Johan Anton Beck was born in April 1870 in Lafayette, Indiana. His father, a baker, was a recent emigrant from Hohenzollern, Prussia.
Johan, or John, grew up in Lafayette and learned the clothing trade there. After marrying in 1894 he moved to Chicago. Job opportunities were better there. But, after having several children, he decided to move on. About 1905 he headed west to Portland, Oregon. They were having a large Lewis & Clark Exposition that year. Maybe that gave him some business opportunities.
Johan, or John, grew up in Lafayette and learned the clothing trade there. After marrying in 1894 he moved to Chicago. Job opportunities were better there. But, after having several children, he decided to move on. About 1905 he headed west to Portland, Oregon. They were having a large Lewis & Clark Exposition that year. Maybe that gave him some business opportunities.
Downtown Portland in 1905
John started a clothes dyeing business in Portland. At the time most of this was done in Europe and imported. But new tariffs, and political unrest in Europe, was increasing this business in America.
John moved to Salem, Oregon, about 1914 for a couple years. But, his son Truxal had become a juvenile delinquent by age 14. The son had gotten into trouble for stealing a car on a dare from a friend. In 1916, at age 15, Truxal was caught with three others breaking into the local high school. The kids had been breaking into lockers and selling the stolen items. Truxal was sent to Reform School by approval of his father. His father moved the family back to Portland and starts doing tailoring.
John moved to Salem, Oregon, about 1914 for a couple years. But, his son Truxal had become a juvenile delinquent by age 14. The son had gotten into trouble for stealing a car on a dare from a friend. In 1916, at age 15, Truxal was caught with three others breaking into the local high school. The kids had been breaking into lockers and selling the stolen items. Truxal was sent to Reform School by approval of his father. His father moved the family back to Portland and starts doing tailoring.
When World War I broke out across Europe in 1914, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the United States would remain neutral, and many Americans supported this nonintervention. However, public opinion about neutrality started to change after the sinking of the British ocean liner Lusitania by a German U-boat in 1915 with almost 2,000 people perished, including 128 Americans. This action, along with news of a threatening alliance between Germany and Mexico, Wilson asked Congress for a declaration of war against Germany. The U.S. officially entered the conflict on April 6, 1917. After getting out of Reform School that year Truxal joined the Army on July 22nd at only 16 years old. By the next year he was fighting in France. (More on him later)
This action apparently sparked patriotism in John, And two months later he started filing copyrights and patents for a new patriotic deck of cards. Because the old royal families in Europe were the cause of the war his catch phrase for the deck was "No Kings or Queens For Me!"
The Kings were represented by Uncle Sam, the Queens by Lady Liberty and the Jacks by a combination of a Sailor and Soldier. And the Aces had an aeroplane.
The Encyclopedia of American Playing Cards lists this deck as W24 FREEDOM PLAYING CARDS, Freedom Playing Card Co., Portland, Oregon, 1917. In this unusual deck Uncle Sam replaces the kings, Liberty the queens and Infantry replace the Jacks. The Joker shows a soldier and a sailor holding a donkey with the statement “No Kings or Queens for Me”. Another Joker has a caricature of the World sweeping the Kings and Queens away.
In March 1918 John incorporates his Freedom Card Company. His partners were two local lawyers, Bert Emory Haney and George Washington Joseph. But he returns to Chicago for help to print his cards and hires Max B. Sheffer of the Midland Card Company. (Watch for a future story is coming about him)
First Max tried to get a factory started in Kendallville, Indiana, but the deal fell through. Then he took over the factory of John W. Culp's Telbax Card Company in Huntington, Indiana. (Watch for the future story of this man also) But, Max and John got involved together in a lawsuit over the card printing machines. Max just wanted to buy them and move them to his Inter Ocean Card factory in Lafayette, Indiana.
The American Motor Vehicle Company was founded in Lafayette, Indiana in 1916. It manufactured pedal cars and built the Auto Red Bug and American Junior automobile models 1916 to 1919. They were mainly intended to be sold for children. The company had hoped to compete with rickshaws in China and to produce electric vehicles for invalids. They were located at 16th and Union Streets. Sheffler bought their building in 1919 for his Inter Ocean Playing Card Company and to produce the Freedom Playing Cards.
In January 1920 the Freedom Playing Card Company was offered a deal by the Russian Government to buy their cards. The Russians would pay them in raw sable furs. Officials of the company said "We refuse to accept the currency of the Trotsky-Lenin government".
Freedom Playing Cards stayed in business until December 1923 and then Sheffler moved his business to Chicago. It appears that was also the end of the Freedom Playing Card production.
If you have not already read the story about Democracy Playing Cards you should. There are a number of similarities. Is it a coincidence?
Freedom Playing Cards stayed in business until December 1923 and then Sheffler moved his business to Chicago. It appears that was also the end of the Freedom Playing Card production.
If you have not already read the story about Democracy Playing Cards you should. There are a number of similarities. Is it a coincidence?
What Happened To Truxal
By July 1918 Truxal was 17 years old and fighting on the front lines in France and received his first wound. He was now serving with the 5th Machine Gun Battalion of the 2nd Division in the biggest battles. That October, in the Argonne Forest, his unit got out of friendly artillery range. The Germans then cut off his unit and reduced it from 200 men down to 40. Finally Truxal and the other 39 were able to retreat to a nearby hill. Almost out of ammunition at nightfall Truxal crawled out into enemy territory to bring back some more. Through a hail of artillery and bullets Truxal started dragging back two boxes of ammunition to his unit. Just as he was within 10 feet of reaching them he was shot.
The newspapers reported Truxal as "Missing In Action" at the Battle of the Argonne Forest. But, in January the Becks received a letter from France from Truxal. He was alive in a French hospital. When he was shot he passed out and did not wake up for six days. By then he was in a hospital in Bordeaux. He spent the next three months recovering, but unidentified. His unit survived the night due to his retrieval of the ammunition, but he was never awarded a commendation.
Unfortunately, when he returned home from the war he returned to his old ways. In May 1920 he and a buddy were caught hopping a freight in Pomona, California. They told the cops they had just been in a movie as extras with Tom Mix and were heading back to Oregon. The police confiscated a Luger from Truxal. The police find out this young guy is a war vet and had killed three "Heinies" with the Luger. They let him keep it and also let him go. But, five months later, back in Salem, he is arrested for attempting to rob a guy and shooting him with the Luger. He is eventually found not guilty.
Then two years later Truxal is caught stealing cars in Portland. The police have found that he had stolen at least a dozen and this time he goes to jail.
In 1936 he marries a woman that has a hotel in San Francisco. Truxal has been working as a traveling fur salesman. The marriage is very short. In 1939 Truxal beats her up and blinds her in one eye. He wanted her to give him some of the hotel profits and she refused. This time he goes to the U. S. Penitentiary at McNeil Island, Washington. Truxal's father had passed away the year previously and did not get to see his son end up in prison.
By July 1918 Truxal was 17 years old and fighting on the front lines in France and received his first wound. He was now serving with the 5th Machine Gun Battalion of the 2nd Division in the biggest battles. That October, in the Argonne Forest, his unit got out of friendly artillery range. The Germans then cut off his unit and reduced it from 200 men down to 40. Finally Truxal and the other 39 were able to retreat to a nearby hill. Almost out of ammunition at nightfall Truxal crawled out into enemy territory to bring back some more. Through a hail of artillery and bullets Truxal started dragging back two boxes of ammunition to his unit. Just as he was within 10 feet of reaching them he was shot.
The newspapers reported Truxal as "Missing In Action" at the Battle of the Argonne Forest. But, in January the Becks received a letter from France from Truxal. He was alive in a French hospital. When he was shot he passed out and did not wake up for six days. By then he was in a hospital in Bordeaux. He spent the next three months recovering, but unidentified. His unit survived the night due to his retrieval of the ammunition, but he was never awarded a commendation.
Unfortunately, when he returned home from the war he returned to his old ways. In May 1920 he and a buddy were caught hopping a freight in Pomona, California. They told the cops they had just been in a movie as extras with Tom Mix and were heading back to Oregon. The police confiscated a Luger from Truxal. The police find out this young guy is a war vet and had killed three "Heinies" with the Luger. They let him keep it and also let him go. But, five months later, back in Salem, he is arrested for attempting to rob a guy and shooting him with the Luger. He is eventually found not guilty.
Then two years later Truxal is caught stealing cars in Portland. The police have found that he had stolen at least a dozen and this time he goes to jail.
In 1936 he marries a woman that has a hotel in San Francisco. Truxal has been working as a traveling fur salesman. The marriage is very short. In 1939 Truxal beats her up and blinds her in one eye. He wanted her to give him some of the hotel profits and she refused. This time he goes to the U. S. Penitentiary at McNeil Island, Washington. Truxal's father had passed away the year previously and did not get to see his son end up in prison.