Jonathan William Beecher ^{1 2 3 4}

   Other names for Jonathan were John Beecher,^{8 9} Johnathan Beecher,¹⁰ Jonathan Beecher,⁵ Jonathan Ward Beecher ¹¹ and Johnathan Bucher.¹²

   FamilySearch ID: 9VH8-5SG.

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Census in 1860 in Rye Twp., Perry, PA. ⁹ Peter Beecher, farmer, 38, was with wife Catharine, 40; Ellen A. 11; Mary, 9; David, 6; Sarah, 5; Jonathan, 3; and Anna, 1. Everyone was born in Pennsylvania. His real estate was worth $1,600 and personal estate $211.

2. Census in 1870 in Frankford Twp., Cumberland, PA. ⁸ Peter Beecher, farmer, 49, was living with wife Catharine, 52; Mary A., 17; David, 15; John, 11; Sarah, 10; Annie, 9; Jane, 7; and Jesse, 4. Peter's farm was valued at $13,000 and possessions $1,000. The post office was Blosserville, PA.

3. Residence: in 1873 in , , IA. ⁶

4. Census in 1880 in Penn Twp., Johnson, IA. ¹³ The 1880 census recorded Jacob Bowman, farmer, 65, living with wife Margaret J., 60; Martha J., single, 35; Ellen M., single, 26. Also in the home is Johnthen Beecher, servant and laborer, 21. Everyone and their parents were born in Pennsylvania, except Ellen was born in Iowa.

5. Iowa State Census census in 1895 in Penn Twp., Johnson, IA. ¹⁴ The 1895 Iowa State Census recorded Martha J. Bowman, single, 51 heading a household shared by Mary E. Bowman, single, 42; and John Beecher, farmer, single, 35. Mary E. was born in Johnson County, Iowa, and the others in Pennsylvania. The ladies were listed as "Lutheran" and John as "United Evangelical."

6. Census in 1900 in Penn Twp., Johnson, IA. ¹⁵ The 1900 census recorded the household of Martha J. Bowman, farmer, 57, born Oct 1843, living with her sister, M. Ellen Bowman, farmer, 47, Jan 1853; and boarder Johnathan W. Beecher, farmer, 41, Apr 1859; and boarder Samuel Katzemyer, farm laborer, 22. Everyone and their parents were born in Pennsylvania, except M. Ellen was born in Iowa and Sam's parents were born in Germany.

7. David and Jonathan obtained a marriage license on 20 Feb 1907 in Webster, Keokuk, IA. ¹ groom's name: Jonathan William Beecher
groom's birthplace: Cumberland Co., Penn.
bride's name: Mary Ellen Bowman
bride's birth date: 1854
bride's birthplace: Johnson Co., Iowa
bride's age: 53
marriage date: 20 Feb 1907
marriage place: Webster, Keokuk Co., Iowa
groom's father's name: Peter Beecher
groom's mother's name: Catharine Altland
bride's father's name: Jacob Bowman
bride's mother's name: Margaret Jane Giffen
groom's marital status: Single
groom's previous wife's name:
bride's marital status: Single
indexing project (batch) number: M00069-0
system origin: Iowa-VR
source film number: 1005844
reference number: 2:3L6Z8DS.

8. Census in 1910 in Penn Twp., Johnson, IA. ¹² Johnathan Bucher [indexed in census as Bucher but handwriting is Beecher], occupation "own income", 57, was married for 2 years to wife Mary E., 57. She had given birth to no children by 1910. He was born in Pennsylvania, his father in England, and his mother in Pennsylvania. She was born in Iowa, her parents in Pennsylvania.

9. Census in 1920 in Penn Twp., Johnson, IA. ¹⁶ J. W. Beecher, occupation "none", 62, was living with wife M. E., 66. He was born in Pennsylvania, his father in England, and his mother in Pennsylvania. She was born in Iowa, her parents in Pennsylvania.

10. Census in 1925 in North Liberty, Johnson, IA. ¹⁷ The 1925 Iowa State Census recorded John W. Beecher, 67, living with wife Ellen, 71. His mother was listed as Kathrine Altland and his father as Peter Beecher. Her mother was Margaret Gifin and father Jacob Bowman.

11. Newspaper: News-Chronicle: "Prof. John Mountz has returned to his home on Main street after a visit to J. W. Beecher, North Liberty, Iowa.", 16 Aug 1929, Shippensburg, Cumberland, PA. ¹⁸

12. Obituary: News-Chronicle: obituary of John W. Beecher on 27 Aug 1929 in Shippensburg, Cumberland, PA. ⁶ Word has been received in Carlisle of the death of John W. Beecher, aged 73, who died at his home at North Liberty, Iowa, Sunday.
Mr. Beecher was a native of Frankford township, having moved to Iowa when he was 16 years old and engaged in farming until seventeen years ago when he retired.
He was a member of the Lutheran church at North Liberty, was interested in the religious and civic activities of the community and was an excellent citizen.
He is survived by his widow, Mrs. Ellen Bowman Beecher, two sisters Mrs. David H. Miller, Middlesex, and Mrs. A. G. Mountz, Newville, R. D. 3, and one brother, Jesse F. Beecher, of Newville, R. D. 3.

Jonathan married Mary Ellen Bowman, daughter of Jacob Bowman and Margaret Jane Giffen, on 20 Feb 1907 in Webster, Keokuk, IA.¹ (Mary Ellen Bowman was born in 1853 in Penn Twp., Johnson, IA,^{12 19} died on 18 Jun 1934 in Iowa City, Johnson, IA ²⁰ and was buried in North Liberty: Ridgewood Cemetery, Johnson, IA.)