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Joseph Belcher

January 01, 1970

Joseph Belcher (May 14, 1669 – April 27, 1723[1][2][3][4]) was a minister at the First Church in Dedham, Massachusetts.

Personal life edit

Belcher was born on May 14, 1669, in Milton, Massachusetts and graduated from Harvard College in 1690.[5][1][a] After his parents separated, Belcher was raised by his maternal grandparents.[6] His father died in 1678 and, in his will, directed that Belcher should become an apprentice to trade at the age of 14.[6] As he approached that birthday, his grandmother died and left him a "considerable fortune," including 300 acres of land in Milton.[6] She also left him 10 acres of land in Dorchester along with a mill and mill rights.[6][b] As a result, he was very nearly financially independent.[6]

Belcher settled in Dedham on November 29, 1693.[1] Soon after, he married Abigail Thompson,[7][c] and together they had six children.[7] His daughter married Joseph Richards,[8] while his son, Sir Joseph Belcher, was a Harvard graduate and a teacher in the Dedham Public Schools.[9] Belcher was friends with Judge Samuel Sewall and Cotton Mather.[6] Sewall attended his ordination.[10]

In 1721, he came down with a "dangerous paralysis" and went to Roxbury to the home of his son-in-law, Rev. Thomas Walter.[7] There he was cared for by his wife's brother, Dr. Philip Sampson.[7][11] The church occasionally took up collections to support him during this time.[11] He died in Roxbury on April 27, 1723, and five of the "principal men" of Dedham were appointed to hire a coach to transport his body back to Dedham.[7][1] The town appropriated 40 pounds to cover the expenses of his funeral[7][11] and £2.4s for the 'entertainment' of the men who attended his funeral and their horses.[11] He was buried in the Old Village Cemetery.[12] Cotton Mather read a eulogy of him in Boston.[11]

Ministry edit

He first preached in Dedham on April 17, 1692, and then again for the second time a month later on May 15.[5][6] He received 15 shillings per day as a guest speaker.[6] The records of the May 23, 1692 Town Meeting indicate that "the Church and Town have given a call" to have Belcher move to Dedham and serve as the minister.[5] Belcher returned to preach on June 12 and did so regularly beginning on October 30.[5] Church records indicate the call was given on December 4, 1692.[5]

Belcher was shy and self-effacing, and had a "calming influence, rational approach and generally non-inflammatory attitude."[13] It was likely his calm approach that saved Dedham from being caught up in the hysteria surrounding the witch trials in Salem and surrounding communities.[6]

He was minister at the First Church and Parish in Dedham from 1693[4][3][14] until 1723,[4] although illness prevented him from preaching after 1721.[3] His portrait, donated in 1839, hangs just left of First Church's pulpit.[15]

Five of his sermons survive.[7] One was delivered before the Great and General Court, one before the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company, two were preached in Dedham specifically for young people, and one at the ordination of Nathaniel Cotton in Bristol, Rhode Island.[7]

Salary edit

A few weeks after settling, on December 23, the Town Meeting voted to set his salary at 60 pounds a year.[5] In 1696, he tried to return to a system of voluntary contributions instead of the taxes imposed to pay the salary of his predecessor, but when that system failed, the tax was reimposed in 1704.[6][14][7][16] By the end of his tenure his salary was 100 pounds a year plus the firewood provided by members of the parish.[7] The town also contributed 60 pounds to build a parsonage on land now owned by the Allin Congregational Church.[7]

Notes edit

  1. ^ Burgess has the year of his birth as 1670.[1]
  2. ^ The mill would later be used by Walter Baker & Company.[6]
  3. ^ The daughter of Benjamin and Sussanna Thompson of Roxbury.[7]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e Burgess 1840, p. 515.
  2. ^ Lockridge 1985, p. 109.
  3. ^ a b c Bartlett, J. Gardner (1906). The Belcher families in New England. Retrieved July 11, 2019.
  4. ^ a b c Worthington 1827, p. 105.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Smith 1936, p. 72.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Hanson 1976, p. 108.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Smith 1936, p. 73.
  8. ^ Hanson 1976, p. 119.
  9. ^ Smith 1936, p. 124.
  10. ^ Gay, Frederick Lewis (1892). "Extracts from the Sewall Diary". The Dedham Historical Register. Dedham Historical Society: 164.
  11. ^ a b c d e Hanson 1976, p. 114.
  12. ^ Smith 1936, p. 144.
  13. ^ Hanson 1976, p. 107-108.
  14. ^ a b Lockridge 1985, p. 86.
  15. ^ Smith 1936, pp. 73–74.
  16. ^ Lockridge 1985, pp. 96–97.

Works cited edit

  • Burgess, Ebenezer (1840). Dedham Pulpit: Or, Sermons by the Pastors of the First Church in Dedham in the XVIIth and XVIIIth Centuries. Perkins & Marvin. Retrieved May 3, 2021.
  • Hanson, Robert Brand (1976). Dedham, Massachusetts, 1635-1890. Dedham Historical Society.
  • Lockridge, Kenneth (1985). A New England Town. New York: W.W. Norton & Company. ISBN 978-0-393-95459-3.
  • Smith, Frank (1936). A History of Dedham, Massachusetts. Transcript Press, Incorporated. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
  • Worthington, Erastus (1827). The history of Dedham: from the beginning of its settlement, in September 1635, to May 1827. Dutton and Wentworth. Retrieved July 17, 2019.

External links edit

Joseph Belcher at Find a Grave

January 01, 1970
joseph, belcher, 1669, april, 1723, minister, first, church, dedham, massachusetts, contents, personal, life, ministry, salary, notes, references, works, cited, external, linkspersonal, life, editbelcher, born, 1669, milton, massachusetts, graduated, from, har. Joseph Belcher May 14 1669 April 27 1723 1 2 3 4 was a minister at the First Church in Dedham Massachusetts Contents 1 Personal life 2 Ministry 2 1 Salary 3 Notes 4 References 5 Works cited 6 External linksPersonal life editBelcher was born on May 14 1669 in Milton Massachusetts and graduated from Harvard College in 1690 5 1 a After his parents separated Belcher was raised by his maternal grandparents 6 His father died in 1678 and in his will directed that Belcher should become an apprentice to trade at the age of 14 6 As he approached that birthday his grandmother died and left him a considerable fortune including 300 acres of land in Milton 6 She also left him 10 acres of land in Dorchester along with a mill and mill rights 6 b As a result he was very nearly financially independent 6 Belcher settled in Dedham on November 29 1693 1 Soon after he married Abigail Thompson 7 c and together they had six children 7 His daughter married Joseph Richards 8 while his son Sir Joseph Belcher was a Harvard graduate and a teacher in the Dedham Public Schools 9 Belcher was friends with Judge Samuel Sewall and Cotton Mather 6 Sewall attended his ordination 10 In 1721 he came down with a dangerous paralysis and went to Roxbury to the home of his son in law Rev Thomas Walter 7 There he was cared for by his wife s brother Dr Philip Sampson 7 11 The church occasionally took up collections to support him during this time 11 He died in Roxbury on April 27 1723 and five of the principal men of Dedham were appointed to hire a coach to transport his body back to Dedham 7 1 The town appropriated 40 pounds to cover the expenses of his funeral 7 11 and 2 4s for the entertainment of the men who attended his funeral and their horses 11 He was buried in the Old Village Cemetery 12 Cotton Mather read a eulogy of him in Boston 11 Ministry editHe first preached in Dedham on April 17 1692 and then again for the second time a month later on May 15 5 6 He received 15 shillings per day as a guest speaker 6 The records of the May 23 1692 Town Meeting indicate that the Church and Town have given a call to have Belcher move to Dedham and serve as the minister 5 Belcher returned to preach on June 12 and did so regularly beginning on October 30 5 Church records indicate the call was given on December 4 1692 5 Belcher was shy and self effacing and had a calming influence rational approach and generally non inflammatory attitude 13 It was likely his calm approach that saved Dedham from being caught up in the hysteria surrounding the witch trials in Salem and surrounding communities 6 He was minister at the First Church and Parish in Dedham from 1693 4 3 14 until 1723 4 although illness prevented him from preaching after 1721 3 His portrait donated in 1839 hangs just left of First Church s pulpit 15 Five of his sermons survive 7 One was delivered before the Great and General Court one before the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company two were preached in Dedham specifically for young people and one at the ordination of Nathaniel Cotton in Bristol Rhode Island 7 Salary edit A few weeks after settling on December 23 the Town Meeting voted to set his salary at 60 pounds a year 5 In 1696 he tried to return to a system of voluntary contributions instead of the taxes imposed to pay the salary of his predecessor but when that system failed the tax was reimposed in 1704 6 14 7 16 By the end of his tenure his salary was 100 pounds a year plus the firewood provided by members of the parish 7 The town also contributed 60 pounds to build a parsonage on land now owned by the Allin Congregational Church 7 Notes edit Burgess has the year of his birth as 1670 1 The mill would later be used by Walter Baker amp Company 6 The daughter of Benjamin and Sussanna Thompson of Roxbury 7 References edit a b c d e Burgess 1840 p 515 Lockridge 1985 p 109 a b c Bartlett J Gardner 1906 The Belcher families in New England Retrieved July 11 2019 a b c Worthington 1827 p 105 a b c d e f Smith 1936 p 72 a b c d e f g h i j k Hanson 1976 p 108 a b c d e f g h i j k l Smith 1936 p 73 Hanson 1976 p 119 Smith 1936 p 124 Gay Frederick Lewis 1892 Extracts from the Sewall Diary The Dedham Historical Register Dedham Historical Society 164 a b c d e Hanson 1976 p 114 Smith 1936 p 144 Hanson 1976 p 107 108 a b Lockridge 1985 p 86 Smith 1936 pp 73 74 Lockridge 1985 pp 96 97 Works cited editBurgess Ebenezer 1840 Dedham Pulpit Or Sermons by the Pastors of the First Church in Dedham in the XVIIth and XVIIIth Centuries Perkins amp Marvin Retrieved May 3 2021 Hanson Robert Brand 1976 Dedham Massachusetts 1635 1890 Dedham Historical Society Lockridge Kenneth 1985 A New England Town New York W W Norton amp Company ISBN 978 0 393 95459 3 Smith Frank 1936 A History of Dedham Massachusetts Transcript Press Incorporated Retrieved July 18 2019 Worthington Erastus 1827 The history of Dedham from the beginning of its settlement in September 1635 to May 1827 Dutton and Wentworth Retrieved July 17 2019 External links editJoseph Belcher at Find a Grave Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Joseph Belcher amp oldid 1192866568, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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