John Beecher ^{1 2 3 4}

   Other names for John were John Bicher, Johannes Bucher and John Bucher.

  Burial Notes:

His tombstone reads: Our father John Beecher husband of Susanna Schmitt born August 15 1819 died July 19 1896 aged 76 years 11 months 4 days.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Alt. Name. Many Beckers recorded in Epler's Church appear as the surname Beecher in Census records, history books, etc. and clearly are the same families. Following the Civil War era, the name starts appearing as Beecher in Epler's records rather than Becker.

• Census, 1840, Bern Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania, USA. ⁷ John Bicher is listed in the 1840 census with this household:
Males (born)
Under 5 (1836-1840) = 1 son Levi
20-29 (1811-1820) = 1 father John
Females (born)
Under 5 (1836-1840) = 1 daughter Catherine
20-29 (1811-1820) = 1 wife Susan

• Census, 1850, Bern Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania, USA. ⁹ John Beecher, age 35, farmer, is living with his entire family in the household of Levi Douder, age 19 [could be his brother-in-law who inherited the property?] Also in John's family is Susannah, whose age has been overwritten so from the handwriting it could be 89, or a 29 overwritten to become 39. [His mother? His wife? We assume it is a 39-year old wife, since John and Susan [nee Smith] are mentioned as the parents of Catherine Beecher in the historical book quoted in her husband's record here, and also because the following children are present in this home indicating it is a family.]

The children are: Levi, 14; Catherine, 12; Reuben, 10; Rebecca, 9; Cornelius, 7; and Susannah, 2. Everyone was born in Pennsylvania. The elder Susannah cannot read or write, perhaps another indication she really is elderly. A check mark appears in the column for Catherine to indicate she was married within the year, but who is her husband? It could be Douder, but then we would expect she would be listed second under him, not within the children's list by age order. Further research on this group is obviously needed.

The neighbors on the previous census page are two Richenbeush families: Solomon, 40, and Abraham, 45. In Solomon's household is listed a Catherine Beecher, 11.

• Census, 1880, Bern Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania, USA. ¹⁰ John Beecher, laborer, 61, is living with wife Susanna, 66; son Levi, laborer, 44; and son William, laborer, 28. Everyone and their parents were born in Pennsylvania.

John married Susan Schmitt, daughter of John Schmitt and Catherine. (Susan Schmitt was born on 13 Feb 1813 in , , Pennsylvania, USA,⁴ died on 9 Nov 1893 in Bern Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania, USA ⁴ and was buried in Bern Township: Epler's Church Cemetery, Berks County, Pennsylvania, USA ⁴.)