LEWIS BECKER, a native of Baden, Germany, was born June 19, 1850, his parents being Ignatius and Catherine (Straub) Becker, natives of Germany. His father was a tailor by trade, at which line of business he always worked until he came to this country, with the exception of a few years that he farmed. March 10, 1865, Lewis, with his parents, left the fatherland, taking passage at Havre, on the ship Mercury, bound for New York. During the voyage 16 persons died, 12 children and four grown persons. One man had the small-pox and he was locked up in a box to keep the disease from spreading. On arriving at New York they came west as far as St. Louis, and from there came up to Calhoun county, where his parents remained nine years. After being there about four months, Lewis was taken down with the chills and was not able to do much for about two years. In the spring of 1868 he came to Greene county and was employed by William Bagby about 18 months, during which time Mr. Bagby died. He staid there that winter, and assisted Mrs. Bagby with the feeding and chores, attending school two months of the time. This was all the American schooling he received, but he had attended school eight years in Germany. Lewis next worked for Jehosophat Eldred for about five years. He then rented ground near Walkerville and put in a crop of what, but it was all frozen out that winter, and he only staid there one year, and then rented a farm of Schnelten brothers, west of Carrollton, on which he remained two years. He next rented a farm of 240 acres from Geo. W. Wright and son, paying $1,200 per year, cash rent, and renting for five years. In 1882 he bought 108 acres of land on section 25, and in 1883 he moved on to it, and it has since been his home. He was married April 22, 1879, to Sophia Unger, daughter of Timothy and Christine Unger, and by this union there are four children - Anna C., Katie M., Lawrence F. and Joseph A. Lewis had to give all his wages to his parents until he 21 years of age, so that his start in life did not begin until after that time; but by hard work and perseverance he succeeded, and is now enjoying the fruits of his industry. But few know how our foreign people toil to make a beginning in life, but their labors usually reap a rich harvest. Mr. and Mrs. Becker are members of the Catholic church, at Carrollton, In politics he is a democrat. In 1874, Mr. Becker's father, Ignatius Becker, with a family of six children, moved over from Calhoun county, and he is now living with Lewis. There were 12 children in the family, but one died in the old country, two in Calhoun county, and one was drowned while in Arkansas. Those living are - Lewis; Oswald, now in Washington territory; Reinhart, now in Arkansas; Annie, Sarah, Windelein, Romeon and Maggie. Mr. Becker thinks it would be profitable to most of our young American people to be in Germany three or four years, as it would teach them, first, to work; second, to save, and third, the value of a nickel or a dollar. There would not then be so many of them failing in business. But the way it is, they do not save in good times, and in hard time they haven't anything to save.