Introduction
Andreas Beck operated a barber shop at 116 Federal Street for 59 years before retiring on March 21, 1915. Among his regular customers were General William Joyce Sewell, who also served as a U.S. Senator from New Jersey. Andreas Beck also tended to President Benjamin Harrison when he visited Camden during his presidency.
Andreas Beck was born in the Duchy of Baden, part of present day Germany, in August of 1842. He emigrated to the United States in 1856, and apprenticed as a barber in Philadelphia while boarding with George and Anna Warner, according to the 1860 Census.
On September 16, 1861 Andreas Beck enlisted as a Private in Company F of the 75th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment. The 75th Regiment, originally known as the 40th, composed principally of German citizens from Philadelphia, was mustered into the U.S. service at Camp Worth, Philadelphia, in August and September 1862, for three years. Many of the members had seen service in European armies; Colonel Bohlen was a veteran of the Mexican war, and Lieutenant Colonel Mahler had been an officer in the Baden revolution. On Sept. 26, 1861, the regiment, about 800 strong, left for Washington, and there its ranks were soon recruited to the maximum number. It was assigned to Blenker’s division and encamped at Roach’s mills until October 12, when it went into winter quarters at Hunter’s Chapel. A regimental band, led by Rudolph Wittig, which joined the command on the 31st, was discharged by general order on August 16, 1862. In March, 1862, it moved with the army on the general advance, reaching Warrenton Junction on the 26th, when it was ordered to report with its division to Gen. Fremont commanding the Mountain Department. In an attempt to cross the Shenandoah river in an old ferry boat on April 15, Captain Wyck and Sergeant Tiedemann of Company K, Lieutenant Winter of Company I, and about 50 enlisted men of the two companies were drowned. The regiment was encamped at Winchester from April 18 to May 6, recovering from its severe marches and exposures. While here Colonel Bohlen was promoted to brigadier-general. On May 14, the command reached Franklin and the latter part of the month hastened by forced marches in pursuit of Stonewall Jackson. It was in reserve at the battle of Cross Keys and after the battle moved to Mount Jackson, where it was assigned to the 2nd brigade (Colonel Kryzanowski), 3rd division (General Schurz), 1st corps (General Sigel), Army of Virginia. Sigel’s corps arrived too late to share in the battle of Cedar Mountain, but a few days later it was engaged in a brisk skirmish at Freeman’s ford, where General Bohlen was killed. It was in action at Groveton and the second Bull Run, losing in the two days’ fighting, 2 officers 28 men killed, and 5 officers and 98 men wounded, among whom was Lieutenant Colonel Mahler. Color-sergeant Robert Jordan of Company A, formerly an officer in the army of Schleswig-Holstein displayed conspicuous courage and died while bearing aloft the colors. The following were officially reported for gallantry shown: Sergeants Haserodt of Company A, Weigand and Maurer of Company B, John Emleben of the same Company, who took the flag from the hands of Sergeant Jordan as he fell, though he was himself wounded, Louis Mahler and Jacob Pauley of Company D, George Brueckmame of Company F, Henry Schmull of Company H, and Andrew Schmidt of Company I; also Corporals Schweigert, Hanner, Abraham and Rosenthal, and private Jacob Ullman. The 75th was not again engaged until the battle of Chancellorsville the following year. It reached the Rappahannock too late to participate in the battle of Fredericksburg and had wintered at Stafford Court House and Hartwood Church. Andreas Beck was mustered out of the 75th Pennsylvania on December 24, 1862.
In 1866 Andreas Beck came to Camden to work as a barber for John Jacob Somers. Census records indicate that he married three times. The 1870 Census lists him as being married to a woman named Rachel, with two daughters, Lizzie, 5, and Anna, 7. The 1880 Census shows him married to Pennsylvania-born Miriah. He married his third wife Ella, a native of New Jersey, in 1900. No children appear in the census records for the second and third marriages.
After retirement Andreas Beck moved to West Philadelphia.
Andreas Beck, Tonsorial Artist
Historical and Industrial Review of Camden, N.J. — 1890
A neatly equipped and popular barber shop is an incalculable convenience in any neighborhood in which people live. Such an establishment is that of Andreas Beck, No. 116 Federal Street. It was established in the Fall of 1855, and is 11x28 feet in dimensions, and does a business requiring four chairs.
Mr. Beck, the proprietor, is a native of Germany and came here thirty-four years ago. He is a barber by trade; is now President of the Barbers’ Sunday Closing Association, the only organization of its kind ever made sufficiently effective to carry out the object for which it was formed.
Mr. Beck’s entire business career has been in this place, in which he learned his trade, and in 1860 purchased the business of his predecessor, John Jacob Somers, the founder of the shop.
Mrs. Beck and Mrs. Powell Attend Conventions in New York
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Mrs. Andreas Beck and Mrs. Frank Powell left on Tuesday for New York, where they spent several days and attended the Salvation Army convention and the meeting of the W. C. T. U.
Death of Mrs. Maria Beck
Philadelphia Inquirer —
• Mrs. Maria Beck, wife of Andreas Beck, of 114 Federal street, died yesterday of congestion of the brain. She was a prominent member of the First M. E. Church, where the funeral services will be held on Monday.
Quits After Nearly 3 Score Years at Trade
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Camden’s Veteran Barber, Who Trimmed President Harrison’s Beard, Retires From Shop
Camden’s veteran barber, Andreas Beck, who has been in business at 116 Federal street for fifty-nine consecutive years, retired yesterday. He is to spend the balance of his years at 412 North Sixty-first street, Philadelphia. During his career Beck has attended to the wants of many notables, including President Benjamin Harrison and Senator William J. Sewell, the latter being a regular customer.
In the fifty-nine years since he went as an apprentice with John Jacob Somers, Mr. Beck has seen Camden grow from a small community to a thriving municipality of over 100,000. At that time the ferry house was located at Front and Federal streets, several squares inland from the present location. There was also the Round House, a famous hostelry frequented by Philadelphians and Camdenites. It was the place where men of prominence gathered and where many political slates were planned.
“A good many years ago General Sewell came into my office, as was his custom,” said Mr. Beck in a reminiscent mood yesterday, “and after I had finished with him he turned to a gentleman who was with him saying, ‘Mr. President, I think a good shave would help your appearance.’ I instantly recognized the gentleman as President Harrison. The President laughed at General Sewell’s remark and dryly said that he guessed he would feel better, and I trimmed his hair and beard. President Harrison was as kind a man as I ever met.”
Throughout the day the veteran wielder of the razor and shears was kept busy bidding his old friends good-by.