James Alexander Beck

Other Events:

• Occupation: Founder of Belfast Chemical Works
• Residence: 1854, Belfast, County Antrim, Ireland
• Religion: 1877; Presbyterian - senior member of Committee at Ballysillan Presbyterian
• Will: 21 Apr 1897, Belfast, County Antrim, Ireland; proven in Belfast Probate Office

Notes:

...James Alexander Beck, the second son of Hugh Beck of Loughbrickland and Armagh, was born at Drumnahaire in 1824. He was known as a very talented scholar who was sent to Dublin to study law, but apparently came home with degree and became apprenticed into the linen trade with Dunbar, Mc Master & County at Gilford (Read Maralin Cohen Linen, Family and Community in Tullylish County, Down 1690-1914 Dublin 1997). James became experiienced in the chemical process and became aware of the commerical enterprise in supplying chemicals to the trade. He settled in Belfast in 1854, and subsequently was founder and proprietor of Belfast Chemical Works, which later became James A. Beck & Son - chemical manufactures principally to the linen trade. In 1859 he purchased Everton House and Estate from the marquis of Donegal, and died there on March 1, 1897, being buried in Belfast City Cemetery. His will, dated November 3, 1895, was proved at Belfast Probate Registry on April 21, 1897, and included several charitable bequests.
...There was a history that his father died young, and that they were estranged. Neither facts are substantiated by the various researches, in fact his father died when he was 26, and probably still at home....Married into the Bullick family, as did his cousin Alexander. Created a bit of a stir by marrying his late wife's younger sister. Developed a passion for travel which was passed on to his family. (Source: Information received from Allan C. Beck, John W. Beck, A.M.I.E.E., "Beck of Northern Ireland", 1931)
...Bought: 1859, Everton House from Marquis of Donegal (Source: Information received from Alan C. Beck, email dated February 24, 2002)

James married Mary Bullick on 18 Dec 1856 in Belfast, County Antrim, Ireland. Mary (daughter of Ralph Bullick) was born on 3 Feb 1834 in Portadown, County Armagh, Ireland; died on 31 Jul 1875 in Belfast, County Antrim, Ireland. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
Belfast Parish Church

1. Hugh Martin Beck was born on 5 Dec 1857 in Cherrymount, Belfast, County Antrim, Ireland; died on 5 Nov 1912 in Belfast, County Antrim, Ireland; was buried in Nov 1912.
2. Elizabeth Beck was born on 13 Aug 1859 in Belfast, County Antrim, Ireland; died on 20 Dec 1908 in Belfast, County Antrim, Ireland; was buried in Dec 1908 in Belfast, County Antrim, Ireland.
3. William Beck was born on 12 Jul 1861 in Belfast, County Antrim, Ireland; died on 15 Sep 1911 in Belfast, County Antrim, Ireland; was buried in Sep 1911 in Belfast, County Antrim, Ireland.
4. Mary Leach Beck was born on 1 Apr 1863 in Belfast, County Antrim, Ireland; died on 24 Jun 1947 in County Dublin, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom.
5. Margaret Beck was born on 8 May 1864 in Belfast, County Antrim, Ireland; died on 7 Feb 1939 in County Dublin, Ireland; was buried in Feb 1939 in Mount Temple, Dublin.
6. Anne Beck was born on 6 Aug 1865 in Belfast, County Antrim, Ireland; died on 5 Sep 1928 in Ballymena, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom; was buried in Ballymena, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom.
7. Rosetta Beck was born on 6 Jan 1868 in Ballysillan, Belfast, County Antrim, Ireland; died on 2 Jan 1869 in Belfast, County Antrim, Ireland; was buried in Belfast, County Antrim, Ireland.
8. James Alexander Beck was born in Aug 1868 in Belfast, County Antrim, Ireland; died on 29 Mar 1870 in Belfast, County Antrim, Ireland; was buried in Mar 1870 in Belfast, County Antrim, Ireland.

James married Rosetta Bullick on 18 Apr 1876 in Neuchâtel, Switzerland. Rosetta (daughter of Ralph Bullick) was born on 10 Apr 1848 in Portadown, County Armagh, Ireland; died between Oct 1930 and Dec 1930 in Belfast, County Antrim, Ireland. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. James Alexander Beck was born on 10 Jul 1876 in Belfast, County Antrim, Ireland; died on 6 Mar 1960 in Belfast, County Antrim, Ireland.
2. Archibald Beck was born on 6 Mar 1878 in Belfast, County Antrim, Ireland; died on 10 Nov 1968 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
3. Elizabeth Hickland Beck was born on 10 Mar 1880 in Belfast, County Antrim, Ireland; died in 1944; was buried in Castlereagh, County Down, Ireland.
4. Rosetta Bullick Beck was born on 5 Nov 1881 in Belfast, County Antrim, Ireland; died on 10 Nov 1958 in Belfast, County Antrim, Ireland.
5. Josephine Margaret Beck was born on 29 Dec 1883 in Belfast, County Antrim, Ireland; died on 17 Mar 1959.
6. John Wilson Beck was born on 19 Nov 1885 in Belfast, County Antrim, Ireland; died on 22 Oct 1962 in Eastbourne, East Sussex, England.
7. Ralph Bullick Beck was born on 26 Aug 1887 in Belfast, County Antrim, Ireland; died about 1965 in Rustington, Sussex, England.

Other Events:

• Census: 1821, Drumnahaire and Greenan, Loughbrickland, County Down, Ireland
• Occupation: 1821; Farmer & grain merchant

Notes:

Hugh Beck, the sixth son of William Beck of Cascum, Loughbrickland, was born in 1788, and in 1821 per Census Returns he was engaged as farmer and grain merchant at Drumnahaire and Greenan, Loughbrickland. He was then 33 years of age, and later, in the 1831 Census Returns, he was in business as a grain merchant at Armagh City, which he continued until his death on December 14, 1850. He married in 1813 Elizabeth, daughter of John McClelland of Greenan, Loughbrickland, who died at Beersbridge House, Belfast, on December 19, 1862. He left three sons and three daughters. (Source: John W. Beck, A.M.I.E.E., "Beck of Northern Ireland", 1931)

Hugh married Elizabeth McClelland in 1814 in Ireland. Elizabeth was born in 1790 in Loughbrickland, County Down, Ireland; died on 19 Dec 1862 in Belfast, County Antrim, Ireland; was buried in Banbridge, County Down, Ireland. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Newspaper: 24 Dec 1862; The Belfast News-Letter (Belfast, Northern Ireland), 24 December 1862, p2: Death

Notes:

Newspaper:

DEATHS
Beck—December 19, at Cottage, near Belfast, Eliza, relict of the late Mr. Hugh Beck, formerly of Banbridge, aged 72 years.

Other Events:

• Occupation: Farmer
• Birth: 1743, Ballyguniham, Parish of Donacloney, County Down, Ireland
• Will: 3 Nov 1825; proven 23 January 1828 in Dromore Diocesan Court

Notes:

William Beck, born at Ballyguniham, Donacloney, 1743, and later settled at Cascum Loughbrickland, 1769. The lease of the property was renewed in 1789 for the lives of William Beck, his son John Beck, and the then Prince of Wales. He was still resident at Cascum in 1821, being then 78 years of age, dying there on September 16, 1827. He was buried in Loughbrickland Presbyterian Graveyard. in his will, dated November 3, 1825 and proved at Dromore Diocesan Court on January 23, 1828, he mentions his sons William, Alexander, Hugh, John and Joseph, his grandson John Haddon Beck, and his son-in-law, Moses Woods, and appoints his "kinsman and friend" Robert Beck of Clay one of the executors. his wife, nee Margaret Hanna of Shankhill, Aghaderg, died on May 18, 1810. He left issue six sons and one daughter. (Source: John W. Beck, A.M.I.E.E., "Beck of Northern Ireland", 1931)

Extract of WILL
William Beck of Cascum, Parish of Aghaderg, County Down. Dated 3 November 1825.
To son William £25. To son Alexander £20. To son-in-law Moses Woods £10. To son Hugh £25. To granddaughter Jane Woods. £5. To grandson John Haddon Beck £10, with loom now out on hire. To son John farm at Cloverhill. Residue, farm at Cascum, crops thereon, stock, cattle, farming utensils, dwelling-house and furniture to son Joseph Beck.

Executors: (1) Robert Beck of Clay, kinsman, (2) John McClelland of Cloverhill.
Witnesses: Mary Hamilton, Isaac Parker, William Donaldson.
Probate granted to Jhn McClelland and James Hamilton at Diocesan Court of Dromore on 23 January 1828.

William married Margaret Hanna about 1760. Margaret (daughter of James Hanna and Nancy _____) was born in 1740; died on 18 May 1810. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Birth:
of Shankill, Aghaderg, Down, Ireland

Notes:

Thomas Beck, second son of John Beck of Lisburn and Annacloy, was born circa 1680 at Lisburn, County Antrim. From 1725 to 1727 he was co-lessee with his brother Robert of the Annacloy estate "at pepper-corn rent." He later settled at Ballyguningham, Donacloney Parish, occupying land presumably held previously by his brother John. A lease for portion of this land or all extension to same was negotiated in 1728 "for term of twenty-one years or natural life of Lessee," he being then "aged about forty-eight years". Thomas Beck married Jane Prunty (or Prundy) at Annaclone Parish Church 1739, who was presumably his second wife. The famous Haworth family of Bronte originally spelt their name as Prunty, and as their forbears came from Loughbrickland a relationship in some degree is not improbable. Thomas Beck died intestate, predeceasing his wife who died June 6, 1787 and was buried in Annaclone Parish Churchyard. He left four sons. ~(Reference: John W. Beck, A.M.I.E.E., "Beck of Northern Ireland", (1931)

Thomas married Jane Prunty in 1739 in County Down, Ireland. Jane was born in 1718; died on 6 Jun 1787; was buried in County Down, Ireland. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Birth:
of Lisburn, Antrim, Ireland

James married Nancy _____. Nancy and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Name: Nancy Hanna