Benjamin Beckwith

  Noted events in his life were:

• Family: From The Ancestry of Emily Jane Engle, Dean Crawford Smith, 1992, page 234. BENJAMIN, born New London, CT say 1706; perhaps died New London 1785 if the NL Probate #326 administration of Benjamin Beckwith is his; married New London 15 June 1732 (NL First Church 1:169) HANNAH PEMBER, baptized New London 30 May 1714 (Hempstead Diary, p.35), daughter of Thomas and Hannah (Tucker) Pember. [Hempstead consistently calls Benjamin - William, but the following must be Benjamin's children].

Children, surname Beckwith:
1) Martin, named in father's probate (NL Probate #326)
2) Jedediah, baptised New London 14 January 1738/9 (probably a few years old at this point, Hempstead Diary, p.345; also named in father's probate [NL Probate #326])
3) Mary, baptized 3 February 1744/5 (Hempstead Diary, p.437)

Note: The Jedediah listed here is identified as a son of William Beckwith who was baptized the same day. Records from the East Lyme Society are inconsistent with the above assumption that the person Hempsted called William was actual this Benjamin.

• Church: From East Lyme Society Records, 16 Sep 1733, Lyme, New London, Connecticut. September 16, 1733, Benjamin Beckwith [ink faded] his wife owned ye covenant (pg. 12)

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.

• Church: From East Lyme Society Records, 3 Jan 1742, Lyme, New London, Connecticut. January 3, 1741/2, Admitted into church Benjamin Beckwith of New London and Hannah his wife, Samuel Beckwith (pg. 28)

• Church: From East Lyme, Our Town and How it Grew by Olive Tubbs Chendali, 1989, Page 115, 1748, East Lyme, New London, Connecticut. Benjamin Beckwith was among those "read out" of the East Lyme Society Church. Benjamin's brothers, John and Richard Beckwith are also in the list.

Following on the heels of the Great Awakening, came dissention in the ranks, which coincided with the appearance of several new religious groups in the Colony of Connecticut. In 1748 Samuel Smith of East Lyme organized a Separatist movement and gradually the membership of the East Society dwindled. Finally, we have a record of 25 of the Church members being "read out of the Church" to join the Separatists who had been meeting at a home on Meetinghouse Hill, now known as Niantic Hill on the Boston Post Road.

This list appears in the Minutes of the Society Records:

Joseph Lee Joseph Tubs
Quorle Smith Isaac Tubs
James Smith Wm. Tubbs
Elijah Smith Aaron Huntley
Stephan Smith Richard Beckwith
Simon Smith Benjamin Beckwith
Samuel Smith John Beckwith
Daniel Smith Joseph Way
Joseph Smith Samuel Austin
Nicodemus Miller Peter Tubs
Elisha Miller Silas Smith
Nathan Miller Philip Oc- (Occuish?)
John Lewis

These men were to form the beginning of the First Baptist Church in our whole area. They were organized under Ebeneezer Mack and records show that Elisha Miller "at sundry times officiates as a Publick teacher among ye Separatists". Their meeting place was the home of Silas Smith who lived on what is now known as Stone's Ranch Road.

• Probate: From Heritage Quest, 11 Jul 1885, Hartford, Connecticut. Benjamin Beckwith
Lyme
1885
No. 326

Probate bond signed by Martin Beckwith and Andrew Griswald.

His wife Hannah stated that she could not administer the estate due to poor health.

No will.

Martin Beckwith is assumed to be his son.

Benjamin married Hannah Pember, daughter of Thomas Pember and Hannah Tucker, on 15 Jun 1732 in Lyme, New London, Connecticut. (Hannah Pember was christened on 30 May 1714 in New London, Connecticut.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

• Marriage Banns: Joshua Hempstead Diary Records, Connecticut Historical Society, 14 May 1732, Lyme, New London, Connecticut. Sund 14 May 1732 William Beckwith & Hannah Pember pub