Levi Beck

My hero is Levi Beck-Maker of Yorkton, Saskatchewan. Levi Beck was born in Salem, Ontario in 1860. He moved to Portage La Prairie in 1883. A year later he drove all the way across the country with oxen to Yorkton where he started. He had a boarding house, flour and feed store, extended into a grocery trade in 1896, general store, lumber yard, meat market, a harness and shoe repair shop, fruit store, and an implement business and bakery.

He had 20 sections of land, he had so much land a guy tried to get him in buying his own land! He was a very hard working man. He grew wheat, threshed it, milled it, baked the bread, and delivered the bread! Most people only had one pair of horses, used as cars or hauling wood to heat their homes. But Levi Beck had 15 pairs which he used to help the citizens of Yorkton by hauling wood to heat their homes!

He and his wife were very religious. They built an enormous house in 1901. It was so big it would have been enough room for 8 kids in it. But he and his wife couldn't have children. Then he never had children to help him when he got older. He house was located where the Fire Hall is now.

He had a lot of accomplishments as well. He was the mayor thoughout 1911 to 1912. He was also a secretary of the Queen Victoria Hospital. As well in 1930 he was President of the Yorkton and District Board of Trade.

Levi Beck's businesses made him a million dollars.(That was back then so that means it would be 50 million in today's life) But unfortunately he lost it all in the dirty thirties. He even had his own money people could use in his shops. March 16, 1936 at the age of 75 Levi Beck died. December 7, 1947 at the age of 74 Mrs. Beck died. He never lost faith in Yorkton, Saskathewan, and now look at it! It has grown into a city. Levi Beck is my hero because he set a goal (to make a town) and achieved it and because he was really hard working and never gave up.