John Beach Immigrant

• General Notes
  • Emmigrated on the ship "Elizabeth and Anna" June 1638 with brothers Richard and Thomas. He first appears in land records in 1661. His children are listed in Fairfield Probate Records, Vol.3, p. 22 He settled in New Haven Colony in 1643 and took the oath of Fidelity in 1644. He wasa minister.[Archie.FTW]
    
    There has been some confusion regarding which daughter of Mary and Thomas Staples had married John Beach. According to the book WITCH-HUNTING by David D. Hall, Mary Staples (daughter) married someone with the last name of Harvey. She had a daughter named Hannah and all three females (Mary Staples, Mary Harvey and Hannah Harvey) were implicated in the Witch Trials of Fairfield Ct.
    
    As far the genealogy goes, it raises the question of WHO married John Beach?
    
    While some trees have Mary as his wife, a few other have Mary's sister Hannah as his wife.
    
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    Following contributed by Dean Roe dhroe@hnet.net
    
    John was born in St. Albans, Herfordshire, England, which is 19 miles N/NWest of Marble Arch, London.  He came to New Haven, Connecticut in 1638 with Rev. Peter Reuddens.   It is thought that the Beach family came to England from France in the 13th century.  They probably changed their name from de la Beche to the Anglized Beach in the 14th century.
    
      St. Albans was a Cathedral City and was constantly visited by kings and nobles.  The city had been occupied by troops after the battle of Poiters.  The captured King John of France was held prisoner in the St. Albans Abbey in 1381.  The peasants revolted, storming the abbey or monastery, forcing Abbot Thomas de la Marc to grant a charter.  Two battles were fought here in the War of Roses.  It also was in St. Albans that Archbishop Stephen Langdon read the first draft of the Magna Carta to an assembly of clergy and nobles.
    
      The Beach family no doubt experiened the problems brought on by the King of England, Charles I (1625-1649, who attempted to rule without parliament and needed more revenue (because of his problems in Ireland and France.)  This rule caused much discontent in England.  It was during that time (1638) that John Beach left England and moved to America.  The discontent was so widespread that money could hardly be raised to meet Englands emergencies.  Charles attempt to enforce the unpopular Arminians Standards of ritual and doctrine antagonized the Puritans and won little support. Charles used the high commission to back episcopal authority and the Star Chamber to silence his critics.  The Puritans propaganda against the Arminians as virtual agents of Rome (Catholic Church) was damaging to Charles I.  This problem led to many Puritans including John Beach to move to America (New Haven, CT).
    
      He was probably from St. Albans, but some say he was from some other part of England (one claim was that he was the son of Rev. John Beach of Derbyshire).  He probably had two brothers, Thomas and Richard (who were definitely brothers), although it is not positive that John was their brother  (source: JOHN BEACH OF NEW HAVEN an article in the BEACH FAMILY JOURNAL, Vol. II, No. 2, Summer 1994, A Biography by Eugene H. Beach Jr.)  Internet site:  http://members.aol.com/eugeneb/john.htm
    
      He probably was born abt 1619-1623.  Tradition has it that John attended a organization meeting (1639) where it was decided that "magistrates should be men fearing God" and "the Church is the company" that "church members only shall be free burgesses and that they only shall chose magistrates and officers".
    
      It is now generally accepted that Richard Beach, John Beach and Thomas Beach were all brothers.
    It is certain that Richard and Thomas were related for in the proceedings before the New Haven Court on Nov. 2, 1652, "Thomas Beech declareth the he went to Richard Sperries farme vpon some occasion betwixt his brother Richard Beeche and himself..." (New Haven Historical Society, New Haven Town Records, 1649-1662, p. 151.  When John Beach, the eldest son of Thomas Beach, was left an orphan after 1670, he went or was sent to live at Wallingford, Connecticut, where his "uncle" John Beach and several of his sons owned property and resided at various times. (from: A Critical Discussion of the English Origins, Parentage and Relationships of RICHARD, JOHN and THOMAS BEACH, early settlers of New Haven, Connecticut.  By Eugene H. Beach Jr.)
    
      John Beach was a defendant in a trial on June 7th, 1643, where he was accused of negligence in the felling of a tree so as to cause the death of a cow belonging to George Smith.  "butt he the said John Beach alleadged for himselfe, that he did Nott doe itt negligently, for he being falling tree, there came some cowes about him, and the tree in falling did rest upon the bowes of another tree that stood neare, and then he left the tree, and drave away the cowes as he did conceive without the the reach of the tree, and in the meane time some goates coming under the tree he retuorned to drive them away allso, and then came in haste to five 3 or 4 chops att the tree to hasten the falling of itt before the cattell could come again.  (John was ordered to pay 5L - the price George Smyth set upon his cow - with much moderation - tho she was really worth much more)
    
      The colony of New haven perceived itself surrounded by potentially hostile forces; not the just Indians, but French to the north, Dutch to the south, and pirates from the sea.  Consequently, every adult male was not only expected, but required by law to own a firearm, maintain it in good repair, and report regularly for drill or training.  A failure to do so was punishable by a significant fine, as the following entry reveals:
    
      John Beach was again recorded in the New Haven Colony in 1643, when he was fined "2 shillings for twice late coming" (to militia training) and another two shillings for "defect. gun."
    
      On July 1, 1644,  He took the "oath of Fidelity", swearing allegiance to the "fundamental order and agreement (of Connecticut)" adopted in June, 1639, by which the Scriptures were made the supreme law of the colony.  John Beach became a householder in 1647.  In 1852 the last recorded mention of John Beach in New Haven was that he sold his home and lot in New Haven to Lancelot Baker (the house lay between the house and lot of Henry Pecke and William Pecke.)  John Beach was then recorded: "John Beach came to Stratford and bought his first land, May 21, 1660 (or 1661?) of Ensign Bryan of Milford, one house lot, two acres; he then had a wife and two children."   He was made the Town Crier (like a official auctioneer for the Town) in Stradtford, Conn. in 1671, "cries (auctioneer) for for all sorts of cattle and all other things of smaller value, for two years"
     
      He married Mary___in 1650.  He was a large land owner in Wallingford, CT. also.  Wallingford is seven miles north of New Haven.  It is probable that he lived in Wallingfor ten years (from 1650 to 1660) according to Elmer Beach in his book Beach in America.    He may never have lived in Wallingford, but may have purchased land there for his sons, as three of his sons settled there.  His property value in Wallingford at the time of his death was was 92 pounds nineteen shillings; while his property in Stradford was valued at 312 pounds 13 shillings.  He owned his house lot in Stratford on Main and Back street (originally Front Street.)
     
      John Beach senior's estate was administered in Fairfield county (CT) probate court and includes the following written agreement by his adult children, dated Nov. 6, 1677, for the division of his assets:
      "Whereas our honored father John Beach dying very suddenly did also dye Intestate (i.e. without a will): we his children to prevent any after Trouble: and fore the good and benefit of our brethern and sisters not yet come of age have come to this agreement" (source: BEACH FAMILY MAGAZINE, Vol. 111, No. 2, p. 258, quoting Fairfield, Connecticut Probate Records)
    
    The agreement thereafter gives the names and birtdates of the ten children of John Beach, provides for appointment of guardians for the six children still under age, and sets forth the portion or share of the estate - with a net value of 344 pounds, 5 shillings and 6 pence - each child would recieve.  His estate included considerable land holdings in Stradford and Wallingford Ct. plus "Waring apparrle, one bible; bedding, linnen, etc.; 5 new chairs and 4 old Chests;...yarn and spinning wheels & a woolen wheele Cards,...armes & Ammunition..."
    
    Some believe that John Beach was married to Mary, but there is some confusion - It might not be Mary Staples, but the confusion comes in because it was John's son John who married Hannah Staples the Dau. of Thomas Staples.  One source (Anjou Typescript) think his wife was Elizabeth Peck, daughter of Nathaniel Peck.