Phineas Wolcott Cook Family Tree

BIRTH "Benjamin Beach, first child of Benjamin and Lydia (Potter) Beach, b. 15 Apr 1737 (New Haven Vital Records), died 12 July 1816. Of Cornwall & Seymour; Rev.; Census (Derby) 1-1-2; m. Mercy Blatchley, who d 1812. (Families of Ancient New Haven, Connecticut,  comp. by Donald Lines Jacobus, Family History Library book 974.68 D2j Vol. 1, p. 151-152) Myrtle M. Jillson, Genealogist, letter to A.L. Cook, April 13, 1960. In that genealogy his birth was given 15 April 1737 and his death 30 June 1816, both at Cornwall, Litchfield, Connecticut. (The dates were right, but his birthplace was apparently unknown to her.)

Benjamin Beach b. April 15, 1737 at New Haven, New Haven, CT. Died July 12, 1816 "in New Haven." Son of Benjamin Beach and Lydia BEACH; Husband of Mercy Beach; Father of Joel Beach (1770-1846) who married Martha Patty Ray (1775-1852). Second child listed is Simeon Beach (1780 - ). Benjamin is the brother of Lydia Beach; Nathaniel Beach; Elias Beach; Patience Beach; Martha Beach and 7 others. ( The complete tree is online at http://www.geni.com/people/Benjamin-Beach/6000000020017295641) The website gives information for Benjamin's father Benjamin Beach as follows: Born 29 Jan. 1704 at New Haven, New Haven, CT. Died 1760 at North Haven. Son of Thomas Beach and Sarah Beach (Sanford) Husband of Lydia BEACH. Father of Benjamin Beach; Lydia Beach; Nathaniel Beach; Elias Beach; Patience Beach and 8 others. Brother of Ephraim Beach; Sarah Beach; John Beach; Mary Beach; Thomas Beach and 5 others. Half brother of Damaris Stone; Abigail Pritchard; Eleanor Stone; Thomas Beach; Landa Beach and 4 others. (http://www.geni.com/people/Benjamin-Beach/6000000001814993914) Benjamin Beach, the son of Benjamin and Lydia (Potter) Beach was born April 15, 1737 at New Haven, New Haven, CT (Birth found in New Haven Vital Records) and died July 12, 1816 (Death given by Donald L. Jacobus, (1922-1932). Mercy Blatchly was born 26 November 1735 at East Guilford, CT. and died in 1812 (no location given, and no sources.) One child is listed: Giles Beach b. 13 January 1765 at New Haven; Died 22 June 1847 at North Haven. He is buried in the Old Graveyard, Montowese, North Haven. (This information at http://www.geni.com/people/Benjamin-Beach/6000000001814993914).

DERBY, NH, CONN In the book "The History of the Old Town of Derby, CT, 1642-1880, by Samuel Orcutt and Ambrose Beardsley, the Beach family given from the earliest generations. On page 699 is the following: "Rev. Benjamin, son of Benjamin Beach Sr. married Mercy Blatchley, who was born November 1737. and died in 1812, aged 75 years. He died at Cornwall July 12 1816 aged 79 years." Their children are listed. (Family History Library microfiche 6008592; online at https://dcms.lds.org/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?dps_pid=IE89088) His children are listed, and a biography of Benjamin is in this volume, as follows: The History of the Old Town of Derby, Conn., by Samuel Orcutt and Ambrose Beardsley, Google Books, p. 532-533: Benjamin Beach, the son of Benjamin Sr. of North Haven, was born April 15, 1737, and resided in a house his father built in the year Benjamin Jun was born. Benjamin preached in what is now Seymour, Prospect, and Milton. In March 1789 he removed to Seymour, and in November Isaac Johnson deeded to him one acre of land "lying a little east of the meeting-house." It was a gift "in consideration of  his settling in the gospel ministry of the Congregational, or Independent Church." He purchased two additional pieces of land by 1799. He preached at Prospect seventeen years, closing his labors there in 1797 and probably served both churches at the same time. After eighteen years in Seymour, he moved to Cornwall in 1805. In Cornwall his wife Mercy died in 1812. Two of his sermons survive, and illustrate the clear way he taught from a text. (This biography in "The History of the Old Town of Derby, CT, 1642-1880, by Samuel Orcutt and Ambrose Beardsley, page 533.

CORNWALL Benjamin Beach and his family removed to Cornwall, Litchfield, Connecticut from Seymour, New Haven, Connecticut in about 1805 (History of the Town of Derby, CT, Family History Library microfiche 6008592, p. 533) 1810 Census Cornwall, Benjm Beach, one male and one female, both over age 45. ("United States Census, 1810," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-11586-76339-75?cc=1803765&wc=M611-YTL:145231801 : accessed 19 Sep 2014), 004433392 > image 186 of 718; citing "1810 United States Federal Census," Ancestry.com; NARA microfilm publication M252.)

DEATH Litchfield Inscriptions, p. 610, Charles Thomas Payne, Litchfield and Morris Inscriptions, Litchfield, Conn. : D. C. Kilbourn, 1905, p. 175, Family History Library book, 974.61 V22p. Rev. Benjamin Beach departed this life July 12, 1816 in 79y. Mercy Beach, wife, departed this life Nov. 21, 1812, being 75 years old. Rev. Benjamin Beach, born about 1737 died 1816 at Cornwall, Connecticut, age 79. (Connecticut, Hale Cemetery Inscriptions and Newspaper Notices, 1629-1934 about Rev Benjamin Beach. (Source Information: Ancestry.com. Connecticut, Hale Cemetery Inscriptions and Newspaper Notices, 1629-1934 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. Original data: The Charles R. Hale Collection. Hale Collection of Connecticut Cemetery Inscriptions. Hartford, Connecticut: Connecticut State Library.) Benjamin Beach, age 79, was born about 1737 and died 12 July 1816 at Cornwall, Litchfield, Connecticut (Connecticut Town Death Records, pre-1870 (Barbour Collection) about Benjamin Beach. Source Information: Ancestry.com. Connecticut Town Death Records, pre-1870 (Barbour Collection) [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006. Original data: White, Lorraine Cook, ed. The Barbour Collection of Connecticut Town Vital Records. Vol. 1-55. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1994-2002. Benjamin Beach, born about 1738 died 12 July 1816, Litchfield, Connecticut. He was age 78. ( Connecticut, Deaths and Burials Index, 1650-1934 about Benjamin Beach. Source Information: Ancestry.com. Connecticut, Deaths and Burials Index, 1650-1934 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Original data: "Connecticut Deaths and Burials, 1772–1934." Index. FamilySearch, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2009, 2010. Index entries derived from digital copies of original and compiled records. From Family History Library film 3085.

PROBATE: His wife was named "Elizabeth Cook of Goshen" in Benjamin's Probate Packet, a contract made before they married, dated March 18, 1814 in which she and Benjamin Beach agreed "each having considered their advanced stage in life and other circumstances attending each other in their respective situations" to "relinquish all right, claim and demand to any right or dower" in their separate estates. (Benjamin Beach Probate Packet, Family History Library film 1022325, p. 1) In a document dated May 11, 1818, the estate of Benjamin Beach was sold except for that which was promised Elizabeth in the document which was written up before their marriage. His appraisal of real estate totaled $1,666.31, distributed for debts and to his children.

RESEARCH There is another Benjamin Beach born in 1740 at Torrington who married Abiah Loomis. That is a different family, not to be confused with Benjamin of Cornwall. The Torrington Abiah and Benjamin were born, had children and died in Torrington. This Benjamin Beach was never recorded at any time in Torrington.

Cornwall Church Records, 1755-1852 (Family History Library film 3966) p. 321, item 3: "March 23, 1814, Rev. Benjamin Beach of Milton married to Wid. Elizabeth Cook."

The marriage of Elizabeth Cook of Goshen and Benjamin Beach is also found in Milton Church Records Vol. 3:321. (The Church of Christ in Milton (Congregational) 1779-1898, Family History Library film 4767)

Benjamin Beach married Mercy Blatchly at Killingworth, Middlesex, Connecticut 3 June 1762, citing Killingworth Vital Records 2:65. (Connecticut, Church Record Abstracts, 1630-1920 about Benjamin Beach. No information given about residence or parents. (Source Information: Ancestry.com. Connecticut, Church Record Abstracts, 1630-1920 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: 2013. Original data: Connecticut. Church Records Index. Connecticut State Library, Hartford, Connecticut. Volume 056 Killingworth.) Benjamin Beach married Mercy Blatchly 3 June 1762 at Killingworth, Middlesex, Connecticut. (Early Connecticut Marriages about Benjamin Beach. Source Information: Ancestry.com. Early Connecticut Marriages [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. Original data: Bailey, Frederic W. Early Connecticut Marriages as Found on Ancient Church Records Prior to 1800. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1997.) Benjamin Beach born 15 April 1737 at New Haven m. Mercy Blatchley, who d 1812. (Families of Ancient New Haven, Connecticut,  comp. by Donald Lines Jacobus, Family History Library book 974.68 D2j Vol. 1, p. 151-158)

"Mercy Blatchley, b. Nov. 30, 1736; m. Benjamin Beach of New Haven." (The New England historical and genealogical register (Boston : New England Historic Genealogical Society), Vol. 58; 1904, p. 359, Family History Library book 974 B2ne)

Further proof: Charles Thomas Payne, Litchfield and Morris Inscriptions, Litchfield, Conn. : D. C. Kilbourn, 1905, p. 175, Family History Library, 35 North West Temple Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84150-3400, 974.61 V22p . Rev. Benjamin Beach departed this life July 12, 1816 in 79y. Mercy Beach, wife, departed this life Nov. 21, 1812, being 75 years old. (That fits with the 1810 Census in which his wife was still alive.)

RESEARCH: Benjamin Beach married Abiah Loomis 31 August 1763 at Torrington, Connecticut. Torrington is the residence of Abiah. (Connecticut, Town Marriage Records, pre-1870 (Barbour Collection) about Benjamin Beach. Source Information: Ancestry.com. Connecticut, Town Marriage Records, pre-1870 (Barbour Collection) [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006. Original data: White, Lorraine Cook, ed. The Barbour Collection of Connecticut Town Vital Records. Vol. 1-55. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1994-2002.) (This couple had several children there. Clearly his wife lived long enough that she was not a first wife and Mercy a second wife.) A Benjamin Beach from Litchfield married Mercy Blatchley. It should be researched in case there were two men named Benjamin Beach and both marriages are correct. Since the Benjamin Beach we know about lived and died in Cornwall, they could be different men.