George Beck and Elizabeth Holsapple

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Husband George Beck ¹

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Wife Elizabeth Holsapple ¹

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Children

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1 M Daniel Beck ²

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General Notes: Husband - George Beck

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He settled at an early day in eastern Pennsylvania, probably in Mont­gomery County, but soon came to Crooked Creek, Armstrong County, where he resided until his death. He was a farmer and a gun­smith, a mechanic of genius in his line, and built and operated a gun and powder factory on the Kittanning road, not far from the county seat. The Becks became quite well known as manufacturers of gunpowder of the finest grade, willow charcoal being used in its composition. Beck's powder had a high reputation both at home and abroad, being of uniformly good quality, and of such fine tex­ture that it ignited quickly. It was as early as 1811 that George Beck, Sr., commenced the manufacture of powder near the mouth of Pine run, on the George Risler tract, which was continued by him and his sons until Thursday, June 29, 1826, when an explosion of about fifty pounds of powder in the mortar occurred, caused, it was supposed, by a spark from one of the pounders. John and Daniel Beck were at the time employed at the mill. The latter was thrown out of the door and so injured that he afterward died. The former was severely but not fatally injured. A part of the roof was also carried away by the ex­plosion, but the building was saved. Large quantities of powder made by the Becks were transported to Pittsburgh in canoes. Some of the Kittanning merchants made prominent mention of it in their advertisements. George Beck was a member of the Lutheran Church. He and his wife had a family of nine children, six sons and three daughters.

1 —, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, Her People Past and Present (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1914), Pg 465.

2 —, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, Her People Past and Present (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1914), Pg 363.