Memorial Record of Western Kentucky, Volume I and Volume II, Lewis
Publishing Company, 1904, pp. 146-148.  McCracken Co.  [Portrait,
p. 147]

JOSEPH W. BECKER, M.D.

     Joseph W. Becker, M.D. was born at Smithland, Livingston county,
Kentucky, December 23, 1825, and died at Paducah, Kentucky, in the year
1890.  He was a son of Joseph and Catherine (Hagey) Becker, the father a
native of Canada and the mother a native of Tennessee.  The home of the
parents continued at Smithland till the son was about seven years of age,
and thereafter till 1844 the family resided in Paducah.
     In this latter city the youth of Dr. Becker was spent.  He received a
fair literary education, and then took up the study of medicine.  The
celebrated Dr. Gross of Louisville, Kentucky, was his preceptor.  Later he
attended medical lectures in New York and Philadelphia.  He began his
professional career at Metropolis, Illinois, to which place his parents had
removed from Paducah.  Here he practiced till the year 1856, when the
family returned to the city of Paducah.  For over thirty years thereafter
he was actively engaged in the practice of medicine and surgery in Paducah.
For a long time he and the late Dr. Reuben Saunders were associated
partners in the practice of medicine.
     Dr. Becker gained professional prominence soon after he entered upon
his career as a physician and surgeon.  For years he enjoyed a large and
lucrative practice, but a few years before his death he endeavored to
retire from the active practice.
     He was possessed of a broad and thorough knowledge of the science of
medicine, and in the application of his knowledge was a most skillful
practitioner.  He was a trusted and beloved physician.  In manner he was
kind, considerate, genial and generous.  He is yet and long will be held in
affectionate memory by those who knew him.
     Dr. Becker not only rose to a high rank in his profession, but also
gained prominence as a progressive and public-spirited citizen.  He amassed
a fair estate, but not by means of speculation, nor by oppression of his
fellow man.  He was charitable, and ever gave aid to those he deemed worthy
of help.  He led a consistent christian life, and was an exemplary member
of the Episcopal church, to which he gave local support and liberally of
his means.
     When about twenty-seven years of age Dr. Becker married Miss Kate
Baker, who died within a year after the marriage.  He never married again.
Of his family all have passed away in death save his sister, Mrs. Joseph B.
Jacob, still a resident of the city of Paducah.

Becker Hagey Saunders Baker Jacob
=
Livingston-KY Canada TN Massac-IL

http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/mccracken/becker.jw.txt