The Holland Society of New York - Yearbook (New York, NY)

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264 St. Paul. At the first municipal election. in 1854 he was elected an alderman, which position he held for two years, after which he was elected Mayor. In 1857 he was a delegate from Ramsey County to the famous Constitutional Convention, going with the Democratic wing on the division. In October, before the state was formally admitted, he was elected a member of Congress with two others, since it was supposed that the state would be entitled to three members. The determination being that the state should have but two repre- sentatives, Gen. Becker drew the blank. In 18 59 he was nominated for governor by the Demo- crats, but was defeated, although he made a not- able canvass. In 1860 he was a delegate to the National Democratic Convention at Charleston, S. C., and supported the Breckenridge ticket. In 1867 he was elected to the state senate, and re-elected in 1869, his service being of distinguished ability. In I872 he was nominated for Congress, but was unsuccessful. In March, 1885, he was appointed upon the State Board of Railway and Warehouse Commissioners, being re-appointed by three following administrations and serving until IQOI. In 1894 he was again the Demo- cratic candidate for governor. In 1873 he was president of the Old Settlers' Association and the following year president of the State His- torical Society. I-Ie was twice married, his first wife living but a few months, his second wife being Susanna Ismond, whom he married in 1855. He left four sons, Edwin, Charles, George, and William. . 9 . The funeral was held at the family residence, -601. Summit Avenue, St. Paul, the services being conducted by Rev. W. C. Pope, of the Church of the Good Shepherd, the interment being at Oak- land Cemetery. In an editorial ofthe St. Paul Despatch, attention is called to his candidacy for governor and the self-denial which induced him to make the run, as well as the party treachery

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263 tions to which his bus l'f 11 - large .place in the mgmdrif Cgf eliiishlaieliiiivej 3 acquaintances. He was born in Locke Cayuga COUHW' N- Y-2 February 4, 1829. His father Vilas Hiram Becker and his mother Sophia Millard t e latter being of H t ,qs Beckers had settled in ltI1gvE1re1I!9orkWSCint'. The th seventeenth century, the first ancestgirbzinlg Jag juriensen B k - - ec er, of Amsterdam, the immigrant of 165 5 or 1656. The earliest home of the family was Albany or New York, from which the family moved to Schoharie about 1733. General Backers, early school days began in his native town and continued at Moravia, from which at the age of twelve he was sent to Western Reserve College at Hudson, Ohio. The family then removed to Auburn, N. Y., where he finished his preparation for college. In 1841 the home was again changed to Ann Arbor, and he became a student at the University of Michigan, graduating in 1846 at the age of seventeen, the youngest member of a large class. Having selected the law as .his career, he began to study in the office of George Sedgwick, at Ann Arbor. In Gctober, 1849, heremoved to Minnesota, and in 1850 he was admitted to the bar, although less than twenty-one years 'of age. He formed a partnership with Edmund R106 Hfld Ellis G. Whitall, which was early successful, and with slight changes the firm continued until 18 56, when it was dissolved. General Becker about this time had concluded to abandon the praotlfge Of the law. In 1862 he became Irand Comm1SS1OHC1' of the St. Paul Sc Pacific Railroad, and inf was elected president of the first division do T72- road, holding the position twelve Years indcllzlnd ing as hard as any emlQ10Yee-, Th? known? 'Umm a eXPerienC6 gained dufmg th-15 Pei?-'id mils Ware- valuable member of the State Rai way . , . - ' 5 13 13 house Commission and dictated T115 appgm me? t l t t He took an active lftterest in O 3 arge GX en - ' f his residence in local affairs from the beglnlilng 0 D

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265 which made it a fail . gistic reference to tliere, and closed with a eulo- u ri ht ,th memfllfy Of one of the mggt Sliljipg, men at evel' g1'HCed Minnesota citizen- PETER QUICK ECKERSON A - elected memb f was one of the earliest ers o the Holla d S 5.3 ' been a member since June 2 5, 235, O i1?2Viagg11ig in Clarkstown, New York, November I9 I8 . and a1WaYS -Spent his summers in the old horgigi itead Qt SPT1118 Valley. He made his permaneiiit ome in New York City, where he died january IO, IQO4. He was a direct descendant from Thomas Ec- kerson, one of the original settlers of Rockland C-5011111357 S h1S'g1'efELt-grandfather was Major John Smith, a major in the Revolutionary War, 'who was granted his commission by Governor Clinton, After graduation from Hamilton College in 186 3, Mr. Eckerson began the study of law in the office of A. AP. Lanning, of Buffalo, and was ad- mitted to the bar in 1865, continuing in active practice until his death. He met with marked success in his profession, and his sterling qualities made him beloved and respected by both personal and business associates. He was the attorney for many prominent firms and estates and was the oldest tenant in the Bennett Building. He was also an enthusiastic student of genealogical and historical works relating to New Amsterdam. He was first married in 1866 and in 1868 his son, Frank L. Eckerson, was born. In 1877, after the death of his Hrst wife, Mr. ECkC1'S01'l maflfled Pauline A. Smith. Four children were born.to them. His widow and two children, Paullfle Mae and William De Wint, survive him. d Mr. Eckerson was a member of the Secrcfii Collegiate Reformed Church of Harlem. e - ' 'dence funeral services were held at his late resi , 117 West 12341 Street, and also at ug? iefofmed Dutch church at spring Valley, New Of