Timeline of the Beckman & Gast Co.

1907 – The Pioneer Canning Company builds new canning factory in St. Henry

1907 – The Pioneer Canning Co. packs 35,000 cases of tomatoes.

1908 – “Warvell’s Wheat” a canned cereal launched by The Pioneer Canning Co.

1907 – 1928 the canning factory changed hands many times ending with the B. H. Macke Canning Co. 

November 6, 1919 – Leona Beckman marries Lewis Gast. They have 5 children (Jim, Bob, Bill, Jon, & Jean)

July 5, 1922 – Henry Beckman (father), Luke Beckman (brother) and Lewis Gast purchase dry goods and clothing store.

September 1, 1922 – The Beckman & Gast Store opens in downtown St. Henry, Ohio

February 4, 1928 – Luke Beckman and Lewis Gast purchase the B. H. Macke Canning Co.  The Beckman and Gast Canning Co. opens for business.

Fall of 1928 – Tomatoes, tomato juice, red beets, carrots, pumpkin, and dry beans are canned. 

1928 –Luke Beckman and Lewis Gast purchase a glove factory in Spencerville, Ohio

1928 –The Beckman & Gast Store is sold to Harry Romer

1930 –The Beckman & Gast Canning Co. purchase a 160-acre farm in Cranberry Prairie.

July 12, 1930 – Luke Beckman and Lewis Gast incorporate the business as The Beckman & Gast Co., Inc.

1935 – The Beckman & Gast Co. enter contract to can, sell, distribute  “Schnell’s Genuine Turtle Soup”

1943 – Luke Beckman and Lewis Gast purchase the Minster Canning Co. as a partnership

1946 – Luke Beckman and Lewis Gast purchase a canning factory in New Carlisle Ohio

1946 – Luke Beckman is President of the National Canners Association.

1947 – The Beckman & Gast Co. enters contract to can and sell mung bean sprouts. 10,000 cases were packed in 1947.  The sprout business was sold to LaChoy that same year.

1948 – Luke Beckman & Lewis Gast sell the New Carlisle factory.

1950 – Lewis Gast sells interest in the Minster Canning Co. to Luke Beckman. The Minster Canning Co. was operated for many years by Luke Beckman’s sons-in-laws. The Minster Canning Co. has since closed.

1950 – The Beckman & Gast Co. is sold to Lewis Gast and Sons. Lewis Gast and Sons keeping “The Beckman and Gast Co., Inc.” corporate name

1950’s (early) – The Beckman & Gast Co. launch “Beckmans Turtle Soup.” The turtle soup was packed until the late 1960’s

1950’s – The US Bureau of Fisheries titles Beckman & Gast  as the largest packer of turtle soup in the US. Production was as high as 30,000 cases per year.

1950’s – The Beckman & Gast Co. pack around 100,000 cases per year.

19?? – The Beckman & Gast Co. introduces Beckmans brand Product lines: tomato, Green beans, turtle soup

19?? – The Beckman & Gast Co. introduces Candy Cane brand Product lines:

19?? – The Beckman & Gast Co. introduces Banner Fair brand Product lines:

19?? – The Beckman & Gast Co. introduces Park brand Product lines:

1952 – The Beckman & Gast Co. launch “Beckmans Friday Chili”

1952 – The Beckman & Gast Co. begin growing and packing green beans. (cut green beans only)

1958 – The Beckman & Gast. Co. purchases the Osgood Canning Co.

1960 – The Beckman & Gast Co. buys first farm.  The company plans to grow their own crops. Until 1960 Beckman and Gast relied on local farmers for majority of crops.

1970 – The Beckman & Gast Co. discontinues soup line of products

19?? – Jim and Bea Gast are married. They have ? children (Paula, Dan & ?)

19?? – Bob and Joan Gast are married. They have 5 children (Trish, Nick, Jane, Tim, & Karl)

19?? – Bill and Gerry Gast are married. They have 6 children (Elaine, Peg, Kathy, Bo, Dorothy, & Steve)

19?? – Jean Gast and Jack Bergman are married. They have 2 children (Beth & Julie)

19?? – Lewis Gast retires

19?? – Lewis Gast dies at age ?

19?? – Luke Beckman dies at age ?

19?? – John Gast leaves the company

1969 – Elaine Gast and Gary Broering are married. They have 3 children (Carolyn, Wendi, & Joel)

1976 – Nick and Connie Gast are married. They have 5 children (Christy, Andy, Emily, Katie, & Lizzie)

1977 – Bo and Jane Gast are married. They have 4 children (Sara, Billy, Adam, & Mike)

1972 – Trish Gast and Frank Albers are married. They have 5 children (Scott, Doug, Leslie, Lauren, & Jenni)

198? – Karl and Terri Gast are married. They have 3 children (Tori, Samantha, & Abby)

1981 – Bob Gast dies at age 54.

1982 – The Beckman & Gast Co. starts producing stewed tomatoes

1984 – The Beckman & Gast Co. starts producing French style green beans

1985 – Jim Gast retires

1987 – William (Bill) Gast retires

1995 – The Beckman & Gast Co. launch “Beckmans Family Style Salsa”

1995 – The Beckman & Gast Co. starts producing vegetable cocktail juice

1995 – Wendi Broering and Paul Moorman are married (Wendi is great-granddaughter to Lewis Gast)

1996 – The Beckman & Gast Co. starts producing diced tomatoes

1997 – Jack Bergman retires.

1998 – Leona Gast dies at age 9?

200? – Doug and Amy Albers are married (Doug is great-grandson to Lewis Gast)

2000 – The Beckman & Gast Co. starts producing Hot Diced tomatoes

2003 – The Beckman & Gast Co. starts producing Italian Diced tomatoes

April 2004 – Gary Broering retires.