Fonds ID60 - John G. Beckett

Title proper

John G. Beckett

General material designation

  • Textual record

Parallel title

Other title information

Title statements of responsibility

Title notes

  • Source of title proper: Title based on contents.

Level of description

Fonds

Reference code

CA MNBM ID60

Edition statement

Edition statement of responsibility

Statement of scale (cartographic)

Statement of projection (cartographic)

Statement of coordinates (cartographic)

Statement of scale (architectural)

Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)

Date(s)

Physical description

3 cm of textual records

Title proper of publisher's series

Parallel titles of publisher's series

Other title information of publisher's series

Statement of responsibility relating to publisher's series

Numbering within publisher's series

Note on publisher's series

Name of creator

(1828-1889)

Biographical history

John G. Beckett (1828-1889) was born in Kilmarnock, Scotland. He received a good education and learned the confectioner's trade from his father. He emigrated to the United States in 1848, spending the first two years in Boston, Massachusetts, before moving to Eastport, Maine, where he established a confectionery business. Beckett later moved the company to Calais, Maine, where it flourished.

In 1854, John Beckett married Mary S. Newton (1833-1885), of Grand Manan Island, New Brunswick. They had 5 children, 3 sons and two daughters. One of the children was named Helen. Mary Beckett died in 1885 at the age of 52.

John Beckett returned to Scotland in 1858, aboard the "Adept of Glasgow" from Saint John to Port Glasgow with Captain L. Campbell. He kept an extensive journal, ship log style, during the voyage.

Returning to New Brunswick in 1859, Beckett moved his confectionery business to Saint John. He stayed only about a year then returned to Calais, Maine, where he remained for most of the rest of his life.

John Beckett appeared to have grown tired of business during the 1860s and turned to the study of law. He graduated in 1870 from Harvard Law School with a Bachelor of Laws degree. He was admitted to the bar in both Maine and Massachusetts and his time was then devoted to the new career. His children took over the confectionery business.

Beckett made some investments in real estate in Calais involving brick blocks which proved to be unpopular and he lost heavily.

He was a member of the Second Baptist Church of Calais, Maine, and the Masonic fraternity.

Custodial history

Information about the custody of these records prior to acquisition is incomplete.

Scope and content

The fonds consists of a account book,1859-1860, for John Beckett's confectionery business.

Physical condition

Immediate source of acquisition

Acquired from Mrs. Elizabeth Shreve (St. Stephen), 1978

Arrangement

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

Location of originals

Availability of other formats

Restrictions on access

No restrictions

Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication

Finding aids

Associated materials

NB Museum's fonds ID 1703 contains a number of materials related to John Beckett's private life, including a journal from his 1858 voyage to Glascow, where he visited with relatives, and a photocopy of his 1889 obituary.

Related materials

Accruals

Alternative identifier(s)

Standard number

Subject access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description record identifier

Institution identifier

Rules or conventions

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation, revision and deletion

Language of description

Script of description

Sources

Accession area

Related subjects

Related people and organizations

Related places

Related genres