WILLIAM H. BECKMAN is a member of a Chicago law firm whose name commands instant respect in the profession of the state, Beckman, Todd, Hough & Woods, at 134 North LaSalle Street. His law practice has been only one of many activities which have taken up Mr. Beckman’s busy years.
He is a native of Illinois, born on a farm in Douglas County, May 15, 1872, son of William and Rebecca Elizabeth (Stoughton) Beckman. His mother was a native of Pennsylvania, while his father, born in Germany, was brought to America when a boy. William Beckman was a Union soldier in the Civil war, a member of [Co. C, 10th Pa. Reserves and] Company K of the One Hundred and Ninety-first Pennsylvania Regiment. His discharge papers have been carefully preserved by his son, who has them framed and hanging in his office. William Beckman moved to Illinois in 1867 and spent the rest of his active life as a farmer.
William H. Beckman made good use of the opportunities of a liberal education. He attended the University of Illinois, was graduated from the Kent College of Law at Chicago in 1897, and for the past thirty-four years has been enrolled in the Chicago bar, and since 1916 has been senior member of his present firm.
Mr. Beckman has an interesting record of military experience. During the Spanish-American war he went to Cuba as a private in the First Infantry, Illinois National Guard. Twenty years later, when America entered the World war, he organized the Fourth Regiment of the Illinois Reserve Militia and was its colonel four years. It was at the suggestion of Governor Lowden that he undertook the formation of this auxiliary organization in addition to the requirements made by the National Government at that time. During the war he was also chairman of the draft board of the Fifty-first District, and in this position he put in some of the most exacting work of all his military experience.
Mr. Beckman served as a member of the Illinois Constitutional Convention of 1920. For several years he was attorney for the Lincoln Park Board. He is a member of the Chicago and Illinois State Bar Associations, is president of the Illinois golf Club, a former president of the Illinois Athletic Club, member of the Westmoreland golf Club, Illinois Athletic Club, Medinah Athletic Club. in masonry he has attained the 33rd supreme honorary degree in the Scottish Rite. He is a past master of Blaney Lodge No. 271, A.F. and A.M., and a member of all the other bodies of the York and Scottish Rite, including the Shrine. Mr. Beckman is a director of the Citizens State Bank of Chicago and the Commercial State Bank.
He married Miss Adeline M. LeRoy , of Syracuse, New York. (“ILLINOIS, The Heart of the Nation” by Hon. Edward F. Dunne, Volume IV, 1933, Transcribed by Kim Torp)
Currently a resident of Burke, Virginia - I'm originally from the City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I have been a student of the Pennsylvania Reserves since 1997 and thoroughly enjoy telling their story. By trade I'm a former IT Professional but presently working as a Letter Carrier for the United States Postal Service.
