Son of Francis Beckstead and Margaret Margaritta Barkley

Married Mary Becksted, 19 Jan 1829, Williamsburg, Dundas, Ontario, Canada. She died in 1867 at Bellvue, Sarpy, Nebraska.

Children -
* Orin Mortimer Beckstead, b. 2 Feb 1830, Williamsburg, Dundas, Ontario, Canada;
* Sidney Marcus Beckstead, b. 19 Mar 1832, Williamsburg, Dundas, Ontario, Canada;
* Alexander D. Beckstead, b. 12 Apr 1834, Williamsburg, Dundas, Ontario, Canada;
* Sarah Ann M. Beckstead, b. 19 Jan 1836, Williamsburg, Dundas, Ontario, Canada;
* Joseph E. Beckstead, b. 12 Apr 1838, Williamsburg, Dundas, Ontario, Canada;
* Elton Efron Beckstead, b. 19 May 1840, Carthage, Hancock, Illinois;
* William I. Beckstead b. 11 Dec 1842, Warsaw, Hancock, Illinois;
* Alma Beckstead b. 28 Dec 1846, Council Bluff, Pottawattamie, Iowa

History - The first five children of Francis, Jr., were born in Williamsburg, Dundas, Canada. The fifth child was about 2 1/2 months old when they left Canada, with other members of the Beckstead family, in July 1838, to join the body of the Church in Missouri.

The records reflect that the Francis Beckstead family arrived in DeWitt, Caldwell County, Missouri, during the last week of September 1838. They had expected to settle down and build homes on the rich farm lands. However, because of continued attacks, and persecution by the mobs, they were forced to live in their wagons. Shortly thereafter they were able to escape the mobs, and made their way to the area of Far West, Missouri, where they remained during the winter. The following spring, 1839, the families moved again, to areas near Nauvoo, Illinois, where they again attempted to build homes.

The sixth child, Elton, was born 14 May 1840, in Carthage, Hancock Co., Illinois; the seventh child, William was born 11 December 1842 at Warsaw, Illinois, a few miles south of Nauvoo.

When the Saints were driven out of Nauvoo, Francis, Jr. and his family also made another move, and arrived in the area of Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie County, Iowa, in the spring of 1846. Their eighth child, Alma, was born 28 December 1846.

The first son, Orrin Mortimer Beckstead enlisted in the Mormon Battalion in Council Bluffs, in July 1846.

Francis died of cholera, shortly after the family had started to move towards the Salt Lake Valley; he was buried on the banks of the Missouri River.

The second son, Sidney Marcus Beckstead, went to the Salt Lake Valley in September 1849, with the family of his uncle Alexander. Later he was given an assignment by the LDS Church leaders, with others to go back along the trails to assist those in need of help, to make repairs of their wagons and equipment, so they could continue their journey to Utah. On one such trip, after he had been standing guard all night to protect the cattle and horses from the Indians, he was accidently killed while mounting his horse. His rife was accidently discharged as the trigger caught in the brush, as he leaned from his horse to pick up the gun. He was killed instantly.

Francis, Jr. and family, along with others had made preparations for the journey to the Salt Lake Valley. They had traveled but a short distance when he was stricken with cholera and died after a few hours illness. He was buried on the banks of the Missouri River.

After his sudden death, his wife Maria (Mary) decided not to continue the trip West. She and the children immediately returned to the vicinity of Trader's Point, which was a very short distance north of the present city of Bellevue, Sarpy County, Nebraska. She later married Mr. Bailey; she died about 1867.

Their sixth child, Elton, settled near the present City of Bellevue, Nebraska, where some of his descendants presently reside (1962).