1. Matthew Beckwith was born about 1612. He married Mary ______ who was probably born in 1625. She married (2) Samuel Bucknall. Matthew was at Hartford, CN. in 1640. He owned land there until 1651 when he sold 9 or 10 parcels and moved to New London. His land there was located between New London and East Lyme with his house being located within the boundaries of East Lyme. He died about 1862.
Information on the Beckwith family was taken, in large part, from an artical by Simeon Fox
titled "Matthew Beckwith and his family"
in the American Genealogist, Vol 21 & 22.
Children of Asa Beckwith are listed as
Chauncey Beckwith was born at Lyme, Cn. He was married on 27 Jan 1780. He died at Bristol, CN.
Wolcot Beckwith was born on 31 Dec 1789.
Abigail Beckwith was born in 1759.
Reuben Beckwith was born on 10 Nov 1762 at Claverack, New York.
Lois Beckwith was born in 1765.
Asa Beckwith was born about 1734 at Lyme, CN.
Joseph Beckwith
Not all of these children are listed in Asa's will. Daughters Anna and Mary listed in the will are not listed in the genealogy.
Note #2
Will of Asa Beckwith of the town of Western in the county of Oneida, state of New York:
In the name of God Amen I Asa Beckwith of the town of Western in the County of Oneida and state of New York, being perfectly sound in mind and memory, and bearing in mind the mortality of my body, do dispose of the estate which it has pleased God to bless me with in the following manner—
First – I give and bequeath unto my eldest son Asa and to his heirs and (offspring ?) forever, a part of my land on the northwest side of the Mohawk River, beginning in the middle of said River on the line of land which he bought of Mr. Dean, thence in the middle of said River until it comes opposite to a marker tree which stands in his fence strait to the now Road which comes down the hill, and up the said road on a pretty strait course to the north line of my land—
Secondly – I give unto my son Reuben the sum of fifty dollars, to be paid him by my two youngest sons equally between them—
Thirdly - I give unto my daughter (Am(n)a) during her natural life twenty acres of land where she now lives and after her death to go to my two youngest sons, and is bounded as follows beginning at the southeast corner of my land and running along my east bounds so far as ten rods north of her house and extending westward so far as to include the twenty acres.
Fourthly – I give unto my daughter Mary the sum of thirty dollars to be paid her by my two youngest sons—
Fifthly I give and bequeath unto my two sons Wolcott and Lemeul all the remaining part of my landed estate to them and to their mail heirs forever, but in case they or either of them should fail of mail heir, then their part shall go to the surviving brother or if he should not be living to his oldest mail heir and the oldest mail heir of Asa to be equally divided, the above bequesth is upon this condition that my two sons Wolcott and Lemuel do discharge all my just debts and the legacies of this Will given—
Sixthly – I give to my grand Daughter Lydia Beckwith, daughter of Wolcott Beckwith all my stock of what kind soever, and my farming utinsels—
Seventhly – My wearing apparel to be divided equally amony my sons—
Eightly – I give unto my son Lemuel my high case of drawers and to my son Asa my great chair and the remainder of my household furniture to be equally divided among my daughters.
And I do nominate constitute and appoint my two sons Asa and Wolcott my executors to this my last will and testament hoping that they will see all things done according to the true interest and meaning thereof and I do also give and bequeath what obligations and money I have to my two sons Asa and Reuben
On Testimoney whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this thirty first day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eight.
Signed sealed and pronounced this be to my last will in presence of—Silvenus Brown, Ruth Seang and Geoge Brayton.
Certification of deceased’s death by these three persons on 16th and 17th of October but no year given.
Note #3
The town of Western lies in the center of the county. It was formed from the
town of Steuben on March 10, 1797 and then included the town of Lee.
The town held it's first meeting on April 4, 1797 in the home of Ezekial Sheldon.
Some of the early settlers of the town include Asa Beckwith, David Hill Joanh
and Hezekiah Wells, David Utley, Levi and Otis White and William Floyd.
Note #4
1790 New York Oneida Co. Whitestown Asa Beckwith 1-1-2 Rueben Beckwith 2-2-1 Steven Shelden 3-0-0 1800 New York Oneida Co., Western Asa Beckwith 0-0-1-1-1//0-1-0-1-1 Asa Beckwith Jr. 2-1-0-1-0//1-1-0-1-0 Rueben Beckwith 2-1-0-1-0//3-1-0-1-1 Lemuel Beckwith 0-0-0-1-0//2-1-0-1-0 Richard Salisbury 4-1-0-1-0//1-1-0-1-0 Ezek Shelden 0-0-0-0-1//1-0-1-0-1 1810 New York Oneida Co., Western R. Beckwith 2-0-3-0-1//1-2-0-1-1 D. Beckwith 2-1-0-0-1//2-1-0-1-0 W. Beckwith 0-1-1-0-1//1-1-0-1-0 1814 Western landowners Asa Beckwith, Lamuel Beckwith, Rueben Beckwith, Wolcot Beckwith 1820 New York Oneida Co. Western Asa Beckwith Joseph Beckwith Lemuel Beckwith Rueben Beckwith 1-1-0-1-1//1-1-0-3-0-1 Wolcot Beckwith Henry Utley