Becks Were Holmes Merchants, Millers by W.E. Farver, date and paper of publication unknown - 1965-75? During the past 105 years, the Beck's Mills store has had 12 different owners. Benjamin Beck, originator of the store, kept store there for more than 40 years. When the Michael Beck family arrived here early in 1822, after a several weeks' trip by covered wagon from Greensburg, Pa., they stopped by a spring on the extreme northeastern corner of their 320-acre tract. Here they camped for a few days. Until the farm was purchased by Valentine Erb a few years ago, about an acre of woodland was left standing as a landmark in memory of the Beck's first arrival. After cutting a trail about a half mile farther south to a stronger spring, they moved their covered wagon and horses with their supplies to a permanent site, located some 50 rods north of the south end of Doughty Glens (Troyer's Hollow), and about 100 rods upland from present Beck's Mills. Becks Were Pennsylvanians Michael Beck's father, Leonard, was born in eastern Pennsylvania in 1759. He served in the army under Washington during the Revolutionary War. Following its close, the Becks migrated westward to Westmoreland County. There were four sons, Adam, John, Michael and Leonard Jr., and a sister who was married to John Suter. Suter was granted a deed for the southeast quarter of section 23 in Mechanic Township, later know as the Moses Steele farm, presently owned by Levi J. Mast. It is thought that through the Suters Michael Beck was influenced to come to Ohio. Several years after settling here Michael Beck built a small dam across the narrow, lower end of the Glens and on the east side built a sawmill, equipped with an upright saw. It was one of the first sawmills in operation on Doughty Creek. It was later replaced by a circular saw. The Beck sawmill was in operation until well after 1900. I remember helping haul logs there to be sawed. By the late 1820's, the Beck family of two had increased to five; more settlers had moved in, and a school was needed. About 1830, Beck built a larger cabin. He offered the use of the old cabin as a school building, and for about 10 years this was the first school house in the district, known ever since as the "Beck's School", later renamed "Beech Grove". About 1840, Michael Beck built a frame house over the large spring, down in the valley where the village sprang up. When they vacated their second cabin, the school was moved into this larger building where it remained until the first frame school building was erected at Beech Grove, during the mid-1850's. Erected Bank Barn Before this, the crowded conditions of the Beck school brought about the creation of the Kelley school, less than a mile northwest on present County Road 68 (Old Port Washington Road). This school existed until the mid 1850's, when, under the new school laws, redistricting was done and the long (log?) cabin schools were replaced by frame buildings. Some time after the house was built over the spring, the Becks erected a large bank barn east of the road. With additions and repair, this barn stood until shortly after 1960, when it was wrecked by a storm. It was removed and a new barn put up, some 25 rods farther north. In the early 1860's, a large house was built in the same yard, and the smaller one used for a summer house. This house stood until the mid-1960's when it was razed by the new owner and replaced by a new house. In 1848, Michael Beck and his sons rebuilt the dam built about 20 years earlier for the first sawmill, building it higher to hold more water. They were preparing to build a new three-story grist mill, and from the dam westward they constructed a mill race approximately 50 rods which carried the water to the mill wheel of the mill which they [built] in 1849. The grist mill was equipped with heavy granite burh-stones made from glacially- deposited boulders left on the terminal moraines a few miles farther north by the melting glaciers of many thousands of years ago. The buhr-stones revolved upon each other, counter-clockwise, grinding the wheat into flour and the corn into meal. Flood Wrecked Mill The Becks operated the grist mill from the 1849 until the death of Benjamin Beck, Aug. 8, 1905. During the greater part of the time after the Civil War years they employed experienced millers. Two during the 1870's and 1880's were Peter Weidner and David Lautenschleger. During the 1890, and over the turn of the century, Charles Beam, and Jerry Schlabach are remembered, by the writer. After Mr. Beck's death, the mill was purchased by Adam Fraelich, who for some years operated it with the help of his son, William Fralich, Samuel Barr and Jacob Lautenschleger. During the March, 1913, spring freshet flood, the mill dam was completely wrecked, ending for all time the grinding days of the old mill. The mill property passed into the hands of Jefferson Varnes, and at his death, to his son, Elmer Varnes. At the latter's death in 1950, the Mast Brothers of Benton became owners. At no time did any of the later owners operate the mill, only using it for storage. In 1954 Mast Bros., sold the building to a local farmer who razed it and used the lumber and timbers in erecting a new building, closing the pages of the old Beck grist mill after 105 years. Local lore of 60 years ago, told of the Becks operating an oil mill as early as the early 1830's, powered without doubt by the first dam which powered the earliest sawmill. It is definitely known that much flax was raised in Holmes County, during the 1835-1870 period. Until late 1939, a sizable amount of flax straw was stored in the barn loft of the late Henry Farver farm, in Farver Run, near Beck's Mills. It had been raised by his father, John W. Farver, some time in the 1860's, according to Farver family lore. Some of the flax which Cliff Bushnell of Wooster has been using in his spinning demonstrations came from the cache of flax stored in the old Farver barn for 80 years. It was given to Cliff by a granddaughter of the grower. After Beech Grove schoolhouse was built about 1855, the second cabin home of the Becks, no longer needed for school, was moved down to the lot south of the mill, where it was used in the making of linseed oil and oil meal from the local supply of flax seed. In the late 1890's and over 1900 this cabin was used as a broom factory by the late John Gardner and his sons. Store Started in 1860's The date of Michael Beck's death has not been located (*). Of five children, Joseph, Daniel, Susan, Michael, Jr., and Benjamin, the latter took over the activities begun by Father Beck. In the early 1860's they started a store in a small building north and opposite of the present store. It was quite common for Ben Beck to make occasional trips to Pittsburgh, to purchase supplies, have them shipped to Millersburg by freight, then hauled with horses and wagon, ten miles over the hills to Beck's Mills. Difficult as that seems, contrast it with the experience of W.D. Maffendish, who when opening his store in Shanesville, had Jacob Dietz, go to Philadelphia, to bring a wagon load of goods for his store. The trip lasted six weeks, and Dietz was paid $150 for the trip. Although dates and details vary, local lore says the store was moved south of the road, around 1870, the old building being moved over and incorporated into the present building as storage space. About this time an interesting incident occurred which has been neighborhood lore since. When Horace Greeley opposed President Grant, in 1872, the Becks were eyeing a young man of the vicinity as a prospect to be a store employee. He was Solomon Miller, son-in-law of Daniel Conkle, a local farmer, by whom Miller was employed. Conkle was an ardent Democrat, while Miller leaned strongly in the opposite direction, much to father-in-law's chagrin. The Becks offered him a job if he voted for Grant. Conkle told him to look for another job if he did. He voted for Grant, went into the store as clerk, and became a lifelong storekeeper. * Michael Beck died Jan. 13, 1876.