This page is for the lucky families who have photos of Five Generations in
their family lines..
In the first row, left to right are: Mrs. Elizabeth (Schafer) Ripper, the great-great grandmother and Mrs. Jacob (Mary Ripper) Getz, the great-grandmother. Top row, left to right: Lawrence Getz, the grandfather, Beverly Ann, and her mother, Mrs. Allen (Marilyn) Becker.
Mrs. Elizabeth (Schafer) Ripper, whose husband was Johann Peter Ripper, was formerly of Pekin, and living in Mt. Carroll when the photo was taken. She was born August 26, 1853 in Pekin, Tazewell Co., IL and died May 1, 1947 in Mt. Carroll Twp., Carroll Co., IL.
Mrs Mary (Ripper) Getz, whose husband was Jacob Getz, was born March 16, 1875 at Sand Prairie Twp., Tazewell Co., IL and died May 12, 1962 in Mt. Carroll Twp., Carroll Co., IL. Lawrence George Getz was born August 24, 1896 in Mt. Carroll Twp., Carroll Co., IL and died October 18, 1964 in Savanna, Carroll Co., IL
Marilyn Getz Becker was born in 1926.
Beverly Becker was born in 1945.
Mt. Carroll, Illinois This photo was taken January 1946 and shows 5 generations of the Downing family. Beverly Ann Becker is the toddler, and she’s sitting on the lap of her mother, Marilyn Getz Becker. Her grandmother, Grace Downing Getz, is wearing a dark dress and her great-grandfather, Harvey Loomer Downing (II) is standing behind her. The woman laying in bed is Ellen Eliza Preston Downing, Harvey Loomer Downing’s mother and Beverly Ann Becker’s great-great-grandmother.
Ellen Eliza Preston Downing was 99 years old at the time and had broken her hip sometime between 1941-1943 and was bedridden and living in her house at 105 Clay Street, Mt. Carroll. She was born June 7, 1846 in Mt. Carroll Township, Carroll County, Illinois and died January 19, 1948 at her house on Clay Street. Although she certainly wouldn’t have approved a photo of her laying in bed being viewable to everyone in the world, she was proud of her family and keenly interested in genealogy and history all of her life. She would tell you there are several wonderful pictures of her and many colorful paintings she made on this website and encourage you to view them and think of her as she was then.
Her son, Harvey Loomer Downing, who went by the name Loomer Downing, was born July 26, 1873, also in Mt. Carroll Twp., and died there on November 15, 1953.
His daughter, Grace Downing Getz, was born July 8, 1903 in Mt. Carroll Twp. and died in Freeport, Stephenson Co., IL on January 6, 1992.
Marilyn Getz Becker was born in 1926
Her daughter, Beverly Becker, was born in 1945.
This photo is un-dated but probably was taken in August 1988. Michael Benters is being held my his great-great-grandmother, Grace Downing Getz. His great-grandmother, Marilyn Becker Getz, is sitting next to Grace. His grandmother, Beverly Ann Becker Sisler Hufman, is wearing a pink skirt and standing behind the chair. His mother, Sheri Sisler Benters, is wearing a striped shirt and standing behind the chair.
Grace Downing Getz, the great-great-grandmother, was born July 8, 1903 in Mt. Carroll Township and died in Freeport, Stephenson County, Illinois on January 6, 1992.
Marilyn Getz Becker, the great-grandmother, was born in 1926
Beverly Ann Becker, the grandmother, was born in 1945.
Sheri Sisler Benters, the mother, was born in 1963.
Michael Benters was born in July 1988.
This photo was also taken May 12, 1991. Travis Morhardt is laying on the lap of his great-grandmother, Marilyn Getz Becker. His great-great-grandmother, Grace Downing Getz, is sitting next to them. His grandmother, Elaine Becker Morhardt, is standing behind Grace. His father, Dennis Morhardt, is standing behind him and Marilyn Getz Becker.
Grace Downing Getz, the great-great-grandmother, was born July 8, 1903 in Mt. Carroll Township and died in Freeport, Stephenson County, Illinois on January 6, 1992.
Marilyn Getz Becker, the great-grandmother, was born in 1926.
Elaine Becker Morhardt, was born in 1946.
Dennis Morhardt, the father, was born in 1968.
Travis Morhardt was born in April 1991.
Contributed by Marilyn Becker/Alice Horner
Grace Downing Getz, the great-great-grandmother, was born July 8, 1903 in Mt. Carroll Township and died in Freeport, Stephenson County, Illinois on January 6, 1992.
Marilyn Getz Becker, the great-grandmother, was born in 1926
Beverly Becker Sisler Hufman, the grandmother, was born in 1945.
Scott Sisler, the father, was born in 1964.
Chelsey was born in July 1989.
