Jacob Beck and Agnes Mesmer

Chart | Baptism and Marriage | Children | Passenger | Children Born in Iowa | Death | Census

Son of Vincent Bek and Margaritha Ruff √
Daughter of Jacob Mesmer and Antonia Bek √

Facts (with source information): Narrative Report

What's so great about these records?
There are primary records of baptism and marriage from Grosselfingen, Germany. They are available on microfilm thanks to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart (which allowed the sharing of their records) and the Family History Library of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (which filmed the records and shares them free of charge). German records are incomplete thanks to the conflicts of the 20th century in Europe. We are fortunate that Jacob and Agnes Beck hailed from Grosselfingen, province of Hohenzollern, whose records still exist and cover hundreds of years of baptisms, marriages, and burials.

Jacob Beck family about 1891

Chart

Baptism and Marriage in Germany

Grosselfingen, Hohenzollern, Germany
Grosselfingen Map Germany Latitude & Longitude: Free Maps
These are only transcriptions of the baptism and marriage records. But they identify the films where the original records may be found. The films are not available online. One must go to a Family History Center and look up the images using their computers.

1818 Jacob Beck Baptism Record

1822 Agnes Mesmer Baptism Record

1844 Jacob and Agnes Marriage Record

Children born in Germany

1845 Henry Beck
1848 Maria Magdalena Beck
1850 Rosa Beck
1854 Eugenia Beck

1855 Passenger

1855 Passenger list

New Orleans, Louisiana
Ship Guttenburg
Numbers 102-108.  Agnes’ younger brother, Leopold Messmer, is shown at number 109. He too is bringing his family to America.
Notice the rightmost column, which is headed “died on the voyage.” Passengers’ deaths were common, so this form includes a space for the ship’s staff to identify passengers who died at sea.

1855 Arrival of Ship Guttenburg

The top of the page shows the ship’s arrival information.

Children born in Iowa

St. John the Baptist, Burlington, Iowa

The Civil War began April 12, 1861. Jacob and Agnes’ son, Henry, was a Union soldier and was killed at Vicksburg in May of 1863. They named their youngest child in his honor.

1858 Maria Barbara, right side, no. 46

1860 Elizabeth, left side, no. 22

1862 Mollie, left side, no. 84

1865 Henry, no. 30

1873 Death of Agnes Beck

St. John the Baptist, Burlington, Iowa
left side, number 20

1898 Death of Jacob Beck

Des Moines County, Iowa
This probate record shows the names of the heirs. Jacob’s son, Henry Beck, is the petitioner.

Census Records

I cannot find the 1860 census.

1870 Census

lines 39-40 shows parents Jacob and Agnes Beck (bottom of the page)
They say they are from Hohenzollern. Grosselfingen is in the province of Hohenzollern.

lines 1-3 shows Henry Beck and two of his sisters (top of the page)

1880 Census

Henry and one sister are at home with his father. His mother had died. Jacob Beck says he is from Prussia. In 1850 Grosselfingen, Hohenzollern was taken over by Prussia. So, he has not changed his story about his birthplace. The map of Europe changed.
lines 9-11