Johann Beckerle (b.1812-1897) with his spouse,
Margaretha Bardon Beckerle (b.1814-1895) and,
FOUR of their ELEVEN children:
Conrad(16), Katharina(10), Philip(5), and Barbara(3), left Biblis,
their small farming village in Germany, to start a new life in America. Sailing from Hesslock Rheinhesse Germany in October 1859, aboard the steamship BAVARIA, they arrived in New York on November 03 1859. Conrad (b.Dec 1842-d.30 March 1931) the eldest son, moved on to Scranton Pennysylvania, and started a family of his own. Philip (b.1854-d.7th Jan 1939) who was five at the time, settled in Pearl River with the rest of the family. See Beckerle Family History.
Philip Beckerle
Young Philip received his first schooling in Nanuet and later in New York City. While still in his teens
he started the wood cutting business, cutting cord wood for the wood burning locomotives. He later sold wood for the railroad ties
to the approaching railroad. The laying of the tracks through Pearl River, then known as Middletown and later
as Muddy Brook, took place in 1870. At this time there were thirty two families dwelling in Middletown (Pearl River).
He married Pauline Miller (1861-1933) and settled down to a productive life in a growing Pearl River.
Some of his other notable achievements included being on the committee which laid out the wide streets of Pearl River.
He was also one of those responsible for building the original Catholic church in town. His immediate family included three daughters.
Miss Margaretta Beckerle (1890-1976), Miss Anne Beckerle (1897-1967). Anne worked for a time as a nurse for the radio city music hall rockettes!
and Sister Mary Pauline. He also had five sons. John P., Joseph, Alfred,
George (co-inventor of the automatic pin setter developed by AMF),
and Laurence Thomas. In 1940, a year after Philip died, Laurence started Beckerle Lumber.