coming Through With Rye, Brenda Wheeler Williams, National Park Service - Omaha, 1996, pgs 74 - 77, and pgs 123 - 125.