Joseph Ellison Beck

Beck, Joseph Ellison, a veteran Elder of the Spanish Fork Ward, Utah co., Utah, was born May 31, 1810, in the State of Pennsylvania, the son of James Beck and Mary Beck. He was raised as a Pennsylvanian farmer and joined the Church in 1847. In Pennsylvania he married Hannah Forsyth (daughter of John Forsyth and Margaret Hodson) who bore her husband seven children. Emigrating to Utah in 1850 Bro. Beck located temporarily in Salt Lake City and resided there till 1852, when he moved to Spanish Fork, Utah co., where he resided until the time of his death. In 1858 at the time of the "move" he furnished two teams for moving purposes, and he and his son, John F., went to Salt Lake City and helped to move the saints into Utah Valley. Joseph was ordained to the different offices in the Priesthood and held the office of a High Priest at the time of his demise. His first wife having died, he married Margaret Robins (daughter of Isaac Robins and Margaret Robins) who became the mother of eight children. Elder Beck took part in the so-called Walker Indian war in 1853 and also in the Tintic war a few years later. During the Black Hawk war he did considerable military service as a guard. Bro. Beck was always energetic in performing his duties as a member of the Church and as a citizen of the community in which he resided. His main avocation in life was that of a farmer. He died Oct. 12, 1903, at Spanish Fork, Utah.