An Illustrated History of the State of Washington, by Rev. H.K. Hines, D.D., The Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago, IL., 1893, pages 444-445 JOHN C. BECKER, senior member of the firm of Becker & Johnson, proprietors of the planing mill and box factory on the corner of Seventh and K streets, Vancouver, was born in Auburn, New York, November 1, 1851, a son of John Becker, a native of New York city. He was a member of one of the early families of that State, and both the paternal and maternal ancestors of our subject antedate Revolutionary days on this continent. The mother of our subject, nee Maria Palmer, was also a native of New York, and descended from one of the old New England families. John O. Becker, the eighth in a family of eleven children, eight sons and three daughters, removed with his parents to Columbia county, Wisconsin, in 1857, where he was reared and educated. He subsequently located in Lancaster county, Nebraska, afterward in Iowa, Dakota and Minnesota, where he followed the carpenter's trade. In 1882 he came to Vancouver, Washington, and in 1889 established a box factory, leasing the power from an old planing-mill plant until 1892. In the latter year he purchased an interest in that enterprise, and the two factories are now operated from the same power, although separate property. The mill is well equipped with the best machinery, mold-jug machines, cross-cut and band saws, planers, lathes and joiners, and they manufacture moldings, shingles, brackets, doors, blinds, sash, etc., and do scroll-sawing. The business is largely local, although twenty per cent of the trade extends into Oregon, and they employ in all eleven men. Mr. Becker was married in Nebraska, March 9, 1874, to Miss Martha S. Piper, a native of Ohio, and they have three children: Mary E.; John E.; and Lydia M., now deceased. Our subject affiliates with the Republican party, although he takes no active part in political matters. Socially, he affiliates with the O.U.A.M. and the Chosen Friends. Submitted to the WA. Bios Project in October 2003 by Jeffrey L. Elmer * * * * Notice: These biographies were transcribed for the Washington Biographies Project. Unless otherwise stated, no further information is available on the individual featured in the biographies.