Jonathan Belcher
Encyclopedia
Jonathan Belcher was colonial governor of the British provinces of Massachusetts Bay
, New Hampshire
, and New Jersey
.
, Province of Massachusetts Bay
, in 1682. His father Andrew was an adventurer and businessman, and his mother, Sarah Gilbert Belcher, was the daughter of a politically well connected Connecticut
merchant and Indian trader. His mother died when he was seven, and his father sent him to live with relatives in the country while he expanded his trading business. Andrew Belcher was highly successful in trade, although some of it was in violation of the Navigation Acts
, and some was supposedly conducted with pirates. However he made his money, he became of the wealthiest men in Massachusetts in the 1680s and 1690s. To promote the family's status, he sent his son to the Boston Latin School
in 1691, and then Harvard College
in 1695, where Belcher was listed second (the order of listings being a rough indication of a family's importance) behind Jeremiah Dummer
. Belcher and Dummer both went on to political careers in the province, sometimes as allies, but also as opponents. Belcher's five sisters all married into politically or economically prominent families, forging important connections that would further his career.
Belcher graduated from Harvard at the age of 17, and then entered into his father's business. The trading empire his father built encompassed trade from the West Indies to Europe
, and included shares or outright ownership of more than 15 ships. In the spring of 1704 Belcher's father sent him to London
to cultivate business contacts of his own.
, died. Belcher lobbied for and was awarded the job of governor of both Massachusetts and New Hampshire
. Initially accepted by Boston, his popularity decreased when he brought the censure of the English government. He was unwilling to resolve longstanding boundary disputes between the two provinces. Despite claims that he was neutral on the matter, he orchestrated affairs to prefer the settlement of lands north and west of the Merrimack River
by Massachusetts residents. The dispute eventually reached the highest levels of government and court in England, and he was recalled over allegations of bribery in furthering some landowners' objectives in the dispute. As governor of Massachusetts, Belcher was also known for his stern opposition to the private Land Bank scheme of 1740, and continually fought the General Court over emissions of paper currency.
). He approved its location in Princeton
, and including building the library for the new school.
For much of his New Jersey administration Belcher was ill, suffering from a type of progressive paralytic disorder
. In the summer of 1751 he moved from Burlington
to Elizabethtown
in the hopes that his health would improve; it did not. Eventually his hands became paralyzed, and his wife was employed to write for him. He died at his home in Elizabethtown on August 31, 1757; His body was transported to Massachusetts, where he was buried at Cambridge.
, and a sister was the wife of Lt. Gov. George Vaughan
. One of his sons, Jonathan Belcher
, was the Chief Justice
of the Nova Scotia Supreme Court
and Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia
. His other son, Andrew Belcher
, also served on the Massachusetts Governor's Council
.
He was the uncle of Lt. Gov Andrew Oliver
and Chief Justice Peter Oliver, and was also the great-grandfather of Admiral Edward Belcher
. His great-nephew Peter Oliver, Jr. married the daughter of Governor Thomas Hutchinson.
is named for him. The Belcher-Ogden Mansion-Price, Benjamin-Price-Brittan Houses District
in Elizabeth, New Jersey
includes homes from the family.
Province of Massachusetts Bay
The Province of Massachusetts Bay was a crown colony in North America. It was chartered on October 7, 1691 by William and Mary, the joint monarchs of the kingdoms of England and Scotland...
, New Hampshire
Province of New Hampshire
The Province of New Hampshire is a name first given in 1629 to the territory between the Merrimack and Piscataqua rivers on the eastern coast of North America. It was formally organized as an English royal colony on October 7, 1691, during the period of English colonization...
, and New Jersey
Province of New Jersey
The Province of New Jersey was one of the Middle Colonies of Colonial America and became the U.S. state of New Jersey in 1776. The province had originally been settled by Europeans as part of New Netherland, but came under English rule after the surrender of Fort Amsterdam in 1664, becoming a...
.
Early life
Jonathan Belcher was born in CambridgeCambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...
, Province of Massachusetts Bay
Province of Massachusetts Bay
The Province of Massachusetts Bay was a crown colony in North America. It was chartered on October 7, 1691 by William and Mary, the joint monarchs of the kingdoms of England and Scotland...
, in 1682. His father Andrew was an adventurer and businessman, and his mother, Sarah Gilbert Belcher, was the daughter of a politically well connected Connecticut
Connecticut Colony
The Connecticut Colony or Colony of Connecticut was an English colony located in British America that became the U.S. state of Connecticut. Originally known as the River Colony, it was organized on March 3, 1636 as a haven for Puritan noblemen. After early struggles with the Dutch, the English...
merchant and Indian trader. His mother died when he was seven, and his father sent him to live with relatives in the country while he expanded his trading business. Andrew Belcher was highly successful in trade, although some of it was in violation of the Navigation Acts
Navigation Acts
The English Navigation Acts were a series of laws that restricted the use of foreign shipping for trade between England and its colonies, a process which had started in 1651. Their goal was to force colonial development into lines favorable to England, and stop direct colonial trade with the...
, and some was supposedly conducted with pirates. However he made his money, he became of the wealthiest men in Massachusetts in the 1680s and 1690s. To promote the family's status, he sent his son to the Boston Latin School
Boston Latin School
The Boston Latin School is a public exam school founded on April 23, 1635, in Boston, Massachusetts. It is both the first public school and oldest existing school in the United States....
in 1691, and then Harvard College
Harvard College
Harvard College, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is one of two schools within Harvard University granting undergraduate degrees...
in 1695, where Belcher was listed second (the order of listings being a rough indication of a family's importance) behind Jeremiah Dummer
Jeremiah Dummer
Jeremiah Dummer was an important colonial figure for New England in the early 18th century. His most significant contributions to American history were his A Defense of the New England Charters and his role in the formation of Yale College.-Background and early life:Jeremiah Dummer's family...
. Belcher and Dummer both went on to political careers in the province, sometimes as allies, but also as opponents. Belcher's five sisters all married into politically or economically prominent families, forging important connections that would further his career.
Belcher graduated from Harvard at the age of 17, and then entered into his father's business. The trading empire his father built encompassed trade from the West Indies to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, and included shares or outright ownership of more than 15 ships. In the spring of 1704 Belcher's father sent him to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to cultivate business contacts of his own.
Massachusetts and New Hampshire
In 1718, Belcher was elected to the Massachusetts Governor's Council. He was sent to London again in 1728 as a colonial agent, to explain to the Board of Trade why the province refused to pay its royally-appointed governors a regular salary. During this stay, the sitting governor, William BurnetWilliam Burnet (administrator)
William Burnet was a British civil servant and colonial administrator who served as governor of New York and New Jersey and Massachusetts .-Early life:...
, died. Belcher lobbied for and was awarded the job of governor of both Massachusetts and New Hampshire
Province of New Hampshire
The Province of New Hampshire is a name first given in 1629 to the territory between the Merrimack and Piscataqua rivers on the eastern coast of North America. It was formally organized as an English royal colony on October 7, 1691, during the period of English colonization...
. Initially accepted by Boston, his popularity decreased when he brought the censure of the English government. He was unwilling to resolve longstanding boundary disputes between the two provinces. Despite claims that he was neutral on the matter, he orchestrated affairs to prefer the settlement of lands north and west of the Merrimack River
Merrimack River
The Merrimack River is a river in the northeastern United States. It rises at the confluence of the Pemigewasset and Winnipesaukee rivers in Franklin, New Hampshire, flows southward into Massachusetts, and then flows northeast until it empties into the Atlantic Ocean at Newburyport...
by Massachusetts residents. The dispute eventually reached the highest levels of government and court in England, and he was recalled over allegations of bribery in furthering some landowners' objectives in the dispute. As governor of Massachusetts, Belcher was also known for his stern opposition to the private Land Bank scheme of 1740, and continually fought the General Court over emissions of paper currency.
New Jersey
He was later appointed governor of the province of New Jersey, from 1747–57, and supported the founding of the College of New Jersey (now known as Princeton UniversityPrinceton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
). He approved its location in Princeton
Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton is a community located in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. It is best known as the location of Princeton University, which has been sited in the community since 1756...
, and including building the library for the new school.
For much of his New Jersey administration Belcher was ill, suffering from a type of progressive paralytic disorder
Paralysis
Paralysis is loss of muscle function for one or more muscles. Paralysis can be accompanied by a loss of feeling in the affected area if there is sensory damage as well as motor. A study conducted by the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, suggests that about 1 in 50 people have been diagnosed...
. In the summer of 1751 he moved from Burlington
Burlington, New Jersey
Burlington is a city in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States and a suburb of Philadelphia. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 9,920....
to Elizabethtown
Elizabeth, New Jersey
Elizabeth is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 124,969, retaining its ranking as New Jersey's fourth largest city with an increase of 4,401 residents from its 2000 Census population of 120,568...
in the hopes that his health would improve; it did not. Eventually his hands became paralyzed, and his wife was employed to write for him. He died at his home in Elizabethtown on August 31, 1757; His body was transported to Massachusetts, where he was buried at Cambridge.
Family
His first wife, Mary Partridge Belcher (1685–1736), was the daughter of New Hampshire Lt. Gov. William PartridgeWilliam Partridge (New Hampshire)
William Partridge was an English colonial administrator. Born in Newbury, Massachusetts, he moved to the Province of New Hampshire, where he served as treasurer and magistrate before being appointed lieutenant governor .-References:*...
, and a sister was the wife of Lt. Gov. George Vaughan
George Vaughan (New Hampshire)
George Vaughan may be best known for being Lieutenant Governor of colonial New Hampshire for only one year. A graduate of Harvard College in 1696, he was also at various times a merchant, Colonel of militia, agent for the province to England, and counsellor.1Sources disagree regarding whether he...
. One of his sons, Jonathan Belcher
Jonathan Belcher (jurist)
Jonathan Belcher was an American lawyer, chief justice, and Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia.Born in Boston, Massachusetts, second son of Jonathan Belcher and Mary Partridge, he received an Bachelor of Arts degree in 1728 and an Master of Arts degree in 1731 from Harvard College...
, was the Chief Justice
Chief Justice
The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...
of the Nova Scotia Supreme Court
Nova Scotia Supreme Court
The Nova Scotia Supreme Court is a superior court in the province of Nova Scotia.The Court comprises the Chief Justice , the Associate Chief justice, twenty-one judges and six supernumerary Justices, who sit in 18 different locations around the province.-Jurisdiction:As with all superior courts...
and Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia
Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia
The Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia is the viceregal representative in Nova Scotia of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, who operates distinctly within the province but is also shared equally with the ten other jurisdictions of Canada and resides predominantly in her oldest realm, the...
. His other son, Andrew Belcher
Andrew Belcher
Andrew Belcher was an early colonial Bostonian who served on the Massachusetts Council from 1765 to 1767. Andrew married Elizabeth Teale and lived in Milton, Massachusetts. His father, Jonathan Belcher was a colonial governor of Massachusetts, New Hampshire and New Jersey...
, also served on the Massachusetts Governor's Council
Massachusetts Governor's Council
The Massachusetts Governor's Council is a governmental body that provides advice and consent in certain matters such as judicial nominations, pardons, and commutations to the Governor of Massachusetts...
.
He was the uncle of Lt. Gov Andrew Oliver
Andrew Oliver
Andrew Oliver was a merchant and public official in the Province of Massachusetts Bay. Born in Boston, he was the son of Daniel Oliver, a merchant, and Elizabeth Belcher Oliver, daughter of Governor Jonathan Belcher. Andrew had two brothers: Daniel Oliver and Peter Oliver...
and Chief Justice Peter Oliver, and was also the great-grandfather of Admiral Edward Belcher
Edward Belcher
Admiral Sir Edward Belcher, KCB , was a British naval officer and explorer. He was the great-grandson of Governor Jonathan Belcher. His wife, Diana Jolliffe, was the stepdaughter of Captain Peter Heywood.-Early life:...
. His great-nephew Peter Oliver, Jr. married the daughter of Governor Thomas Hutchinson.
Legacy
Belchertown, MassachusettsBelchertown, Massachusetts
As of the census of 2000, there were 12,968 people, 4,886 households, and 3,517 families residing in the town. The population density was 245.9 people per square mile . There were 5,050 housing units at an average density of 95.8 per square mile...
is named for him. The Belcher-Ogden Mansion-Price, Benjamin-Price-Brittan Houses District
Belcher-Ogden Mansion-Price, Benjamin-Price-Brittan Houses District
The Belcher-Ogden Mansion Benjamin Price-Price-Brittan Houses District is a historic district in Elizabeth, New Jersey that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986...
in Elizabeth, New Jersey
Elizabeth, New Jersey
Elizabeth is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 124,969, retaining its ranking as New Jersey's fourth largest city with an increase of 4,401 residents from its 2000 Census population of 120,568...
includes homes from the family.
External links
- Biography of Jonathan Belcher, New Jersey State LibraryNew Jersey State LibraryThe New Jersey State Library, based in Trenton, New Jersey, was established in 1796 to serve the information needs of New Jersey's Governor, Legislature and courts. The State Library is also responsible to assist in the provision of library and information services to all New Jersey...
- Official Massachusetts biography