Rev. Jacob Beecher ^{1 2 4}

   Another name for Jacob was Rev. Jacob Bucher.

   FamilySearch ID: MJV2-2CF.

  Death Notes:

The inscription on his tombstone:

The Reverend Jacob, late pastor of the Reformed Church of Shepherdstown, Smithfield and Martinsburg, who entered into rest July 15, 1831, in the 34th year of his age.

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Occupation: minister with the Reformed Church in Martinsburg, Berkeley, WV. ¹

2. Occupation: minister with the Reformed Church in Shepherdstown, Jefferson, WV. ¹

3. He has conflicting birth information of 2 May 1799 and Littlestown, Adams, PA. ⁶

4. Census in 1800 in Germany Twp., Adams, PA. ⁷ Several related families appear on the same Census page in 1800 in Germany Township.

A Samuel Beaher is listed with this household:
Males (born)
Under 10 (1791-1800) = 1 son Jacob
26-44 (1756-1774) = 1 father Samuel
Females (born)
Under 10 (1791-1800) = 3 daughters
26-44 (1756-1774) = 1 wife

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

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

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

5. Probate: When Samuel died without a will, Washington Co. MD bound Jacob Beecher, Samuel Eckleberger and Frederick Rohaer for $5000, as administrator's of Samuel's probate, the bonded sum to be voided when they submitted the estate accounts., on 17 Oct 1821, in Hagerstown, Washington, MD. ^{8 8}

6. Newspaper: The Torch Light: "Notice. I have appointed Mr. John H. Fechtig my Agent, and hereby authorise him to settle all accounts relating to the estate of the late Samuel Beecher, deceased, during my absence. Jacob Beecher, Adm'r.", 4 Nov 1823, Hagerstown, Washington, MD. ⁹

7. Court gave Jacob Beecher, administrator, permission to sell Samuel Beecher's merchandise inventory on 6 Nov 1821 in Hagerstown, Washington, MD. ¹⁰ On application of Jacob Beecher Administrator of Samuel Beecher, It is ordered by the Court that he sell at private sale all the merchandise returned in an Inventory to this Court if practicable, if not then at Public Sale with the rest of the property contained in said Inventory on a credit of six months and that he give three weeks notice thereof, He is also permitted to sell at private sale a Negro Gril for not less than the Appraised Value.

8. Newspaper: United States Gazette: MARRIED. On Wednesday evening, the 16th instant, by the Rev. Dr. Ely, JACOB BEECHER, of Sheppards Town, Virginia, to Miss HANNAH MITCHELL, daughter of Mr. Jacob Mitchell, of this city., 22 May 1827, Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA. ³

9. Evidence: 1828. ¹ An oil portrait of the Reverend Jacob Beecher, painted by Edmund Brewster in 1828 is owned by Craig M. Bennett, Charleston, S.C.

10. Jacob Beecher filed his 2nd account of the estate of deceased father Samuel Beecher. List online at https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GYMK-NPF?i=124&wc=SNY8-K6D%3A146536101%2C146584001%3Fcc%3D1803986&cc=1803986 on 1 Jun 1825 in Hagerstown, Washington, MD. ¹¹

11. He has conflicting death information of 14 Jul 1831 and Shepherdstown, Jefferson, WV. ¹²

12. Newspaper: 28 Jul 1831, Hagerstown, Washington, MD. ¹² DIED, On Thursday night 14^th inst. At his residence in Shepherdstown, VA. [now West Virginia] The Rev. Jacob Beecher, formerly a resident of Hagerstown.

13. Newspaper: Baltimore Patriot: Died: On the 15th inst. at his residence, Shepherdstown, Va. Rev. Jacob Beecher, Pastor of the German Reformed Church in that place., 21 Jul 1831, Baltimore, Baltimore, MD. ⁴

14. Newspaper: 21 Jan 1852, Hagerstown, Washington, MD. ¹³ From Hagerstown Herald of Freedom and Torch Light newspaper, 21 Jan 1852, page 3 column E:

PUBLIC SALE OF VALUABLE OUT LOTS!

The subscriber as Agent for the heir, and the widow of Jacob Beecher, dec'd, will offer at public sale, in front of the Court House, at Hagerstown
On Saturday the 7^th day of February next.

TWO LOTS OF GROUND
In Mary Ann's town, known on the plan of said town as lots No. 33 and 34, containing for each eighty-two feet in breadth, fronting on the road heading from Hagerstown, and running back 240 feet in depth to lots owned by Mr. C. Winter.

The Terms of Sale will be one-half in hand and the balance in one year, with interest from the day of the sale, and when the whole purchase money is paid, a good and sufficient deed will be executed from the widow and heir for the same to the purchaser.

Jan. 21, 1852. JNO. D. RIDENOUR.

15. Book: History of Western Maryland, 1882. ¹⁴
The Reformed Church in the United States is the American representative of the Reformed Church of Germany and Switzerland. It derives its origin from the Reformation of the sixteenth century. Among its founders and early leaders were Zwingle, Calvin, and Ursinus. Its confession of faith is the Heidelberg Catechism.

The earliest German Reformed Churches in Pennsylvania were founded about the year 1720. During the colonial period they were closely connected with the church in the Fatherland, and were supplied with ministers mainly through the zeal and liberality of the Synods of Holland. Subsequently a number of the most intelligent American ministers undertook to prepare young men for the pastoral office, and this method of perpetuating the ministry was continued until the establishment of the Theological Seminary.

After several unsuccessful attempts an institution for the instruction of candidates for the ministry was opened on the 11th of March, 1825. at Carlisle, Pa. This was done in consequence of a proposition from the trustees of Dickinson College, then under the care of the Presbyterian Church, to furnish rooms for the seminary, on condition that the Professor of Theology should teach history and German in the college. Rev. Lewis Mayer, D.D., was the first professor. The first class of students numbered five, of whom Rev. John G. Fritchey, of Lancaster, is the sole survivor.

Soon afterwards Rev. James R. Reily, one of the most zealous friends of the seminary, visited Germany to solicit contributions toward an enterprise that was so intimately related to the welfare of emigrants from the Fatherland. He was very kindly received especially in Holland, Prussia, and Switzerland, and collected $6700, in money and books. One of the most liberal contributors was His Majesty. Frederick William III., King of Prussia, and many volumes presented by him are still in the library of the seminary. About the same time Rev. J. C. Beecher, of Shepherdstown, Va., succeeded in this country in collecting a handsome sum for the endowment of the seminary, and thus, it is said, saved it from financial ruin.

The first notice of building a house of worship for the Reformed people in this section is in a minute of a "meeting of the subscribers for the building of a Reformed church in Cavetown, held on Saturday, Nov. 11, 1826," when five trustees were elected, viz.: William Kreps, George Colliflower, Daniel Huyett, Henry Lyday, and Jacob Lambert, who were to have the oversight in the building of the house. They determined to build of brick, size fifty feet long by forty-five feed wide. At this time Rev. Henry Kroh was the pastor, and the congregation had no connection elsewhere. The corner-stone was laid Aug. 8, 1827, and has inscribed on it "Christ's Church," and on another stone in the front above the pulpit window "German Refd Church." In the meanwhile the pastor, Rev. Henry Kroh, was called to another field of labor, but the work of building went on, and in the following year (1828) Rev. J. C. Bucher had taken charge, and the church was so far finished that in the month of October, 1828, it was consecrated, at which time the pastor was assisted by his predecessor, Rev. Henry Kroh, Rev. James R. Riley, Rev. Martin Brunner, and Rev. Jacob Beecher. The church was now completed, and the congregation was fully organized and entered on its mission and work. Rev. J. C. Bucher was a faithful and energetic pastor, and it is a matter of record that he, "aided by my Lutheran colleague," as he says, "was instrumental in organizing the first temperance society in Washington County, and in all of Western Maryland." He says "it occasioned a very severe struggle and sore trial, but was attended with good success and usefulness." The ministry of Rev. J. C. Bucher came to a close in February, 1830, and brief as it was, a great work was done for morals and religion. During this year the congregation was attached to those of Waynesboro and Salem, in Pennsylvania, and Leitersburg, in Maryland, and now had settled over it as Pastor Rev. G. W. Glessner, and as early as May 23, 1831, a record is made of a baptism he performed.

16. Book: 1889. ⁶
Beecher, Jacob. Born near Petersburg, Pa., May 2, 1799; P.T.S., 1823-25; Carl Seminary; ordained German Reformed Synod, '26; paster German Reformed churches, Martinsburg, Shepherdstown and Smithfield, Va., '26-31; agent Carl Seminary, '28-29; agent S. S. Union, '30-31; died Shepherstown, Va., July 15, '31. German reformed minister.

Jacob married Hannah Mitchell, daughter of Jacob Duche Mitchell and Rebecca Burden, on 16 May 1827 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA.^{1 2 3} (Hannah Mitchell was born on 22 Aug 1802 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA,¹⁵ died on 23 Aug 1888 in Cape May Point, Cape May, NJ, USA ^{16 17} and was buried on 28 Aug 1888 in Philadelphia: Woodlands Cemetery, Philadelphia, PA ^{16 17 18}.)