It was March of 1842 when a young miller, 28 years of age, presented himself at the office of the Police General of the Realm, in the Province of Lorraine, in the Department of Moselle in the community of Freyning, France, to request a passport of the Interior to journey from Freyning to LeHavre. He was about five feet nine inches tall, with chestnut hair and brown eyes, a well-formed
nose, ruddy complexion and a black beard. The permit was granted to Pierre Becker and signed with a flourish by the Mayor, C. W. Damler.
Born in St. Falmont in 1814, Pierre had been trained as an expert horseman in the French Army. Frequently the citizens of this area on the border between France and Germany were conscripted into either the French or German armies with little regard for their loyalties, as one force and then the other overran the contested area. He was tired of the many battles and destruction and, it was hinted, he had made an unhappy liaison with a German girl which he would like to break. Life in the United States of
America beckoned to him. Armed with his official permit, a willingness to work, and an optimistic outlook, Pierre Becker set out on the journey which would take him to
New Orleans, and then north along the railroad which was being built through central Mississippi, to a final destination at Brookhaven and the founding of the large Becker family.
On arriving in the United States, he settled in New Orleans, marrying Margaret Braun. Three children were born, Peter, Mitchell, and a daughter,Barbara. Unfortunately, Margaret died after the third child was born. Pierre then married Susana Huber of German descent, making his living as a merchant and horse trader along the railroad construction route. Pierre and Susana had one son, Ferdinand, born in Clinton, Louisiana in 1856, and two daughters, Susan and Lena. As business progressed, Pierre started a small mercantile store in Brookhaven. When construction activity moved into the Wesson area, he moved his store there but a few years later came back to Brookhaven.
The Beckers were the first Catholic family to settle in Brookhaven. A missionary priest occasionally came to say Mass, usually in the Becker home.
(Source: written by Adine Becker Hill, for the 1994 Becker Family Reunion; contributed to this memorial by Bettie Hatcher Cox)
nose, ruddy complexion and a black beard. The permit was granted to Pierre Becker and signed with a flourish by the Mayor, C. W. Damler.
Born in St. Falmont in 1814, Pierre had been trained as an expert horseman in the French Army. Frequently the citizens of this area on the border between France and Germany were conscripted into either the French or German armies with little regard for their loyalties, as one force and then the other overran the contested area. He was tired of the many battles and destruction and, it was hinted, he had made an unhappy liaison with a German girl which he would like to break. Life in the United States of
America beckoned to him. Armed with his official permit, a willingness to work, and an optimistic outlook, Pierre Becker set out on the journey which would take him to
New Orleans, and then north along the railroad which was being built through central Mississippi, to a final destination at Brookhaven and the founding of the large Becker family.
On arriving in the United States, he settled in New Orleans, marrying Margaret Braun. Three children were born, Peter, Mitchell, and a daughter,Barbara. Unfortunately, Margaret died after the third child was born. Pierre then married Susana Huber of German descent, making his living as a merchant and horse trader along the railroad construction route. Pierre and Susana had one son, Ferdinand, born in Clinton, Louisiana in 1856, and two daughters, Susan and Lena. As business progressed, Pierre started a small mercantile store in Brookhaven. When construction activity moved into the Wesson area, he moved his store there but a few years later came back to Brookhaven.
The Beckers were the first Catholic family to settle in Brookhaven. A missionary priest occasionally came to say Mass, usually in the Becker home.
(Source: written by Adine Becker Hill, for the 1994 Becker Family Reunion; contributed to this memorial by Bettie Hatcher Cox)
It was March of 1842 when a young miller, 28 years of age, presented himself at the office of the Police General of the Realm, in the Province of Lorraine, in the Department of Moselle in the community of Freyning, France, to request a passport of the Interior to journey from Freyning to LeHavre. He was about five feet nine inches tall, with chestnut hair and brown eyes, a well-formed
nose, ruddy complexion and a black beard. The permit was granted to Pierre Becker and signed with a flourish by the Mayor, C. W. Damler.
Born in St. Falmont in 1814, Pierre had been trained as an expert horseman in the French Army. Frequently the citizens of this area on the border between France and Germany were conscripted into either the French or German armies with little regard for their loyalties, as one force and then the other overran the contested area. He was tired of the many battles and destruction and, it was hinted, he had made an unhappy liaison with a German girl which he would like to break. Life in the United States of
America beckoned to him. Armed with his official permit, a willingness to work, and an optimistic outlook, Pierre Becker set out on the journey which would take him to
New Orleans, and then north along the railroad which was being built through central Mississippi, to a final destination at Brookhaven and the founding of the large Becker family.
On arriving in the United States, he settled in New Orleans, marrying Margaret Braun. Three children were born, Peter, Mitchell, and a daughter,Barbara. Unfortunately, Margaret died after the third child was born. Pierre then married Susana Huber of German descent, making his living as a merchant and horse trader along the railroad construction route. Pierre and Susana had one son, Ferdinand, born in Clinton, Louisiana in 1856, and two daughters, Susan and Lena. As business progressed, Pierre started a small mercantile store in Brookhaven. When construction activity moved into the Wesson area, he moved his store there but a few years later came back to Brookhaven.
The Beckers were the first Catholic family to settle in Brookhaven. A missionary priest occasionally came to say Mass, usually in the Becker home.
(Source: written by Adine Becker Hill, for the 1994 Becker Family Reunion; contributed to this memorial by Bettie Hatcher Cox)
nose, ruddy complexion and a black beard. The permit was granted to Pierre Becker and signed with a flourish by the Mayor, C. W. Damler.
Born in St. Falmont in 1814, Pierre had been trained as an expert horseman in the French Army. Frequently the citizens of this area on the border between France and Germany were conscripted into either the French or German armies with little regard for their loyalties, as one force and then the other overran the contested area. He was tired of the many battles and destruction and, it was hinted, he had made an unhappy liaison with a German girl which he would like to break. Life in the United States of
America beckoned to him. Armed with his official permit, a willingness to work, and an optimistic outlook, Pierre Becker set out on the journey which would take him to
New Orleans, and then north along the railroad which was being built through central Mississippi, to a final destination at Brookhaven and the founding of the large Becker family.
On arriving in the United States, he settled in New Orleans, marrying Margaret Braun. Three children were born, Peter, Mitchell, and a daughter,Barbara. Unfortunately, Margaret died after the third child was born. Pierre then married Susana Huber of German descent, making his living as a merchant and horse trader along the railroad construction route. Pierre and Susana had one son, Ferdinand, born in Clinton, Louisiana in 1856, and two daughters, Susan and Lena. As business progressed, Pierre started a small mercantile store in Brookhaven. When construction activity moved into the Wesson area, he moved his store there but a few years later came back to Brookhaven.
The Beckers were the first Catholic family to settle in Brookhaven. A missionary priest occasionally came to say Mass, usually in the Becker home.
(Source: written by Adine Becker Hill, for the 1994 Becker Family Reunion; contributed to this memorial by Bettie Hatcher Cox)
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