Collection Guide
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Guide to the Beck Family Papers
MS 204
MS 204
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Table of contents
Title: Beck Family Papers
Identifier/Call Number: MS 204
Contributing Institution:
San Diego History Center Document Collection
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
4.5 Linear feet
(9 boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1874-1995
Abstract: The collection contains personal and business papers of the Beck family, with particular focus on Violet Beck.
creator:
Beck family
This collection is open for research.
The San Diego History Center (SDHC) holds the copyright to any unpublished materials. SDHC Library regulations do apply.
Collection processed by Alison Hennessey on March 21, 2012.
Collection processed as part of grant project supported by the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) with generous
funding from The Andrew Mellon Foundation.
Beck Family Papers, MS 204, San Diego History Center Document Collection, San Diego, CA.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Accession number 901313.
Biographical / Historical Notes
August Beck (b. January 26, 1845) married Louise Edith Myers (b. February 4, 1860) on November 4, 1882. August served in the
Army for 30 years becoming head Chief Clerk in Omaha, NE and Chicago, IL. In Chicago, they had two daughters, Evalinda (Eva)
Estella (b. 1884) and Violet Miriam (b. December 15, 1886). In the late 1880s, the family moved to San Diego, CA. Around 1895,
August was sent to Fort Stockton. In the late 1890s, they moved into a house at 612 Hawthorn. August Beck died in November
1917 in Honolulu, HI. In 1919, Louise purchased a house in the Golden Hill neighborhood of San Diego, at 411 21st St. Louise
lived in the home until her death in 1933. Later, Violet and Eva rented out rooms at the home on 21st Street and other family-owned
properties.
Eva became a nurse and worked throughout California. She married James Clark Earl on May 20, 1909 and had three children,
Lillian (b. circa 1910), John, and David. Lillian married Claude Sutton in 1932 and had two children, David and Charles. Eva
died in 1965.
Violet graduated from Fowler High School in Fresno, CA, in 1904 before attending the University of California, Berkeley where
she received her B.L., M.L., and teaching certification. Violet taught all over California including San Diego, Banning, Blythe,
Patterson, Esparto, Covelo, Lompoc, Ramona, Lakeside, National City, and Mt. Empire. Violet was a substitute teacher for 29
years in National City, Coronado, and San Diego and also taught at the Junior College of San Diego.
Violet was a devout Christian. Church activities and bible study were a dominant part of her life. She was a member of the
Philathea Class at the First Baptist Church of San Diego from 1901 to 1957.
While living in Golden Hill, Violet actively fought for the preservation of the community, specifically opposing the building
of high-rise structures. From 1935 to 1957, Violet was Head of the Restriction Committee of the Golden Hill Improvement Association.
Working with the association, she helped with the acquisition of Grant Hill Park and in obtaining a bridge over the freeway
at 22nd Street.
Violet died on July 3, 1989 at the age of 102.
A substantial amount of the material in the collection belongs to Violet M. Beck including diaries, scrapbooks, articles,
and journals documenting her life and interests growing up and teaching in California. Violet’s diaries and writings begin
during her high school years and continue through the late-1980s. Violet’s diaries mention her religious beliefs, family events,
and daily activities, including her rental properties and tenants. While teaching, Violet wrote about her pupils and experiences.
She also discusses her activities toward preserving Golden Hill. The collection also includes Violet’s poetry journals and
clippings from 1926 to the 1950s, including her own poetry and the works of other poets she admired. Violet also displays
her drawing skills throughout her scrapbooks, diaries and journals.
The collection also contains materials pertaining to family genealogy, real estate, and personal activities. Journals entitled
“Home Folks” record genealogical information about the Beck family, as well as personal entries by Violet Beck. The collection
also includes the diaries of Louise E. Beck and Eva E. Earl as well as a scrapbook of Lillian Sutton. Photographs of relatives
and friends are also included. There are materials related to the rental properties owned by the Beck Family. Guestbooks document
tenants that rented from Violet M. Beck and Eva Earl. The Guestbooks also include photographs of tenants.
The collection is arranged into four series:
Series I: Beck Family
Series II: Violet Miriam Beck
Series III: Rental Property
Series IV: Miscellanea
Items within each series are arranged by subject.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Diaries, journals, scrapbooks, and guestbooks have some fragile pages. Some pages in the diaries are partially detached from
their bindings. Guestbook covers with mold have been separated to Box 7 for the protection of other materials. Human and horse
hair have also been separated to Box 7. (March 21, 2012)
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Beck family
Beck, August
Beck, Louise E.
Beck, Violet Miriam
Crowell, Grace Noll, 1877-1969
Earl, Evalinda E.
Esparto Union High School (Calif.).
Grierson, Francis, 1848-1924
Grossmont Union High School (Calif.).
Keller, Helen, 1880-1968
Panama-California Exposition (1915 : San Diego, Calif.).
Sutton, Charles
Sutton, David
Sutton, Lillian
University of California, Berkeley.
Balboa Park (San Diego, Calif.)
Christian poetry
Christianity
Correspondence
Diaries
Esparto Union High School (Calif.)
Genealogy
Golden Hill (San Diego, Calif.)
Grossmont Union High School (Calif.)
Landlord and tenant
Nursing
Poetry
Real property
Rental housing
San Diego (Calif.)
San Francisco Earthquake and Fire, Calif., 1906
Scrapbooks
Spanish-American War, 1898
Teaching
United States History Civil War, 1861-1865
United States History Revolution, 1775-1783
Villa Montezuma (San Diego, Calif.)
World War, 1914-1918
World War, 1939-1945