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From Who's Who in Kern County, 1939 (published by Wilson & Peterson, 1940):
BECKES, Archie Ransome. Parents, Benjamin Vincennes and Mary Jane (Brewer) Beckes. Born, Grand Haven, Kan., March 26, 1874. Married, Myrtle A. Moon, April 15, 1900. Children: Mable L., Ralph W., Walker B., Lois M., Nellie Marguerite. Educated, Elementary schools of Grand Haven, Kan. Occupation: General Insurance Agent; Insurance Broker, Wasco, Calif. He was Justice of the Peace, Bayou Township, Fulton County, Ark., 1900-1908 and Clerk of the Township Board, Lincoln County, Okla., 1911-12. He came to Kern County in 1913 and engaged in farming in the Wasco area until 1917. He was with the 3rd Supervisorial District, Kern County, Road Supervisor, 1917-1921. He was U.S. Postmaster at Wasco from July, 1920 to June, 1933. He has been in the General Insurance business in the Wasco area since 1933. He served with the 2nd Regiment, Volunteer Infantry, Ark., in the Spanish American War, 1898. He was a member of the group that formed the Wasco Union High School District in 1915 and was a member of the Board that secured the Wasco Branch of the Kern County Free Library and located it on the school grounds in 1919. He served as member, Clerk and Chairman of the Wasco Elementary School District Board of Trustees from 1916 to 1934. He was Chairman of the Board when the Union District was created in 1917 and chairman or clerk of the Board that built the Wasco school building and was responsible for the program that secured additional grounds for the school in 1917-1934. He was one of the organizers of the Wasco Utility District, 1925. He was one of the gorup that secured the Wasco sewer system and one of the organizers of the Wasco Business Men's Association, of which he was secretary, 1939. He was one of the organizers and is a charter member of the Wasco Exchange Club and was President of that Club, 1932-33. He was one of the organizers and is a charter member of Wasco Lodge No. 583, F. & A. M., 1924, and he has been treasurer of that Lodge since 1931. He was member of Viola Lodge No. 262, Viola, Ark., F. & A. M., and was Master of that Lodge and High Priest of Iloa Chapter No. 192, R. A. M., Viola, Ark. He is a member of Wasco Chapter No 483, O.E.S. and of the Wasco Golf Club. He was Boy Scout Commissioner for northern Kern County in 1932. Recreations: Hunting, fishing, golf, baseball. Address: Box 704, 'phone 165, Wasco, Calif.
Fulton Co., Arkansas Marriages Marriage Book 2 May 26, 1895 to May 13, 1900
Beckes, A.R. (age 26) of Vidette, Fulton Co., Ark Moon, Miss Myrtle A. (age 16) of Beull, Fulton Co., Ark 15 Apr 1900 2 628
Archie R. Beckes,postmaster of Wasco, Kern County, is a Spanish-American war veteran, and came to California in 1914.
Mr. Beckes was born at Grand Haven, Kansas, March 26, 1874. His father, Benjamin V. Beckes , was a native of historic old Vincennes, Indiana, born there in 1833. In 1860 he moved to Kansas, and lived out his life in that state, where he died in 1908. Benjamin V. Beckes married Mary J. Brewer, who was born at Indianapolis, Indiana, and died in 1911. They had a family of four children: Albert B., Darl M., Frank M. and Archie R.
Archie R. Beckes grew up and attended the local schools at Grand Haven, Kansas, and that was his environment until he was twenty years of age. In 1894 he went to Northern Arkansas, and during the next sixteen years was engaged there in farming and stock buying. In 1910 he moved to Oklahoma, remaining there until 1914, when he came to California and located at Corning. His home has been at Wasco since 1915. Mr. Beckes was appointed postmaster July 1, 1920, and has served three consecutive terms, a service that has earned him the respect of all local citizens and has made him one of the outstanding men of Kern County today. He is a Republican, a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and is a charter member of Wasco Lodge No. 583 of the Masonic fraternity.
During the Spanish-American war he was enrolled in Company M of the Second Arkansas Regiment of Volunteer Infantry. Mr. Beckes married, April 15, 1900, Myrtle A. Moon, who was born at Vidette, Arkansas. They have five children: Mabel Louise, Ralph W., Benjamin Walker, Mary Lois and Nellie Margaret. All reside in Wasco except Mabel, whose home is at Long Beach.
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