- Migrant from Canada to United States
- Veteran of the Mormon Battalion
- Respected farmer/pioneer of Colton CA
Biography
Pvt William Ezra Beckstead was born 13 March 1827 in Williamsburg, Waterloo County, Ontario, Canada to Francis Beckstead (1773-1841) and Catherine Lang (1794-1868) and died 17 May 1909 Colton, San Bernardino County, California, United States of unspecified causes. He married Mary Jane Winn (1828-1864) 7 January 1849 in Pottawattamie County, Iowa.
Leaving Canada
Mormon Battalion
Participant in the march of The Mormon Battalion. This unit of the US Army served in the Mexican-American War and was the only religiously based infantry unit ever created by Presidential order. It consisted of nearly 500 men recruited exclusively from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly called the Mormons). They undertook the longest infantry march in U.S. military history (as of 1847) and in the process marked out and creating the first continuous wagon road to California which linked the future states of New Mexico, Arizona, and California to the United States. Most members served an initial 12 month term (Jul 1846- Jul 1847) with some members re-enlisting for an additional 12 months afterwards.
When the saints were forced out of Nauvoo, the Becksteads moved to Council Bluffs, Iowa in 1846. After their arrival in Council Bluffs, the family sustained another setback when the Church was asked by the government to furnish 500 volunteers as members of the Mormon Battalion during the War with Mexico. Gordon Silas, along with cousin Orrin Mortimer Beckstead, and uncle William Ezra Beckstead, were among the first to offer their services. Gordon was in Company A, Jefferson Hunt (1803-1879), as Captain. It has been reported that this Mormon Battalion completed what has been acknowledged as the longest march of infantry forces in the history of the world, and possibly one of the most severe tests to any force of men.
Children
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Mary Melissa Beckstead (1849-) | |||
| Martha Jane Beckstead (1851-1912) | |||
| Matilda Ann Beckstead (1853-1875) | |||
| Rachel Sariah Beckstead (1854-1951) | |||
| Mitchel Beckstead (1855-) | |||
| William Beckstead (1855-) | |||
| Nancy Elizabeth Beckstead (1859-1943) | |||
| MMargaret Olive Beckstead (1860-) | |||
Siblings
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| John Volkman Beckstead (1795-1876) | |||
| Helena Magdalena Beckstead (1797-1866) | |||
| Jacob Beckstead (1799-1892) | |||
| Alexander Beckstead (1802-1870) | 16 March 1802 Schoharie, Schoharie County, New York, United States | 25 February 1870 West Jordan, Salt Lake County, Utah, United States | Catherine Elinore Lince (1807-1889) Keziah Albine Petty (1835-1907) Clarrisa Ann Brown Gilson (1837-1911) |
| Elizabeth Beckstead (1802-1867) | |||
| Nellie May Beckstead (1804-1923) | |||
| Mathew Mathias Beckstead (1805-1853) | |||
| Maria Beckstead (1806-1883) | |||
| Moses Beckstead (1807-1883) | |||
| Hannah Beckstead (1808-1911) | |||
| Francis Beckstead (1810-1848) | 4 July 1810 Williamsburg, Glengerry County, Ontario, Canada | 1848 Missouri River, Pottawattamie County, Iowa, United States | Maria Bailey (1810-1867) |
| Anna Elizabeth Beckstead (1812-1877) | |||
| Elizabeth Beckstead (1815-1852) | |||
| Hyrum Beckstead (1816-1845) | |||
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Mary Louise Beckstead (1818-1888) | |||
| Simon Peter Beckstead (1822-1910) | |||
| Sarah Louisa Mary Beckstead (1823-1852) | |||
| Nancy Beckstead (1824-1865) | |||
| Daniel Beckstead (1825-1916) | |||
| Charles Beckstead (1826-1916) | |||
| Elizabeth Beckstead (1826-1852) | |||
| William Ezra Beckstead (1827-1909) | 13 March 1827 Williamsburg, Waterloo County, Ontario, Canada | 17 May 1909 Colton, San Bernardino County, California, United States | Mary Jane Winn (1828-1864) Dolores Garcia (1846-1913) Mary Elizabeth Calkins (1830-1864) |
| Emma Phoebe Ann Beckstead (1829-1911) | |||
| Keziah Beckstead (1831-1856) | |||
| George Wesley Beckstead (1835-1890) | |||
Vital Records
References
See Also
- Orin Beckstead
- Beckstead in San Bernardino County, California
- Beckstead in Waterloo County, Ontario