Biography - Rev. Albert R. Beckett
REV. ALBERT R. BECKETT. There is perhaps no more public spirited man nor
one more wide-awake to matters of general interest in the township of
Oconee, Shelby County, than the gentleman whose name initiates this sketch,
who is carrying on the work of a farmer and stock-raiser, along with arduous
pastoral labors. He was born in McMinn County, Tenn., October 27, 1824. His
father, Josiah Beckett, was a Virginian, and his mother, Barbara Souders, a
Marylander. They have three sons and six daughters of whom our subject is
the youngest. They are: Arrnie, Thomas, Sabina, Elizabeth, Elza, Mary,
Nancy, Susannah, and Albert R., our subject. Only four are now living. Eliza
resides in Clinton County, Ky., as does also Susannah and Nancy in Missouri.
The parents of our subject removed from Tennessee to Kentucky while he was
still young and there he attended school at Danville. He studied law for
some time but decided not to enter practice. After eight years spent in
Danville, he was married in Clinton County, Ky., in 1845, to Miss Louisa
Shelley, who was born in that State in 1825, of Virginia parents who had
removed to Kentucky in a very early day.
Albert R. Beckett remained in Kentucky until 1862 when he was obliged to
flee to save his life. He had been robbed of everything he had by the so
called Confederacy. He was frequently shot at and on one occasion he and his
two sons were attacked while at work in the field. They heroically defended
themselves, being well armed, but were finally obliged to retreat, leaving
everything. They gathered the little family into a wagon and set out with an
ox-team for the North. He had but seventy-five cents in money when he left
the South. The ground traveled over by the party lay between the two
opposing armies, hence no obstructions were presented to their flight.
The family reached Charleston, Coles County, Ill., and remained there for
about four years. Mr. Beckett bought forty acres of land which he finally
sold and started to go to Ft. Smith, Ark., but while on the way he was
attacked by guerrillas and wounded. He at once decided to return to Illinois
and now made his permanent home in Oconee Township, where he still resides.
To Mr. and Mrs. Beckett were born eleven children nine of whom are now
living: Elza who married Maria Titus, is a farmer and resides in Oconee
Township; Albert R. married and resides in Missouri on a farm; John with his
wife lives in this township; G. A. C. is married and lives near his parents;
William C. lives with his wife in this township; Samuel is married and lives
with his parents; Barbara Jane is married and lives in Oconee Township;
Eliza Ellen is unmarried and is taking care of her afflicted mother. Arcadia
died in childhood. In addition to these children there were born a pair of
twins, a boy and a girl, whom the father named Abe and Lincoln, giving the
girl also the more feminine appellation of Clarinda. Abe died in infancy.
His sister, Miss Clarinda Lincoln Beckett, married E. F. Barker, an attorney
at Danville, Ind., who is also a noted orator espousing the Prohibition
cause.
About thirty-three years ago Mr. Beckett experienced religion and soon after
felt it his duly to preach the Gospel. He studied theological works and
finally began to preach for the Baptist Church in Clinton County, Ky., and
afterward in Coles County, Ill. He subsequently became imbued with the idea
that our portion of punishment and tribulation was quite complete in this
life and he espoused the belief of the Universalist and was ordained by the
Universalist Convention of the State of Illinois some eleven years ago.
Mrs. Beckett has been a helpless invalid for the last eleven years. She
believes that it is largely due to the nervous shock which she experienced
during her husband's hazardous experiences in the late war. Mr. Beckett owns
two hundred and forty acres of valuable land which he has in fine condition
as he superintends it all personally. He takes an interest in public affairs
generally, and is enterprising and public spirited. He is a Prohibitionist
in sentiment and espouses the cause of the laboring men of the country,
demanding that they have representation in Congress and elsewhere.
Extracted 17 Aug 2020 by Norma Hass from 1891 Portrait and Biographical Record of Shelby and Moultrie Counties Illinois, pages 694-695.
