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Gustav Lorenz Becker photograph collection, 1889-1947

Overview of the Collection

Title
Gustav Lorenz Becker photograph collection
Dates
1889-1947 (inclusive)
Quantity
12 boxes, (10.25 linear ft.)
Collection Number
UUS_P0361
Summary
Twelve boxes of black and white photographs and twelve scrapbooks that center around the life of Gustav Lorenz Becker, including shooting tournaments, hunting, his friendship with gun inventor John M. Browning, family outings, and his participation in local and national events such as parades, county fairs, American Legion ceremonies, and the United States Brewers Association (U.S.B.A.).
Repository
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections and Archives Division
Special Collections & Archives
Merrill-Cazier Library
Utah State University
Logan, UT
84322-3000
Telephone: 4357978248
Fax: 4357972880
scweb@usu.edu
Access Restrictions

No restrictions on use except: not available through interlibrary loan.

Languages
Material in English.
Sponsor
donated by Karen Becker Edson
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Biographical Note

Gustav Lorenz Becker (GLB) was born in Winona Minnesota on April 7, 1868 to John S. and Katherine Becker. GLB was educated in Winona graduating with honors from Lambert College. In 1890 he moved to Ogden, Utah where he was placed in charge of the office of his father's brewery. In 1891 he and his brother took control of the Schellhas Brewing Company changing the name to Becker Brewing and Malting Company.

Because of his success in beer brewing and his stature within the community, GLB held a number of business positions. By the end of his life he had served as President of Becker Brewing, Vice President of the Ogden State Bank, Vice President of the Bear River Club Company, Vice President of the Lion Coal Company, Vice President of the Hotel Bigelow Company, Director of the Utah Idaho Railroad Company, Director of the Superior Rock Springs Coal Company, Director of the Amalgamated Sugar Company, Director of the Tintic Standard Mining Company, Director of the Rock Springs Coal Company, and Director of the Ogden Morning Examiner. GLB also served as a trustee of the United States Brewers Association and the National Brewers' Association.

Outside of business, GLB served in a variety of positions relating to hunting and shooting including the President of the Ogden Gun Club (for over thirty years), and Vice President for the Bear River Club Company, the American Trap Shooting Association, and the Western Trap Shooting Association. He was national renowned for his shooting ability and won several tournaments and exhibitions including the "famous Globe Trophy" and the trapshooting handicap championship of America. Most notable were his abilities to mimic melodies using his gun using a special musical board created for him by John M. Browning as well as his accuracy shooting targets while traveling in a motorboat.

At age twenty-five he joined the Utah National Guard and when World War I broke out he joined the Utah Home Guard and offered to tender his factory and services to the United States. He was active with the American Legion and he was honored by several patriotic groups. He is one of only a handful to have received the American Legion Medal for Distinguished Service.

Gustav Lorenz Becker died at the age of seventy-eight on 12 January 1947. He married Thekla Bohn on August 12, 1892. The couple had two daughters, Thekla Katharine and Helen.

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Content Description

This collection consists of twelve boxes and includes twelve scrapbooks that center around the life of Gustav Lorenz Becker (GLB) including shooting tournaments, hunting, his friendship with gun inventory John M. Browning, family outings, and his participation in local and national events such as parades, county fairs, American Legion ceremonies, and the United States Brewers Association (U.S.B.A.). Also included are photographs of the Becker Brewing and Malting Company factory including employees, displays, parades, and factory machinery. There are approximately 1,173 photographs in the collection.

Several of the scrapbooks consist almost entirely of newspaper articles and personal correspondence. The newspaper articles mainly feature the results of the various shooting and hunting tournaments that GLB participated in. Other articles focus on prohibition and Becker's various world-wide exploits. The personal correspondence highlight GLB's role as a well-known Utah personality, featuring correspondence to and from LDS Church leadership, state governors, supreme court justices, and United States presidents.

One scrapbook (box seven) details Albert Becker, brother to GLB and Vice President of Becker Brewing, and his political campaigns for state senator of district 18 in Ogden, Utah and the 1927 Ogden mayoral race.

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Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances.

Permission to publish material from the Gustav Lorenz Becker Photograph Collection must be obtained from the Special Collections Photograph Curator and/or the Special Collections Department Head.

The scrapbooks in boxes 2 and 10 are too fragile and bulky to be photocopied, but instead patrons can use a digital camera.

Preferred Citation

Initial Citation: P0361; Gustav Lorenz Becker Photograph Collection; Photograph Collections; Utah State University Special Collections and Archives, Merrill-Cazier Library, Utah State University.

Following Citations: P0361, USUSC.

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Administrative Information

Processing Note

Processed in 2007. Additional material (box 12) added in 2024.

Acquisition Information

The bulk of the collection consists of scrapbooks donated by Karen Becker Edson. Some of the photographs were purchased from Ralph Taylor. Items in box 12 were donated by John A. Becker, Jr. in 2017.

Related Materials

See also Becker Brewing and Malting Company Records, 1893-1954 (CAINE COLL MSS 31, Utah State University); Utah Since Statehood Vol. 4, Becker, Gustav Lorenz, (979.2 W259/p. 286 Utah State University); Utah, the Storied Domain Vol. 2, Becker, Albert E., (979.2 AL79u/p. 258, Utah State University); and Beer in the beehive: a history of brewing in Utah, Becker Brewing, (979.28 V277, Utah State University).

Location of Originals

Certain select materials related to the history of the Becker Brewing & Malting Company and Becker Family have been digitized and are available in the Becker Brewing and Malting Company Records Digital Collection.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Beer--Utah--History.
  • Breweries--Utah--Ogden--History.
  • Breweries--Wyoming--Evanston--History
  • Brewers--Utah--Ogden--History.
  • Camping--Utah--Photographs
  • Fishing--History--Source
  • Fishing--Utah--Photographs
  • Hunting--History--Sources
  • Hunting--Utah--Photographs
  • Parades--Utah--Ogden--Photographs
  • Prohibition--Utah--Ogden--History
  • Shooters of firearms--West (U.S.)--Photograph
  • Shooting--History--Sources
  • Skis and skiing--Utah--History--Sources
  • Skis and skiing--Utah--Photographs
  • Skis and skiing--Utah--Snow Basin--Photographs
  • Winter sports--Utah--Photographs

Geographical Names

  • Ogden (Utah)--History--Photographs

Finding aid/Register created by Trevor Alvord
2007

CC Attribution
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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