My Genealogy Hound

NICHOLAS BECKER, merchant, Ripley, is a native of Lorraine, France, where he was born in 1828. His father was a soldier under Napoleon the First, and in the campaign of Russia, at the retreat of Leipsic, and until the close of the battle of Waterloo. He was a teacher of schools, in Lorraine, for thirty-six years, and until he emigrated to the United States, in 1855, with a portion of his family. He located at Cincinnati, Ohio, where his wife died with cholera in 1866. His death occurred in 1876, in the same city. The subject of this sketch received his early education in the schools of Pontamousson, France, and graduated with honors at the university of Nancy, France. In 1854, he, with a portion of the family, embarked to America, and located at Decatur County, Ind. He was engaged in teaching a private school at this point, and followed his profession, in different localities, until 1863, in which year he entered the firm of McCardle & Bro., of Cincinnati, Ohio, as book-keeper, and in the following year resigned his position and came to Ripley, where from 1866 to the present time he has devoted his time, in the Union School, in teaching the languages, in which he is a proficient scholar. Mr. B. was married, in 1860, to Miss Catherine Thill, a native of Lorraine, France. Nicholas Jr. is the only child born to this issue. Mr. B. opened the millinery department of his store, on Second street, in 1866, and the hat and cap department in 1876, which is mostly conducted by his son. This establishment is the largest of its kind in the city, and is at all times completely stocked, and enjoys a lucrative trade. Mr. B. is an active, energetic business man, and a member of the Catholic Church.