Jonathan Beckwith

  Noted events in his life were:

• Family: The Ancestry of Emily Jane Engle, Dean Crawford Smith, 1992, page 235. JONATHAN BECKWITH (John, Matthew), born New London, CT circa 1689; baptized as an adult New London 14 May 1721 (NL Ch 1:138); died New London after 18 October 1758 (NL Deed 16:264) and likely before 14 December 1759 (ibid.); married first New London 11 February 1712/13 (Hempstead Diary, p.20) ELIZABETH WALLER, born circa 1691, died New London 11 April 1736 "this Day Eliza Beckwith the wife of Jonat Beckwith & the Eldest Daughter of my Aunt Hannah Waller Died of a Long Illness" (Hempstead Diary, p.302), daughter of SAMUEL? and HANNAH (HEMPSTEAD)(MOORE) WALLER (see Waller Chapter); married second, intention New London 8 July 1739 (Hempstead Diary, p-353) MARY WARNER, living 20 April 1740 when her child was born in Saybrook, CT (Saybrook Land records 2:74).

Although Jonathan is called of Saybrook in a 1743 deed in which his father gives him 20 acres of land in New London bordered by land of Robert Latimer, there are no Saybrook deeds for Jonathan (NL Deed 16:245). He may have been living with relatives of his second wife while in Saybrook.

In New London, Jonathan Beckwith of Lyme deeded ten acres of land near Nihantick River to his son Nehemiah Beckwith of Norwich, calling it land, "I the sd Jonat Beckwith received of my father for a right of Inheritance" on 18 October 1758 (NL Deed 16:264). He acknowledged it the same day.

On 14 December 1759, the results of an arbitration were recorded between Richard Beckwith and Nehemiah Beckwith, "son of Jonathan Beckwith late of New London," when they were unable to agree how to divide the remaining part of twenty acres in New London Nehemiah had bought from his father Jonathan. This land Joseph and Benjamin Beckwith, sons of Matthew (1) had conveyed to their three brothers, Jonathan, John and Richard, to be divided into thirds. John having died since and his land already set off to his heirs, there remained an undivided two thirds for Richard, and Jonathan's assign, Nehemiah (ibid.).

While the phrase "late of New London," might also mean that Jonathan Beckwith had moved away, it is more likely that the above two land records frame the date of Jonathan's death.

Children (named in Beckwith Notes 6:9), with first wife, surname BECKWITH:

i. JONATHAN, baptized New London 14 May 1721 (NL Ch 1:138).
ii. JOHN, not in grandfather Waller's will 1740.
iii. ELIZABETH, baptized 24 September 1721 (NL Ch 1:138);
iv. HANNAH, baptized New London, CT 24 September 1721 (NL Ch 1:138), but not in grandfather Waller's 1740 will.
v. NATHANIEL, not in grandfather Waller's 1740 will.
vi. NEHEMIAH, under 21 in grandfather Waller's 1740 will; living 14 December 1759 (NL Deed 16:264).
vii. SAMUEL, born before 1736, named in grandfather's will.
viii. JOSHUA, born before 1736, named in grandfather's will; evidently living 12 June 1773 when his brother Jonathan needed him as surety to stand bond in a lawsuit in a New London court (NL Justice of the Peace Court, ms., Connecticut State Archives).

Jonathan married Elizabeth Waller, daughter of Samuel Waller and Hannah Hempstead, on 11 Feb 1713 in New London, New London, Connecticut. (Elizabeth Waller died on 11 Apr 1736 in New London, New London, Connecticut.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

• Marriage Banns: Joshua Hempstead Diary Records, Connecticut Historical Society, 18 Jan 1713, New London, New London, Connecticut. Sunday 18 January 1712/13 Jonat Beckwith & Eliz Waller presented

• Marriage: From Joshua Hempstead Diary Records, Connecticut Historical Society, 11 Feb 1713, New London, New London, Connecticut. Wedensd 11 February 1712/13 Jonat Beckwith married

Jonathan next married Mary Warner on 26 May 1746 in Lyme, New London, Connecticut.

  Noted events in their marriage were:

• Marriage Banns: Joshua Hempstead Diary Records, Connecticut Historical Society, 8 Jul 1739, Lyme, New London, Connecticut. Sund 8 July 1739 Jonathan Beckwith and mary Warner of Saybrook publisht.

• Marriage: From East Lyme Society Records, 26 May 1740, Lyme, New London, Connecticut. May 26, 1740, Jonathan Beckman of New London and Mary [ink faded] of Say-Brook were joined together in marriage (pg. 2)

Source Citation
[East Lyme Society]. Record of baptisms, marriages, and persons who owned the covenant, 1737-1761, MS 83382, Connecticut Historical Society (CHS), Hartford, Connecticut. Transcribed by Julia Morrow, CHS Collections Associate, February 2022.