William Bicher Sr. ^{1 2}

   Other names for William were William Beacher, William Beecher, William Beicher, Wilhelm Bicher, William Bicker, William Biecher and Wilhelm Bucher.

  General Notes:

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  Christening Notes:

Sponsor was Jacob Bicher Sr.

  Burial Notes:

His tombstone reads William Beicher, Jan 25 1811 - Aug 18, 1880 Aged 69 yr 6 mo 24 da.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Census, 1830, Lebanon, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, USA. ¹¹ Jacob Beicher is listed in Lebanon Borough on page 35 in the 1830 Census. Living in the household are:
Males (born)
Under 5 (1826-1830) = 2 great grandsons ?
15-19 (1811-1815) = 1 grandson (William or Jacob?)
70-79 (1751-1760) = 1 Jacob
Females (born)
40-49 (1781-1790) = 1 ?? (Mary Michael?)
80-89 (1741-1750) = 1 wife Catherine

This appears to be the household of Jacob Bucher born 1758. His age would be 72 in 1830, and his wife Catherine 83, explaining the two elderly household heads perfectly.

Since his son, John Jacob (born 1782 who would be 48 in 1830) had died of an accident with a sickle, the 15-19 year old male could be either grandson Jacob (born 1812) or William (born 1811). Likely the older William age 19 was already off living on his own, as was Lydia age 21, and this is Jacob.

The female 40-49 could be Mary Bicher (nee Michael), wife of John Jacob (born 1782), since her husband died in 1812.

• Alt. Name, 1832. ^{1 2} Originally descended from Jacob Bücher, William's children starting in 1832 are baptized under the spelling Bicher in records at Salem Lutheran Church, but his tombstone reads William Beicher when he dies in 1880.

• Census, 1840, Lebanon, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, USA. ⁹ Jacob Beacher appears in the 1840 Census in Lebanon living alone. His age is in category 80-89 (so he was born 1751-1760).

The next listing on this page is his grandson, William Beacher.
Males (born)
Under 5 (1836-1840) = 1
5-9 (1831-1835) = 1
15-19 (1821-1825) = 1
30-39 (1801-1810) = 3
Females (born)
Under 5 (1836-1840) = 1
20-29 (1811-1820) = 1
50-59 (1781-1790) = 1
60-69 (1771-1780) = 1

• Census, 1850, Lebanon, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, USA. ¹² William Bicher, age 39, tinner, is living with Susanna, 38; John, 19, shoemaker; William, 17, tinner; Elizabeth, 10; Emelia, 7; Sarah, 5; Emanuel, 2; and Mary Bicher, 70, who we presume is William's mother, nee Michal. Everyone was born in Pennsylvania. Their neighbors are Felix Good, 70, and David Carmany, 56.
[Note: Most census indexes list him as Bicker, not Bicher; the census taker's handwriting can easily be mistaken.]

• Census, 1860, Lebanon, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, USA. ³ William Biecher, age 50, appears in the 1860 Census in Lebanon living with his wife, Susan, age 48; Amelia, 17; Sarah, 14; Emanuel, 12; George, 4; and Mary, 79. Everyone was born in Pennsylvania. William is employed as a tinsmith.

• Census, 1870, Lebanon, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, USA. ¹³ The 1860 Census in Lebanon lists him as William Biecher, 58, tinsmith. He is married to Susan, age 57. Living with him is his son, George, 15, who is a shoemaker's apprentice. Everyone is born in Pennsylvania. William had no real estate of value and his possessions were worth $300. The previous census listing is his son, Emanuel.

• Census, 1880, Lebanon, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, USA. ¹⁴ William Beacher, age 70, tinsmith, was living with his wife Susan, 68. Everyone and their parents were born in Pennsylvania. The record is in the 5th Ward in Lebanon.

• Obituary: Lebanon Courier, 15 Sep 1880, Lebanon, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, USA. ⁸ DIED. Biecher -- In Lebanon, on August 18, William Biecher, aged 69 years, 6 months and 24 days. Buried August 23, on Mt. Lebanon Cemetery.

William married Susanna Meily, daughter of Emanuel Meily and Elizabeth Spade, on 3 May 1831 in , Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, USA. (Susanna Meily was born on 3 Oct 1812 in Lebanon, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, USA ^{1 3 6 14}, christened in Nov 1812 in Lebanon: Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, USA,¹ died on 23 Jul 1883 ⁶ and was buried in Lebanon: Mount Lebanon Cemetery, Lebanon, Pennsylvania, USA ⁶.)