- November-2000
Love the ballads of a people,
That the voices from afar off,
Call to us to pause and listen,
Speak in tones so plain and childlike,
Scarcely can the ear distinguish
Whether they are sung or spoken;-
Listen..."
-from Longfellow's "Hiawatha"
"O Lord that lends me life, Lend me a heart replete with thankfulness."
~William Shakespeare~
"Thanksgiving Day.... is the one day that is purely American. "
~O'Henry 1862-1910~
.....THANKSGIVING is the time that we start thinking about our forefathers and pilgrims that landed at Plymouth.
As the Pilgrims of Plymouth Colony faced their second winter in 1621, they had much for which to be grateful. Their efforts to raise barley and peas had been disappointing, and they would have faced starvation, but thanks to an Indian named Squanto, whom Gov. William Bradford called "a special instrument of God," they had harvested 20 acres of corn. Squanto had also helped the settlers keep peace with neighboring tribes. So when it was decided to celebrate the harvest and thank God, Governor Bradford sent a messenger to Chief Massasoit, inviting the Indians to whom they were so indebted. Massasoit brought 90 men with him, and they celebrated for three days. Squanto, who spoke English, helped the Indians and Pilgrims communicate, but food and drink were the language of their thanksgiving festivities. And they were enjoyed to the fullest. Thankfulness sets in motion a chain reaction that transforms people all around us--including ourselves. For no one ever misunderstands the melody of a grateful heart. Its message is universal; its lyrics transcend all earthly barriers; its music touches the heavens.
.....We hope you will find in this newsletter, the role our ancestors played in making our great country; and how our Belcher families are connected to the Pilgrims and Puritans. We hope you will gain a new light on our American Heritage and the faith in God that our founding fathers had; something, so many lack in todays society.
Can the principles that help to sow the seeds of the first American Colonies be so lost to their descendants today?
"and to the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and a half time, from the face of the serpent."
(Revelation 12:14),
Greg Belcher--
Gayl Wells--
| MAYFLOWER CONNECTIONS: | PURITAN CONNECTIONS: |
| CLICK ON PHOTO | CLICK ON PHOTO |
| along with a complete passenger list of the | |
| "Mayflower" | |
|
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.....Although the Pilgrims were Puritans themselves, there were distinctive differences between them: The Pilgrims were colonists on the ship "Mayflower" and the Puritans came later in the Winthrop Fleet of ships. The Pilgrims had a religious, not a political agenda; moral and theological principles were involved, and from their perspective there could be no compromise in their faith. For them 2 Corinthians made it clear. "Come out from among them and be seperate, saith the Lord. To acheve this, they had to establish themselves as rightful interpreters of the Bible. To seperate themselves from the Anglican Church. This of course meant abandoning their country and finding a new one.
.....The Puritans had no intention of breaking with the Anglican Church. They like the Pilgrims were nonconformists, but where the Pilgrims had translated into something closer to an egalitarian mode, the "Puritans considered religion a very complex, subtile, and highly intellectual affair." Puritan leaders were thus highly trained scholars, whose education tended to put them in positions of authority. Even though there was a built-in hierarchism, the Puritan belief encouraged education among all it's citizens. It demanded a level of learning and understanding in terms of salvation. Thomas Hooker stated in "The Application of Redemption "Its with an ignorant sinner in the midst of all ; means same as with a sick man remaining in the Apothecaries shop, full of choiciest Medicines in the darkness night: .. .because he cannot see what he takes, and how to use them, he may kill himself or increase his distempers, but never cure any disease." (qtd. in Miller, 1:13).
Knowledge of the Scripture ,for the Puritans, was essential.
by:Greg Belcher----
Click On Photo for a page on Early Belcher religious leaders
It is hard to talk about Thanksgiving without discussing the traditional "THANKSGIVING DINNER"
In 1621, the Plymouth colonists and the Wampanoag Indians enjoyed an autumnal feast which became famous as "The First Thanksgiving." They dined on wild fowl and on venison; ducks, geese and turkey shot by the colonists, and five deer provided by Massasoit's men, and other foods besides.
The foundation of the famous dinner is the venison, wild fowl, turkeys and Indian corn.
Added to that are other foodstuffs mentioned or known to have been available aboard the Mayflower or in Plymouth, such as spices garden seeds and Dutch cheese, or wild grapes, lobster, cod, native melons , pumpkin (pompion) and rabbit are included as well.,br. Other possible foods, such as eels, clams, smaller fish, wild fruits and berries, squash, beans, Jerusalem Artichokes, walnuts and hazelnuts are omitted as out of season or redundant for a typical bill of fare.
Butter and beer, available that spring, are omitted as consumed an the difficulty of malting and brewing the "indifferent good" (moderate) barley crop by early fall.
Click on the Link below and it will take you to some Thanksgiving Recipes: some of Colonial times, and some today:
Her family came from Atoka Oklahoma
She has absolutely had no contact with her family since the divorce of her parents. Her line from, what I can gather is; Her, James Cecil Belcher, Ezekiel Belcher, John Belcher. John Belcher supposedly being a Baptist preacher born around the turn of the last century.
Just a shot in the dark.
Thanks Joe Kendall:
Mark Blackburn.
Editors Note:
Mark Belcher is a descendent of Bartlett Belcher through Abraham:
Rushie was also a Belcher, grandaughter of Enoch Belcher descended through George Belcher and Mary Fugate. Mark and Rushie lived in Elkhorn City, Ky. if anyone else has any information on this line please contact Mark at above email.
I descend from my great grandmother, Ella Marie Belcher,
d/o Anderson R. Belcher & Harriet N. White, s/o Isham Belcher & Rebecca Bailey, s/o Isham Belcher & Martha "Patsy" Hodges, s/o Isham Belcher.
I am looking for a marriage record for my great, great grandparents Anderson R. & Harriet N. White Belcher. They were married circa 1851 (I show Anderson in the household of a brother in 1850 Tazewell Co VA Census and a Harriet N. White in an 1850 Franklin Co VA Census as a next door neighbor to a Belcher family.) Their first child was born before 1853. Any help in locating a marriage for Anderson & Harriet would be greatly appreciated.
Kim Shearer:
Editors Note:
We have no records for Harriet White in 1850 census of Franklin:
nor any records for Anderson in 1850 Census of Tazewell:
neither show up on the scanned 1850 census images on genealogy library.com
however we do have:
Belcher, Anderson R. Va Lee Co. Va Rocky Station Township: household 298 in 1870
Belcher, Harriett Va Lee County Va. Rocky Station Township: houehold 298 in 1870
Anderson also shows up in Lee county Census 1890:
BELCHER ANDERSON R. Lee County VA 001 Rocky Station Township VA 1890 Veterans Schedule
Below is "our" record of Isham Isome Belcher Jr.
Isham Isome Belcher Jr..b 1796
served in war of 1812: listed in pay rolls
and muster rolls along with father Isham Belcher Sr.
28 Sept 1851 listed in Virginia property tax records 1809 listed in 1850 Mercer co Va/Wva census records: age 56 household #628
farmer with 1000 acres of land born in va
married Rebecca?? also listed in 1850 Mercer co census age 56 born in va
Rebecca is listed as not being able to read or write
children listed in 1850 Mercer County census household #628
Mercer County virginia Was formed in 1837:
and when Wva became a state Mercer County Virginia was then in Wva.
children:
-
13 1...Allen M. Belcher age 23 farmer with 200 acres of land
married: Catherine S.??
13 2...Anderson R Belcher age 20 farmer
married: Harriet ??:
children:
-
1..Virginia Belcher
2..Mary M. Belcher
Mercer County Wva lists:"Selected Birth Records, 1854
Mary M. Belcher, March 5,1854
dau of. Anderson R. & Harriet Belcher"
3..Sofrona E. Belcher 4...Sarah J. Belcher
13 3...James M. Belcher age 18 -
1..Virginia Belcher
2..Mary M. Belcher
Mercer County Wva lists:"Selected Birth Records, 1854
13 4...Nancy Belcher age 15
13 5...Sally Belcher age 13 attended school 1850
13 6...Rufus H. Belcher attended school 1850
13 7...Clary c age 8 attended school in 1850
13 8...Isome Belcher age 6 attended school in 1850
13 9...Rebecca J Belcher age 3
There are several references in : lds site: world gendex: and the world ancestry families to Anderson R. Belcher being married to Lettie?? first then married to Harriet:
In Mercer county 1850 census there is an Anderson A. Belcher listed with wife Letticia A Carter: child Daniel W. age 3 and Susan age 1 month.
Anderson R. Belcher last listed record in Mercer County is in the 1860 Census and then he is in Lee County in 1870:
The following list is some of "our" listed Belcher Births and Deaths in Mercer County WVa.
Mercer County West Virginia was formed in 1837:
George Winton Belcher, August 23 1853, Allen M. & Catherine S. Belcher
Almedia Belcher, September 11 1853, Henry & Rachel Belcher Louisa Francis Thompson,
Cynthia A. Belcher, February 14 1854, Robert D. & Rebecca Belcher
Mary M. Belcher, March 5 1854, Anderson R. & Harriet Belcher
Elizabeth R. Belcher, December 16 1855, Allen M. & Catharine S. Belcher
Carvilla Belcher, October 13 1855, Christian & Mary M. Belcher
Boyd Belcher, September 15, Anderson A. & Latitia Ann Belcher
Martha E. Belcher, March 23 1855, Christianos & Sarah Belcher
Carvilla Belcher, October 13 1855, Christian & Mary M. Belcher
Boyd Belcher, September 15 1855, Anderson A. & Latitia Ann Belcher
Green C. Belcher, August 8 1855, John & Jemima Belcher
Harvey Belcher & Permelia Belcher, September 27 1856, Horry & Rachel Belcher (twins)
Daughter Belcher, September 11 1856, Anderson A. & Lettia Ann Belcher
Victoria V. Belcher, November 23 1857, Madison F. & Mary J. Belcher
Son Belcher, June 7 1857 , John & Nancy H. Belcher
Allen Belcher, December 25 1857, Jonathan & Jane Belcher
Anderson Belcher, February 7 1857, Henry D. & Anna Belcher
Mazarina Belcher, May 27 1858, Christian & Mary M. Belcher
Rhoda M. Belcher, January 1 1858, John S. & Jemima Belcher
Sarah J. K. Belcher, November 20 1858, Anderson R. & Harriet Belcher
Suanna? J. Belcher, February 28 1859, Jonathan R. & Sarah Belcher
Henry W. Belcher, February 2 1860, Henry D. & Anna Belcher
Sarah V. Belcher, May 10 1860, Anderson A. & Clarinda Belcher(2nd wife of Anderson A. Belcher)
==============
Death records for Mercer County:
Bartley Belcher, April 1 1885, 69 years, s/o Obediah & Martha Belcher, b. Mercer, md., inf - Hezekiah Poe - Son-in-law
M. M. Belcher, November 1 1887, 52 years, s/o Lewis & Rebecca Belcher, b. Mercer.
Reba A. Belcher, October 11 1887, 43 years, d/o William & Eleanor Scott, b. Roanoke, inf - W. C. Belcher, husband.
Martha Belcher, November 23 1887, 45 years, d/o Thomas & Ann Davis, b. Mercer, inf - Christian Belcher, husband.
Mary E. Belcher, June 5 1888, 11 years, d/o Isham & Nancy Belcher, b. Mercer.
Rebecca L. Belcher, May 16 1889 , 2 years, d/o William H. & J. A. Belcher, b. Mercer.
Clara Belcher, December 17 1893, 85 years, b. WV.
Patten Belcher, March 14 1893, 24 years, s/o Robert & A. Belcher, b. VA.
Crocket Belcher, February 10 1893, 21 years, s/o Robert & A. Belcher, b. VA.
Sally Belcher, May 10 1893, 14 years, d/o Robert & A. Belcher, b. VA
Although Richard Belcher is mentioned in the will of Henry Clay, their relationship is not defined in that document. Henry Clay’s daughter Mary was married to a Watkins. Since Richard Belcher was living on Henry Clay’s land, it is apparent that Richard’s wife Mary Obedience Clay is some way related to Henry Clay. How?
Henry Clay had a brother John Clay. According to Treesearching with Doris Boyd Co Press Observer Jan 29, 1976, John Clay son of Charles and Hannah married and lived in Amelia County, Va. His children were: Anne, John, Hannah, Charles, Mary, and Judith.
Clay Tentative Lineage by Ruth Clay Burrell, Peggy Carswell Peacock, and Shirley Langdon Wilcox September 22, 1983, talks about a "Deed of Gift" from Hannah (Wilson) Clay to some of her children - specifically calling out John - I give to John Clay... Recorded Henrico Co, VA., 1 October, 1687. John Clay, b ca 1668, Henrico Co., Va.; d. ca 1723, probably Chowan Co., North Carolina (Ref: Tax Lists, 1717-1722, Chowan Co., North Carolina); purchased land from James Thweat (Sr.) in 1694, Charles City Co., Va. (Became Prince George 1702); was on the Quit Rent Rolls of Prince George Co., Va. In 1704; md. ca 1695, probably Henrico Co., Va. to _. John Clay has not been traced.
The following children are from Clifford Charles Clay’s Clay Chart, which is on file in the Virginia State Library, Richmond, Virginia: 1. Anne, b. ca 1696, Charles City Co., Va. (Became Prince George Co., Va. in 1702)
2. John, b ca 1698, Charles City Co., Va. (Known as "John Clay of the Province of North Carolina"); sold his father’s land in Prince George Co., Va. in 1723 (Via a Power of Attorney to Col. Robert Mumford) and was selling land of "John Clay, dec’d."; d __, probably Chowan Co., North Carolina; md. _ to __.
3. Hannah, b. ca 1700, Charles City, Co., Va.
4. Charles, b. ca 1702, Prince George Co., Va.
5. Mary, b. ca 1704, Prince George Co., Va.
6. Judith, b. ca 1706, Prince George Co., Va.
Is it possible that Henry Clay was close to the children of his late brother John? Is it possible the above Mary is the Mary Obedience Clay who married Richard Belcher b. ca. 1710? Since John didn’t die until 1723, is it possible the birth dates are a few years later than estimated here? Can anyone prove/disprove this theory?
Dianne Blankenstein:
OR:
Editors note:
There has been some speculation that Obedience Clay's name was just Obedience and not Mary Obedience, possibly 2 children: one Mary and one Obedience: There were several Henry's at that time , this Henry Clay and wife Mary Mitchell's, son John was the grandfather of the famous Henry Clay of Kentucky in the 1800's.
Click on this to see what we have in our files on HENRY CLAY:
I've been researching the Belchers since the late 70's. My gggrandfather was Rev. Abner Belcher. He was born in Burke Co. Ga. in 1795. He then moved to Troup Co. and later to Randolph Co. Ga. He was a Primitive Baptist Minister. He maried Martha Moran. I have a list of all their children. I have even been to 2 churches he started in Ga. His father was Abraham Belcher. They called him Abram. He is said to have moved from Pitt or Edgecombe Co. NC about 1795. He had 3 sons Abner, Philip, and Daniel. He died around 1805 and is buried in Millian
Ga. Do you have any information on these Belchers that would help. One of the Belchers were said to move to Miami, Fl. where they were said to start and oil company. Abner had a son Christopher Columbus Belcher who was in the Civil War and died as a result. Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
Beth Belcher Bledsoe...
The first soldier who fell in battle for the Lost Cause was to come from North Carolina. This soldier was Henry Lawson Wyatt. He was born in Richmond, Virginia, February 12, 1842. His parents were Isham Belcher and Lucinda N. L. Wyatt. He was apprenticed to the carpenter trade at an early age, and in October, 1856, accompanied his father to North Carolina, and ultimately settled in Tarboro, Edgecombe county. Here he followed his trade and by faithful work and upright deportment made friends in the community. This is the brief narrative of the first nineteen year's of Wyatt's life. From this time his career is a part of the history of a great struggle.
Does anyone know who this Isham Belcher was?? apparently Henry Lawson Wyatt was a stepson
E-mail either Gayl Wells or Greg Belcher, .......
if anyone has any information on this Isham Belcher of Richmond Virginia and Edgecombe County North Carolina.
click below to see the story of this man:
ARTICLE: WHO ATTENDED THE FIRST THANKSGIVING..........
ARTICLE: A WINDOW INTO PILGRIM LIFE ..........
ARTICLE: YE OLE ENGLISH SAYINGS ..........
BELCHER GENEALOGY DATA:GRANTEE RECORDS WEST VIRGINIA:
REV. JOSEPH BELCHER BIO .....Joseph Belcher was born 19 August 1704 at Braintree, Mass. His parents were Gregory and Elizabeth (Ruggles) Belcher. Gregory was a Deacon of the Church and associated with John Adams. Gregory's wife Elizabeth taught John Adam's son (later to be President of the United States) in school. Joseph was sent to Harvard University and graduated at the early age of nineteen. He was ordained as a Minister in Easton 06 October 1731. Joseph married Deborah Hunt, daughter of Samuel Hunt. She was known as "Madam Deborah Belcher"out of respect. Joseph and Deborah had nine children.
.....The religious society of Easton, Massachusetts became very interested in Joseph Belcher after the death of their first minister. The church voted to send an invitation to Joseph Belcher. On 28 July 1831, a town meeting was called and agreed with the church's recommendation. Mr. Belcher , very much aware of his own worth, sent a reply asking for eighty pounds a year for the first five years and ninety pounds for the sixth year.
.....In March 1732, Joseph Belcher bought 33 acres of land from Joseph Snow. This land and it's buildings became his homestead property. His children were born here, and there his wife died, March 21, 1753, three days after the birth of his youngest son, Jonathan. The death of his wife death appears to have greatly affected Rev. Belcher, for he begins about this time to do business in a reckless manner, and sometimes in such a way that only the plea of insanity can save him from the charge of dishonesty; Joseph is said to have become mentally unstable doing this period of time. Very little is noted doing his Pastorship. It was said that he would carry a pocket full of sermons to church and then proceed to read them one right after another. That, the Pastor would often pray in the pulpit for his "little Gregory" one of his children. On 16 April 1744 the town voted to dismiss Mr. Belcher. The Reverend Belcher remained at his home at Easton until 1754. Doing this time, from 1742-1747, Joseph taught school in Stoughton a portion of each year.
.....Joseph sold his land, which an attachment had been made upon. He borrowed money, and was eventually a suit was filed against him in March 1753, by Edward Haywood. Joseph was sentenced to be committed to the jail in Taunton, but fled and when the sheriff went for him. Seven of his children were then placed under the guardianship of Ephraim Hunt, relative to Deborah Belcher. What eventually became of Reverend Joseph Belcher is unclear. After fleeing from his creditors, he vanishes from history. Some sources state (including the Harvard University historical) he died in 1773, but is yet to be documented.
Joseph and Deborah's children were:
- Hannah Belcher married Deacon Stephen Badlam of Stoughton.
Had 2 sons stephen and ezra who became distinguished
officers in the revolutionary war:
- Joseph Belcher was a Doctor and soldier in the French and Indian War, and eventually settled in Stoughton.
- Deborah Belcher listed as minor over 14 1755
born april 1 1741
- Rebecca Belcher, listed as minor over 14 1755
born april 1 1735 married in bridgewater 5 jan 1764 jesse edson
"History of Bristol County"
- Gregory Belcher married Deborah Williams in town and lived in Easton.
- Eleazer Belcher LISTED AS MINOR UNDER 14 in 1755
- Jonathan Belcher listed as minor under 14 in 1755
- William Belcher listed as minor under 14 in 1755
William was taken prisoner and killed while in his country's service at New York Sep 1776 rev War. - Samuel Belcher
- Benjamin Belcher appears on the roll of Capt Simeon Careys co in 1758 on a crown point expedition
"Abstracts from Bristol Co. Ma."
as guardian of these children;
by Greg Belcher........
Greg Belcher
Gayl Wells
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