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Below is a family biography included in The History of Osage County, Missouri published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1889.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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Henry Becker, a merchant and farmer of Babbtown, Osage County, is a native of Oldenburg, Germany, and was born in 1830. He is the youngest of two children born to Christian and Mary (Baden) Becker, both natives of Germany, in which country they spent their entire lives. Christian Becker was born about 1758 and died in 1835. He was a sailor by occupation. The mother of our subject was born about 1800, and died in 1878. Henry Becker left the country of his birth about 1847, and the following fifteen years followed a sailor’s life, locating first in New Orleans, having a sailboat at that time. In 1868 he located in Osage County, Mo., purchased a farm, and in 1878 opened a general store in the village of Babbtown, to which he has ever since devoted the greater part of his attention. About the time the post office was established at Babbtown Mr. Becker was appointed postmaster, in 1877, which position he still holds. In 1870 he was elected justice of the peace of Jackson Township, in which capacity he served with credit. He owns a farm of 160 acres, a small portion of which is under cultivation, and which is situated in Jackson Township. In 1862 Mr. Becker married Mary Viebrock, who was born in Hanover, Germany, about 1840, and is a daughter of John and Elizabeth Viebrock, the former of whom died in his native country, and the latter now living with another daughter in Osage County, Mo. Mr. Becker is an enterprising business man, and has been very successful in his business. He and wife are members of the Lutheran Church. Mr. Becker has a brother in New Orleans, a tailor by occupation; two of his sons (married) conduct an extensive lumber-yard in Galveston, Tex. Another son, a resident of New Orleans, is also a joiner, and married; the daughter is single.

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This family biography is one of 52 biographies included in The History of Osage County, Missouri published in 1889.  For the complete description, click here: Osage County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional Osage County, Missouri family biographies here: Osage County, Missouri Biographies

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