1963
Samuel E. Beck

Samuel Edmund Beck (1898 – 1966) of Asheville, businessman, historian, and author, received the 1963 award in recognition of his work in the field of Western North Carolina history, particularly in the preservation of Cherokee Indian materials, and his work on the Civil War postal service. He accumulated a significant collection of Cherokee artifacts, which formed the basis of the Museum of the Cherokee Indian. After serving in WWI, he moved from Quallatown Precinct, Jackson County, NC, to Asheville and began serving in a number of historical organizations.