Francis Beckman

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Archbishop Francis J.L. Beckman (1875 - 1948) was a former Archbishop of Dubuque. He was also a former Bishop of Lincoln, Nebraska.

Archbishop Beckman became Archbishop of Dubuque on January 17, 1930, following the death of Archbishop John Keane in August of 1929. During his tenure as Archbishop of Dubuque, Beckman adopted a pacifist stance in the years before World War II.

Beckman was also a collector of fine art pieces. He had placed a number of art pieces in a museum at Columbia (now Loras) College. This collection had included works of some of the best artists over the past few centuries.

Archbishop Beckman was introduced to the idea of investing borrowed money into gold mines. He perhaps thought that he could gain funds to further his collection. Instead Beckman had involved the Archdiocese in what turned out to be a dubious gold mine scheme. Because Beckman had signed notes on behalf of the Archdiocese, this caused financial problems for the Archdiocese when the scheme fell apart and the individual who created this scam was arrested. President Roosevelt directed the FBI to investigate Beckman to determine what his involvement would have been in this financial scheme, not Beckman's opposition to the President as some believed. Soon the holders of the notes began demanding repayment. Most of Beckman's collection was sold to pay off the notes. The cost to the Archdiocese was over half a million dollars.

As a result of all of Beckman's problems, Henry Rohlman - who was serving as Bishop of Davenport, Iowa - was brought in to serve as Coadjutor Archbishop. Beckman was allowed to retain his title as Archbishop of Dubuque, but the point was made clear to him that the actual authority rested with Rohlman.

Archbishop Beckman remained Archbishop of Dubuque until his retirement on November 11, 1946. Following retirement, Beckman left Dubuque and moved to Cincinnati, Ohio. He died in Chicago in 1948, and was then buried in the mortuary chapel of Saint Raphael's Cathedral in Dubuque.

According to "Today in Rotten History," Beckman began a campaign against swing music in 1938. During this time, he openly denounced it as "a degenerated musical system... turned loose to gnaw away the moral fiber of young people" which would lead one down "primrose path to Hell."

Preceded by James Keane

Archbishop of Dubuque 1929–1946

Succeeded by Henry Rohlman