From the Descendents of Hugh Thomson, by Donald C. Thomson
[taken from a manuscript written by Jack Scott Light]
Mary was born near Stranraer, Scotland, 8 May 1842. She vividly remembered the arduous trip across the Atlantic to America in 1856. When she was eighteen, then living on a farm in Henderson Co., Ill., she met a young Irish immigrant named James Gawn Beck. James, known as "Pa" was born 1 Mar 1839 in County Antrim, Ireland, and arrived in America in 1857. When the Civil War started he enlisted in Company E, 7th Iowa infantry. During a furlough he returned to visit Mary and proposed marriage, and Mary accepted. They were married 4 Feb 1864 in Henderson Co., Ill. During the four years of war, James was captured, was imprisoned at Andersonville, and later released. He fought in several major battles, but to the delight of Mary, he returned home unscathed. She gave birth to her first child in Henderson Co. in 1867 and in 1868 they migrated to Iowa and settled on an 80-acre farm located near the village of Pitzer in Jefferson Twp., Madison Co. Their children were Elizabeth Thomson, John Craig, Samuel Melvin, Jeanette Eleanor, Mary Ethel, and Clarence Blaine.
They lived to celebrate their golden wedding anniversary. Mary died in Winterset 28 Sep 1920; James died 25 Sep 1925; both are buried in Winterset Cemetery where there is a stone to mark their graves.
Contributor: Teresa Pederson Daugaard
[taken from a manuscript written by Jack Scott Light]
Mary was born near Stranraer, Scotland, 8 May 1842. She vividly remembered the arduous trip across the Atlantic to America in 1856. When she was eighteen, then living on a farm in Henderson Co., Ill., she met a young Irish immigrant named James Gawn Beck. James, known as "Pa" was born 1 Mar 1839 in County Antrim, Ireland, and arrived in America in 1857. When the Civil War started he enlisted in Company E, 7th Iowa infantry. During a furlough he returned to visit Mary and proposed marriage, and Mary accepted. They were married 4 Feb 1864 in Henderson Co., Ill. During the four years of war, James was captured, was imprisoned at Andersonville, and later released. He fought in several major battles, but to the delight of Mary, he returned home unscathed. She gave birth to her first child in Henderson Co. in 1867 and in 1868 they migrated to Iowa and settled on an 80-acre farm located near the village of Pitzer in Jefferson Twp., Madison Co. Their children were Elizabeth Thomson, John Craig, Samuel Melvin, Jeanette Eleanor, Mary Ethel, and Clarence Blaine.
They lived to celebrate their golden wedding anniversary. Mary died in Winterset 28 Sep 1920; James died 25 Sep 1925; both are buried in Winterset Cemetery where there is a stone to mark their graves.
Contributor: Teresa Pederson Daugaard
From the Descendents of Hugh Thomson, by Donald C. Thomson
[taken from a manuscript written by Jack Scott Light]
Mary was born near Stranraer, Scotland, 8 May 1842. She vividly remembered the arduous trip across the Atlantic to America in 1856. When she was eighteen, then living on a farm in Henderson Co., Ill., she met a young Irish immigrant named James Gawn Beck. James, known as "Pa" was born 1 Mar 1839 in County Antrim, Ireland, and arrived in America in 1857. When the Civil War started he enlisted in Company E, 7th Iowa infantry. During a furlough he returned to visit Mary and proposed marriage, and Mary accepted. They were married 4 Feb 1864 in Henderson Co., Ill. During the four years of war, James was captured, was imprisoned at Andersonville, and later released. He fought in several major battles, but to the delight of Mary, he returned home unscathed. She gave birth to her first child in Henderson Co. in 1867 and in 1868 they migrated to Iowa and settled on an 80-acre farm located near the village of Pitzer in Jefferson Twp., Madison Co. Their children were Elizabeth Thomson, John Craig, Samuel Melvin, Jeanette Eleanor, Mary Ethel, and Clarence Blaine.
They lived to celebrate their golden wedding anniversary. Mary died in Winterset 28 Sep 1920; James died 25 Sep 1925; both are buried in Winterset Cemetery where there is a stone to mark their graves.
Contributor: Teresa Pederson Daugaard
[taken from a manuscript written by Jack Scott Light]
Mary was born near Stranraer, Scotland, 8 May 1842. She vividly remembered the arduous trip across the Atlantic to America in 1856. When she was eighteen, then living on a farm in Henderson Co., Ill., she met a young Irish immigrant named James Gawn Beck. James, known as "Pa" was born 1 Mar 1839 in County Antrim, Ireland, and arrived in America in 1857. When the Civil War started he enlisted in Company E, 7th Iowa infantry. During a furlough he returned to visit Mary and proposed marriage, and Mary accepted. They were married 4 Feb 1864 in Henderson Co., Ill. During the four years of war, James was captured, was imprisoned at Andersonville, and later released. He fought in several major battles, but to the delight of Mary, he returned home unscathed. She gave birth to her first child in Henderson Co. in 1867 and in 1868 they migrated to Iowa and settled on an 80-acre farm located near the village of Pitzer in Jefferson Twp., Madison Co. Their children were Elizabeth Thomson, John Craig, Samuel Melvin, Jeanette Eleanor, Mary Ethel, and Clarence Blaine.
They lived to celebrate their golden wedding anniversary. Mary died in Winterset 28 Sep 1920; James died 25 Sep 1925; both are buried in Winterset Cemetery where there is a stone to mark their graves.
Contributor: Teresa Pederson Daugaard
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