From "History of Clinton County, Michigan", 1980, pages 27-28:

34. John Beck Family

John A. Beck came to Greenbush Townshiop in 1871.  He settled on a piece of 
property six miles north and one and one-hald miles east of St. Johns.  
He married Mary Jane Aultman in 1872.  He is listed in the old Clinton County
History.  To this union two girls and seven boys were born.  Frank H. Beck 
was the fourth child.

As a young man Frank worked in Ludington for a fruit grower.  He married Edna 
Crom.  They settled on a farm seven and one-half miles north of St. Johns and 
lived all of the lives on the same farm.  When Frank worked for the fruit grower
in Ludington, he became very interested in fruit.  He came to Greenbush Township
with a suitcase full of raspberry plants, and that was the beginning of Beck's 
Fruit Market.  He planted cherries, peaches, prunes, and apples as the main 
fruit crops.  Some will remember the first market on "[N----r] Hill", as it was 
called.

Probably few remember the Jackson family that live across from the Frank Beck's.
They were probably some of the first Negroes in this area.  They had worked for
Mr. French at Frenches' Corner; and after the slaves were freed, Mr. French 
bought forty acres across from Frank Beck and gave them a mule.  There was 
a log house on the property.  Mr. Jackson helped Mrs. Frank Beck at times and 
especially after twin boys, Maynard and Gaylord, were born to the Frank Beck's.
Mrs. Jackson is buried in the Eureka Cemetery.  Later a daughter, Dorothy Beck 
Cressman, was born.

Frank Beck's family employed a lot of local help to harvest the crops of fruit;
and much of it was sold to surrounding stores in St. Johns, Ovid, Elsie, Ithaca,
Alma, and Merril.  They also were regular stall-holders at the city market in 
Lansing.  A small roadside market was on U.S. 27 north of St. Johns and continued
there until the divided highway was put in.  Now a grandson, Ben Beck, operates 
a large market about one mile south of the old market. (*)

In the early 1950's Maynard Beck purchased the Frank Beck farm and managed it 
for a number of years.  He then sold it to John Beck, his only son.  At the 
present time John operates a large Cider Mill and has fruit to sell just as 
the former generations had.

Ella Mae Beck

(*) Ben died in 1988