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The Beckmans were a musical family. They had a grand piano in the parlor and a pump-organ in the sitting room. Philip played the violin, Pauline the piano, and everyone sang. A cousin, May Barron, became a well-known contralto, singing opera in the States and abroad, and, in later days teaching at North Central College. Philip’s harness and saddlery shop was located at the northwest corner of Washington and Chicago Ave. He bought and cured veal and cow hides from the farmers, and beaver; mink, muskrat, fox and occasionally coyote skins from the trappers along the DuPage River. He installed the first telephone in town with framed vibrators at the shop and house, 3 blocks uphill. When he pulled the string that stretched between them, his wife knew he would be starting home for dinner. He also installed a large watering trough for the farm horses outside his shop. When Sear Roebuck started selling machine-made harnesses and automobiles were envisioned in the future, Philip sold his shop. When Philip died his family replaced the watering trough with a large metal fountain, given to the city in his memory. That fountain, after years of being planted with flowers and decorating various city centers, is now in a fine setting in the entering plaza of the Riverwalk. In the Martin Mitchell Museum are certain items from the Philip Beckman home: the flaxwheel that had belonged to Elizabeth’s mother in Germany, her printed challis wedding dress, the telephone, the black grand piano from the parlor, and Philip’s boxed collection of fine saddlery tools. (Written by Eleanor B. Martin on behalf of Dylvia B. Warner) |
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