Axel John Beck

Axel John Beck (May 6, 1894 – September 2, 1981) was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of South Dakota. Early life and education Beck was born in the village of Timmersdala, Sweden as one of seven children born to Carl Melcher and Anna Helena (Jonson) Back. His father was a member of the Swedish military and the owner and operator of a lime kiln. In March 1906, at the age of 11, Beck immigrated to the United States arriving in South Dakota in the middle of April 1906. He became a naturalized citizen of the United States of May 17, 1913. He received an Artium Baccalaureus degree from Morningside College in 1920. He received a Juris Doctor from the University of Chicago Law School in 1922. During World War I, he was a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army. He served in the Field Artillery at Camp Zachary Taylor, Kentucky, where it appears he was a junior officer of the 4th Company Convalescent Center. Career