Reuben Beecher ^{1 2 3}

  Burial Notes:

His tombstone reads: Hier ruhet Ruben Beecher sohn von John u Susanna Beecher er wurde geboren den 14 September 1840 in der Schlachte die Gettysburg am 1 Juli 1863 und starb in den vertigen hospital den 26 Juli 1863 in einen alter von 22 jahre 10 monat u 12 tage.

  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, 1850, Bern Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania, USA. ¹ 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.

• Census, 1860, Bern Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania, USA. ⁴ Reuben Becher, age 20, and his brother Cornelius, 16, are farm hands living in the household of farmer Levi Good, 42, and his wife Sarah, 45. Everyone was born in Pennsylvania.

On the following page 21 is Godfrey Becher, and on page 22, the 72-year old elder John Becher [Beecher] who was born in 1789.

• Confirmation, 30 Mar 1862, Bern Township: Epler's Church, Berks County, Pennsylvania, USA. ⁵

Reuben married Louisetta.