William Beecher

   Another name for William was William Bucher.¹

   FamilySearch ID: LDQJ-SY9.

  General Notes:

He died young. ²

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Census in 1850 in Cumberland Twp., Adams, PA. ³ Living with John Beecher, laborer, were his six children: Lucy A., age 13; David, 11; Cornelius, 9; Lydia, 6; John, 3; and infant William, age 1. His real estate was worth $200. Everyone was born in Pennsylvania. The census was recorded 13 Aug 1850, soon after the passing of the children's mother, Lydia, in May. Tragically, in a few weeks, their father died in September. John's probate estate in Adams county was proved 25 Sep 1850.

2. Census in 1850 in Franklin Twp., Adams, PA. ⁴ The 1850 U.S. Census, recorded in October, detailed two interconnected households living side-by-side in Pennsylvania. The first, the Beecher Household, was headed by Peter Beecher (age 60, laborer) and his wife, Catherine (age 58). They hosted a multi-generational family, including three of their children: Ann M. (18), Sam (15), and their son Josiah (aka Jesse, 22, laborer) along with Josiah's wife, Elizabeth (23). The youngest members were two grandchildren, both age one: Mary C., the daughter of Josiah and Elizabeth, and William, the son of Peter's son, John Beecher, and his wife Lydia Leeper. William's mother, Lydia, had died just months earlier in May 1850. Peter's property value was listed as $0, suggesting he may have been renting his home.

The second household, the Rife/Beecher Household, was located next door and was led by Eve Rife (age 57, a widow), who may have been Peter Beecher's landlord. Also residing with Eve Rife were two adults, Jonas Oner (21) and Elenora Figley (21), along with Peter's nine-year-old grandson, Cornelius Beecher (listed as a laborer). Cornelius was William's brother and son of John and the late Lydia Beecher.
Both William and Cornelius were recorded twice in the 1850 census; they also appeared with other siblings in widower John Beecher's household in Cumberland Township, Adams County in August. Five years later their father also died.