William Beecher ^{1 2 3 4 5 6 7}

   Other names for William were William Beaher,⁸ William Beeher,¹¹ William Bücher and William Buecher.

   FamilySearch ID: LDMX-X3T.

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Alt. Name: Original surname Bücher with umlaut above u pronounced as Beecher which became the surname used by descendants, circa 1766,.

2. Tax List: William Beacher: 85 acres, 3 horses, 3 cows, valuation 27 pounds, tax 3 shillings 6 pence, 1786, Manchester Twp., York, PA. ¹²

3. Census in 1790 in Germany Twp., Adams, PA. ¹³ Henry Becher was recorded with this family:
Free White Persons - Males - 16 and over: 3
Free White Persons - Males - Under 16: 2
Free White Persons - Females: 2
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Henry Sr. and his sons John, Frederick, and Samuel are each indexed in the 1790 census as follows on images on FamilySearch.org: image 252 Henry Becher; on image 248 his sons John Beher and Frederick Becker; on image 249 his son Samuel Beeher. Sons William and Peter are not found so they were living with Henry Sr. There are two other males living with them, perhaps live-in farm workers or grandchildren?
These 1790 census record pages don't identify the township, but we know it is Germany Township because on the same pages are the Klein/Kline/Little family that founded Littlestown as well as families related to the Beechers: Winterode/Winrode, Sell, etc.

4. He appeared as a sponsor at a baptism on 1793 at Littlestown: Christ Reformed Church, Adams, PA. William Buecher appeared alone as the sponsor for the baptism of David b. 9 Jan 1793, son of Abraham Spanseyler and Elizabeth. [Note: Researchers should expect that the original German name handwritten in the church book was Spanseiler or Sponseller. See 1806 newspaper below for suit vs. Beecher & Sponseller.]. ¹⁴

5. Tax List: Henry, Samuel, and William Beecher appear on 1793 enumeration list for Germany Township, York (now Adams) county, 1793, Germany Twp., Adams, PA. ¹⁵

6. Tax List: 1795, Germany Twp., York, PA. William was listed with land, a wagon maker. Also lists a William, Jr.

7. He appeared as a sponsor at a baptism on 10 Apr 1796 at Littlestown: St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Adams, PA. Willm. Bücher and An. Mar. Sellin, single, appeared on 10 Apr 1796 for the baptism of Whillhelm Küfer [Keefer] b.11 Mar 1796, son of Friedr. and An. Mar. [Note: Researchers should suspect that the mother Anna Maria could be the daughter or sister of William Bücher, or, the daughter of Anna Maria Sell (Sellin is old German for the female gender of the Sell surname.) There was a close association between these families; the Sells appeared many times as sponsors for baptisms of children by William's brothers.]. ¹⁶

8. Court: Jacob Winterode's will was probated around this time and William was a witness or surety. on 3 Mar 1797 in , York, PA. ²

9. Court: His father Henry's inventory is filed and sons John and William were listed as executors. on 5 Dec 1797 in , York, PA. ²

10. Tax List: Willm. Beecher appeared on 1798 tax list. "6. Beecher, Willm. 64 perches of land, assessed 35., 1798, Germany Twp., York, PA. ¹⁷

11. Newspaper: Legal notice published in the Pennsylvania Herald & York General Advertiser, 5 Sep 1798, York, York, PA. ¹⁸ To be sold by order of Orphan's Court of York Co., a certain frame Messuage and lot adj a lot of Benjamin Bluebaugh, known on plan of said Town by No. 96, late the estate of Abraham Sponseller, decd. Terms made known by Wm. Beecher, adm'r. By order of the Court, John Edie, Clerk.

12. Tax List: History of Adams County, 1799, Germany Twp., Adams, PA. ¹⁹ In the History of Adams County book appears the tax assessment list for Germany Township for 1799. Included on the list:
William Beeher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $100
Lewis Beeher . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . $267
Samuel Beeher . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . $110
And under single men:
William Beeher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1.

13. Census in 1800 in Germany Twp., Adams, PA. ⁸ Several related families appear on the same Census page in 1800 in Germany Township. (The Beechers were recorded as Beahers.)

The listing for William Beaher indicates he had a son by a first wife, because William didn't marry Elisabeth Herr until 1810):

William Beaher has this household:
Males (born)
16-25 (1775-1784) = 1 son (?)
26-44 (1756-1774) = 1 father (William)
Females (born)
45 & over (<=1755) = 1 wife (? first wife)

Samuel Beaher is listed with this household:
Males (born)
Under 10 (1791-1800) = 1 son (Henry)
26-44 (1756-1774) = 1 father (Samuel)
Females (born)
Under 10 (1791-1800) = 3 daughters (Mary, Elizabeth, Salome)
26-44 (1756-1774) = 1 wife (Barbara)

On the same census page are several allied family surnames that marry the Buecher/Beecher families:

Barbara Wintrode married Samuel Buecher, and Catherine Wintrode married his brother Frederick Beher. On this page we find their father, "Jacob Winterode Capt." and the households of a younger Jacob Winterode, Adam Winterode, and Barbara Winterode.

14. He appeared as a sponsor at a baptism on 1801 at Littlestown: St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Adams, PA. William was the witness for the baptism of William Reck, b. 17 Dec. 1800, son of Christian Reck and Sophia [William's sister.] He was listed as single. ²⁰

15. Newspaper: Adams Sentinel: Commonwealth vs. Beecher & Sponseller, 19 Feb 1806, Gettysburg, Adams, PA. ²¹ Commissioner's Office, Adams County, Pennsylvania
Agreeably to an act of Assembly, entitled "An act to raise County Rates and Levies," requiring the commissioners of the respective counties to publish a statement of RECEIPTS and EXPENDITURES, &c. -- We, the Commissioners of Taxes for said County, do report as follows, viz. from the third day of February, 1805, until the third day of January, 1806, both days included.

<list of fees, the first of which is>

By John Wickert, fees, Commonwealth vs. Sponseller and Beecher Cr. $14.93

[Researcher's Note; this suggests there was a business: "Sponseller and Beecher".]
.

16. Census in 1810 in Hagerstown, Washington, MD. ⁹ Wm. Bucher is listed with this household:
Males (born)
10-15 (1795-1800) = 1 son William
26-44 (1766-1784) = 1 father William
Females (born)
16-25 (1785-1794) = 1 wife.

17. Occupation: grocer circa 1810 in Hagerstown, Washington, MD. ^{5 22} In the History of Western Maryland on page 1063: "Referring to the files of the Maryland Herald and Hagerstown Advertiser, we find the following were residents of Hagerstown during the years from 1805 to 1815, inclusive:
...
Beecher, William, grocer
Beecher & Nead, merchants"
---
An advertiserment for the Beecher and Nead grocery appeared weekly in 1811 in the Hagers-town Advertiser and stated: "Beecher & Nead, RESPECTFULLY inform their friends and the public, that they have formed a Co partnership, and intend constantly keeping a general assortment of GROCERIES and LIQUORS, which they will dispose of either wholesale or retail. As they are determined to sell on moderate terms, they hope to merit and receive a liberal share of public patronage. May 14."

18. In 1811 in Hagerstown: Zion Reformed Church, Washington, MD. ^{23 24} From 1811 to 1818 the church record book shows the baptisms of William Bucher and wife Elizabeth.

19. Census in 1820 in Hagerstown, Washington, MD. ²⁵ In 1820 the William Beacker household had:
Males (born)
Under 10 (1811-1820) = 2 sons William & Samuel
45 & over (<=1775) = 1 father William
Females (born)
26-44 (1776-1794) = 1 wife

On the next census page 111 are two more Beachers:

Samuel Beacher's household had:
Males (born)
10-15 (1805-1810) = 1 sons
16-25 (1795-1804) = 2 [sons, too young to be Samuel]
Females (born)
10-15 (1805-1810) = 1 daughter
16-25 (1795-1804) = 1 daughter
45 & over (<=1775) = 1 wife (Barbara Winterode)

Catherine Beacher's household had:
Females (born)
26-44 (1776-1794) = 2 daughters
45 & over (<=1775) = 1 Catherine.

20. Residence: Elisabeth Beecher is listed as a member of the German Reformed congregation in 1829. in 1829 in Greencastle, Franklin, PA. ²⁶

21. William Beecher has no probate records in Franklin County, PA or Washington County, MD in May 1835 in Greencastle, Franklin, PA.

22. Tombstone: Section 4H Plot 10 - Inscription: William Beecher, son of Harry and Caharine Becher [SIC], age 65 yrs, 6 mo, 11 days. [Likely tombstone was worn when read and Harry was Henry.], 1 May 1835, Greencastle, Franklin, PA. ^{6 27} William is buried in the same section as the family of John Peter Herr (1757-1845) who married the Beecher family.

Jack Webb, an historian and caretaker of the German Reformed Cemetery in Greencastle, reports the following graves:

William Beecher 1769-1835; plot 4H-10
Sarah A Beecher 1821-1839; daughter of William; she is supposed to be here per 1971 Pfluger observations, but I have not found her positively.

JP Herr 1757-1845 Section 4H-2
Susannah 1762-1841 Section 4H-1 wife of JP
Peter Herr 1799-1848 Section 4H-3 son of JP
Conrad Herr 1798-1857 Section 4G-4 son of JP
Catharine Herr 1797-1882 Section 4G-5 wife of Conrad
WM Herr 1830-1838 Section 4G-3 son of Conrad
Hannah Herr 1868-1869: daughter of James and Mary. She is supposed to be here per 1971 Pfluger observations, but I have not found her.
George Herr 1835-1883 Section 5G-1.

23. Book: 1882. ⁵
Beechers mentioned in the History of Western Maryland on page 1063:

Referring to the files of the Maryland Herald and Hagerstown Advertiser, we find that the following were residents of Hagerstown during the years from 1805 to 1815, inclusive:
< preceding names in list not shown here>
Beecher, William, grocer.
Beecher & Nead, merchants.
.

William married Elisabeth M. Herr, daughter of John Peter Herr Sr. and Susannah Weiss, on 12 May 1810 in Hagerstown, Washington, MD.¹ (Elisabeth M. Herr was born on 17 Dec 1793 in Hagerstown, Washington, MD ^{1 28 29 30}, christened on 19 Jan 1794 in Hagerstown: Reformed Congregation, Washington, MD,^{29 30} died on 26 Dec 1874 in Pottstown, Montgomery, PA ^{31 32} and was buried in Pottstown: Edgewood Cemetery, Montgomery, PA ³¹.)