.
By Leith Johnson
Collection Overview
Title: Beckwith family papers, 1767-1972
Primary Creator: Beckwith, Sutherland (1892-1986)
Other Creators: Beckwith, Josiah (1803-1871), Beckwith, Josiah (II) (1838-1911), Coopernail, George (1876-1964)
Extent: 17.6 Linear Feet
Arrangement:
Materials created prior to 1840, a limited selection of post-1840 materials, and those that relate to Josiah Beckwith (1803-1871) have been processed and are arranged in 3 series:
1. Papers (1767-1892)
2. Beckwith family papers (1825-1871)
3. Seymour family papers (1814-1886)
The remainder of the collection, about 15 cubic feet, has not been processed.
Date Acquired: 01/01/1988
Subjects: Alsop family, Beckwith family, Drugstores - Connecticut - Litchfield, Granniss family, Litchfield (Conn.), Medicine, Merchants - Connecticut - Litchfield, Physicians - Connecticut - Litchfield, Reeve, Tapping, 1744-1823, Seymour family
Forms of Material: Account books, Billheads, Business records, Correspondence, Deeds, Diaries, Estate inventories, Financial records, Legal documents, Military records, Photographs, Scrapbooks
Languages: English
Scope and Contents of the Materials
The Beckwith family papers (1988-01-0) consist of correspondence, financial records, legal documents, military records, diaries, photographs, and other records. A small group of papers predates those of the Beckwith family. At present, only materials created prior to 1840, a limited selection of post-1840 materials, and those that relate to Josiah Beckwith (1803-1871) have been processed. They are arranged in three series.
Series 1, Papers (1767-1892), contains a collection of primarily legal and financial records which appear to have no direct connection to the Beckwith family.
Series 2, Beckwith family papers (1825-1871), primarily contains papers relating to Dr. Beckwith. Of note is his correspondence with his brother George in which he discusses business dealings and events of the day, his account books documenting the certificates of exemption he granted during the Civil War in 1862, records relating to business affairs, and his medical and drugstore ledgers. Also included in Series 2 are early records related to the Alsop (Allsopp) family.
Series 3, Seymour family papers (1814-1886), contains a small group of materials that relate to Jane Seymour Beckwith, her mother, Mabel Strong Seymour; her father, Moses Seymour Jr.; and her sister Delia Seymour.
A collection of bills, circa 1870-1920, directed to the Beckwith family arranged alphabetically by sender documents the types of goods and services offered by Litchfield county businesses and institutions and the consumption habits of the Beckwiths.
The unprocessed portion of the collection consists of about 15 linear feet. Generally, it includes correspondence, account and ledger books, diaries and notebooks, photographs, architectural drawings and records related to the Beckwith Block, and other materials. The papers primarily document the second Dr. Beckwith, including his ledgers and account books, Ann Alsop Beckwith, Charlotte Coopernail Beckwith, Sutherland Beckwith, J. Gale Beckwith, and Margaret Beckwith (1885-1972, born in Litchfield, and who enjoyed a long career as a teacher). Other papers, to a lesser extent, relate to other Beckwith family members. There is also material that relates to members of the Seymour family, including George Seymour and Henry Seymour.
The collection also contains extensive genealogical information and family papers compiled by Dr. George Coopernail. A prominent physician in Bedford, N.Y., Coopernail was Sutherland Beckwith's father-in-law. After retiring, he moved to Litchfield and died there in 1964. He took an active interest in both his and the Beckwith lines. Among his papers are a series of albums containing family photographs.
Collection Historical Note
Dr. Josiah Gale Beckwith (1803-1871) was born in Standford, N. Y. After graduating from Union College, he studied medicine at the Albany Medical College and settled in Litchfield in 1829. He married Jane Maria Seymour (1811-1868) in 1831 and they had five children: Jane (1833-1837), Elizabeth (1835-1896), Josiah (1838-1911), Sarah (1840-1928), and George (1841-1890). Jane Seymour (1811-1868) was a daughter of Moses Seymour Jr. (1774-1826) of Litchfield. Dr. and Mrs. Beckwith resided in the house Mrs. Beckwith's father built in 1817 on South St. The house was occupied by succeeding generations of Beckwiths. Dr. Beckwith was a successful practitioner, officer of the state medical society, nominated for governor, and elected to the state legislature several times. He operated a drug store, invested in a variety of business interests, and served as an officer of several prominent local institutions, including terms as president of the Phoenix Bank and Litchfield Mutual Fire Insurance Co.
A son of Dr. Beckwith, Dr. Josiah Gale Beckwith (1838-1911) was born in Litchfield. He attended the U.S. Naval Academy for two years until resigning in 1855. He attended Union College, leaving in 1860, and also attended the Yale University Medical School in 1861 and 1862. In 1862, he volunteered with a local military company, but appears not to have served as a soldier during the Civil War. He was at the Knight United States Army General Hospital in New Haven for a time starting in 1862. He practiced medicine at Charlton, N.Y. from 1866 through 1869 and then returned to Litchfield. After his father's death in 1871, he took over the family drug store and continued with his medical practice. He married Anne Bonfield Alsop (Allsopp) (1851-1936) of Quebec, Canada, in 1873. They had three children: Josiah (1874-1957), Margaret (1885-1972), and Sutherland (1890-1986).
Josiah Gale Beckwith (1874-1957) was alternatively referred to in various combinations of Josiah Gale Beckwith Jr., J. Gale Beckwith, and Gael Beckwith. He was born in Litchfield and attended Union College and Albany Law School. He was briefly a lawyer in Waterbury in the early 1900s. In the 1910s he worked in New Jersey and Georgia and later moved to Minneapolis and St. Petersburg, Fla., where he died in an automobile accident.
Sutherland Alsop Beckwith (1890-1982) was born in Litchfield. He graduated from the Sheffield Scientific School of Yale University in 1915. He fought in the 1916 Mexican border conflict, WWI, and WWII. His military career spanned 35 years and he retired as a colonel. During the 1920s, he was involved in a lumber business operating under the name of Hubbard & Beckwith. Beckwith was a state adjutant general, a sheriff of Litchfield County, and a local director of the Works Progress Administration. For 10 years he served as Litchfield postmaster. He married Helen Cahill in 1925. After she died in 1929, he married Charlotte Louise Coopernail (1904-1986), daughter of Dr. George Coopernail (1876-1964), on July 30, 1932. They had three children: Ann (1934- ), Margaret (1936- ) and George (1938- ).
Biographical Note
Sutherland Alsop Beckwith was born in Litchfield on Dec. 16, 1890, the son of Josiah Beckwith (1838-1911) and Ann Alsop. He graduated from the Sheffield Scientific School of Yale University in 1915. A veteran of WWI and WWII, he fought in the 1916 Mexican border conflict. His military career spanned 35 years and he retired as a colonel. During the 1920s, he was involved in a lumber business operating under the name of Hubbard & Beckwith. Beckwith was a state adjutant general, a sheriff of Litchfield County, and a local director of the Works Progress Administration. For 10 years he served as Litchfield postmaster. He married first Helen Cahill on July 23, 1925. She died Feb. 2, 1929. He married second Charlotte Louise Coopernail, daughter of George Coopernail, on July 30, 1932. They had three children. Beckwith died on Nov. 19, 1986.
Subject/Index Terms
Administrative Information
Repository:
Litchfield Historical Society
Access Restrictions:
The collection is open for research. One folder of materials pertaining to Margaret Elizabeth Beckwith Parsons (1936- ) is restricted.
Use Restrictions:
Unpublished materials authored or otherwise produced by the creator(s) of this collection are in the public domain. Copyright status for other collection materials is unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of copyright holders. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright holders. Responsibility for any use rests with the user.
Acquisition Source:
George Beckwith, Michael Rybach, Arthur Shaw
Acquisition Method:
Gift
Separated Materials:
The Boardman & Seymour Records (2009-75-0) were originally part of the gift that also included the Beckwith family papers (1988-01-0). Staff determined that the Boardman & Seymour Records are a distinct group of records.
Related Materials:
Seymour family papers, 1777-1923
Litchfield Historical Society photograph collection
Preferred Citation:
Beckwith family papers (1988-01-1), Litchfield Historical Society, Helga J. Ingraham Memorial Library, P.O. Box 385, 7 South Street, Litchfield, Connecticut, 06759.
Finding Aid Revision History:
Initial finding aid completed 12/21/2009. Folder listings revised 8/24/2010.
Other Note:
Item level description of some records is available in the Society’s card catalog
This collection was processed with support from the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) and the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).
Box and Folder Listing
Browse by Series:
[
Series 1: Papers, 1767-1892],
[
Series 2: Beckwith family papers, 1825-1871],
[
Series 3: Seymour family papers, 1814-1886],
[All]
- Series 1: Papers, 1767-1892
- Folder 1: Accounts, "good, doubtful, bad", 1836 Nov 1
- Folder 2: Barnum, Phineas T. checks, 1855
- Drawn on the Terry & Barnum Co.
- Folder 3: Boardman & Hunt receipt, 1799 Oct 11
- Folder 4: Complaint against McDonald, Joseph, 1793 Jun 27
- Folder 5: Correspondence, Sever, William to Williams, Lemeul, 1810 Jul 2
- Folder 6: Correspondence, [?] to Morris, Mrs. [?], 1804 May 28
- Folder 7: Correspondence, [letter draft?], undated
- Folder 8: Deed, Tyler, Ebenezer to Haskin, Daniel, 1767 Dec 17
- Copy.
- Folder 9: Deposition of Thayer, Enoch William, circa 1800
- Folder 10: Distribution of the estate of Keith, Elizabeth, 1814 Sep 14
- Folder 11: Distribution of the estate of Scott, Ebenezer, Jr., 1781 Apr 5
- Folder 12: Extension to complete the settlement of the estate of Galpin, Sylvester, 1842 Dec 21
- Folder 13: Financial records, 1770, 1789
- Bills, receipts, orders, accounts, and similar records.
- Folder 14: Financial records, 1792-1807
- Bills, receipts, orders, accounts, and similar records.
- Folder 15: Financial records, 1809-1817
- Bills, receipts, orders, accounts, and similar records.
- Folder 16: Financial records, 1818-1824
- Bills, receipts, orders, accounts, and similar records.
- Folder 17: Financial records, undated
- Bills, receipts, orders, accounts, and similar records.
- Folder 18: Granniss family, attachment, Granniss, Thomas, 1839 Mar 1
- Folder 19: Granniss family, attachment, Parmalee, William, 1844 Dec 23
- Folder 20: Granniss family, certificate to use John M. Weeks' patent, Granniss, Thomas, 1839 Feb 5
- Folder 21: Granniss family, deeds, 1791-1793
- Folder 22: Granniss family, deeds, 1798-1799
- Folder 23: Granniss family, deeds, 1805-1806
- Folder 24: Granniss family, deeds, 1807-1808
- Folder 25: Granniss family, deeds, 1810 May
- Folder 26: Granniss family, deeds, 1810 Sep-Oct
- Folder 27: Granniss family, deeds, 1811
- Folder 28: Granniss family, deeds, 1812, 1814
- Folder 29: Granniss family, deeds, 1815
- Folder 30: Granniss family, deeds, 1826, 1851
- Folder 31: Granniss family, promise to build a forge, Granniss, Thomas, 1815 Feb 7
- Folder 32: Granniss family, receipts, 1815-1892
- Folder 33: Judgment, Churchill, John against Plumb, David, 1806 Jul 11
- Folder 34: Judgment, Frost, Elisha against Raymond, William, 1794 Dec 17
- Folder 35: Judgment, Young, Benjamin against Chase, Benjamin, 1803 Dec 2
- Folder 36: Kappa Alpha Omega Association, 1830s?
- Folder 37: Legal documents, fragments, 1810, undated
- Folder 38: List of plaintiff's exhibits, Whitfield, John v. Auger, Jean, 1844 Nov 9
- Folder 39: Litchfield Temperance Society constitution, undated
- Folder 40: Money orders, U.S. Post Office, 1817
- Folder 41: Ogden, Amelia C. accounts, 1816-1847
- Folder 42: Order to receive Woodward, Benjamin in the Litchfield County Jail, 1798 May 11
- Folder 43: Reeve, Elizabeth, 1820-1831
- Bills, receipts, orders, accounts, and similar records.
- Folder 44: Reeve, Tapping, 1789-1792
- Bills, receipts, orders, accounts, and similar records.
- Folder 45: Reeve, Tapping, 1793-1799
- Bills, receipts, orders, accounts, and similar records.
- Folder 46: Reeve, Tapping, 1802-1807
- Bills, receipts, orders, accounts, and similar records.
- Folder 47: Reeve, Tapping, 1808-1812
- Bills, receipts, orders, accounts, and similar records.
- Folder 48: Reeve, Tapping, 1814-1815
- Bills, receipts, orders, accounts, and similar records.
- Folder 49: Reeve, Tapping, 1816
- Bills, receipts, orders, accounts, and similar records.
- Folder 50: Reeve, Tapping, 1817-1818
- Bills, receipts, orders, accounts, and similar records.
- Folder 51: Reeve, Tapping, 1819-1821
- Bills, receipts, orders, accounts, and similar records.
- Folder 52: Reeve, Tapping, undated
- Bills, receipts, orders, accounts, and similar records.
- Folder 53: Summons, Thompson, Jeremiah, 1785 Mar 8
- Folder 54: Summons, Thomson, Zacharia, 1792 Apr 27
- Folder 55: Testimony of Caswell, Betsy regarding McGonnagel, Henry and his wife, Leuziah, 1793 Aug 19
- Folder 56: Testimony of Gilbert, Joseph, 1772 Jan 1
- Folder 57: Testimony of Norton, Asa, 1792 Aug 30
- Folder 58: Writ, Church, J. v. Hine, Dan., 1790 Mar 11
- Folder 59: Writ, Pierce, Seth and Pierce, Amy v. Thompson, John and Thompson, Martha, 1795 Nov 26
- Folder 60: Unidentified writings, 1828, undated
- Item 1: Blank book, circa 1820s
- Contains one pressed leaf. Currently stored in flat document box.
- Series 2: Beckwith family papers, 1825-1871
- Folder 1: Allsopp, George, private instructions and advice to Allsopp, R., 1796 Jul 21
- Folder 2: Allsopp lands in the seigniory of St. Hyacinth and the town of Farnum, 1790-1804
- Folder 3: Allsopp, Robert, evening and morning prayers, circa early 1800s
- Folder 4: Allsopp, Robert, papers, 1841-1846
- Folder 5: Beckwith, George, order, 1865
- Folder 6: Beckwith, Jane Seymour Litchfield Female Academy diploma, 1828
- Folder 7: Beckwith, Jane Seymour, bill, 1840 May 20
- Folder 8: Correspondence, Beckwith, Josiah to Beckwith, George, 1853 May 5
- Folder 9: Correspondence, Beckwith, Josiah to Beckwith, George, 1854 Apr 17
- Folder 10: Correspondence, Beckwith, Josiah to Beckwith, George, 1854 Jun 14
- Folder 11: Correspondence, Beckwith, Josiah to Beckwith, George, 1854 Jul 17
- Folder 12: Correspondence, Beckwith, Josiah to Beckwith, George, 1855 Feb 1
- Folder 13: Correspondence, Beckwith, Josiah to Beckwith, George, 1855 Mar
- Folder 14: Correspondence, Beckwith, Josiah to Beckwith, George, 1856-1860
- Folder 15: Correspondence, Beckwith, Josaih to Beckwith, George, 1861 Jun 18
- Folder 16: Correspondence, Beckwith, Josiah to Beckwith, George, 1861 Nov 3
- Folder 17: Correspondence, Beckwith, Josiah to Beckwith, George, 1861 Nov 29
- Folder 18: Correspondence, Beckwith, Josiah to Beckwith, George, 1863 May-Jun
- Folder 19: Correspondence, Beckwith, Josiah to Beckwith, George, 1865-1867
- Folder 20: Correspondence, Beckwith, Josiah (1838-1911) to Beckwith, George, 1871 Mar 22
- Folder 21: Correspondence, De La Meter, John to Beckwith, Josiah, 1829 Jul 17
- Folder 22: Correspondence, De La Meter, John to Ensign, Edward, 1829 Jul 17
- Folder 23: Correspondence, Hadley, James to Beckwith, Josiah, 1829 Jul 14
- Copy.
- Folder 24: Correspondence, Joslin, Benjamin F. to Drs. Hosback, Pelle, Neven, Mott, or Francis, 1828 Jul 22
- Folder 25: Correspondence, Mather, William to Beckwith, Josiah, 1829 Nov 8
- Folder 26: Correspondence, Ticknor, Caleb to Beckwith, Josiah, 1829 Jun 16
- Folder 27: Correspondence, Ticknor, Luther to Beckwith, Josiah, 1829 Mar 31
- Folder 28: Correspondence, Ticknor, Luther to Beckwith, Josiah, 1829 Oct 29
- Folder 29: Correspondence, Wolcott Institute to Beckwith, George, circa 1850s
- Folder 30: Correspondence, envelopes, 1854, undated
- Folder 31: Deed, Eastman, George to Beckwith, Josiah and Seymour, George, 1846 Jul 10
- Folder 32: Deed, Baldwin, William to Beckwith, Josiah, 1850 Feb 27
- Folder 33: Diary, Beckwith, Josiah, 1825 Sep 22-Nov 22, undated
- Folder 34: Financial inventories, 1839, 1841
- Folder 35: Financial records, Beckwith, Josiah, 1831-1838
- Folder 36: Financial records, Beckwith, Josiah, 1839-1841
- Folder 37: Financial records, Beckwith, Josiah, 1842-1846
- Folder 38: Financial records, Beckwith, Josiah, 1847-1850, undated
- Folder 39: Fire insurance policies, 1833-1839
- Folder 40: Fire insurance policies, 1840-1845
- Folder 41: Gale, George Washington memoir, 1833 Jun
- Folder 42: List of charges for medical services, [1840s?]
- Folder 43: Litchfield County Medical Society, treasurer's list, 1831-1836
- Folder 44: Litchfield Manufacturing Co. documents, 1850-1854
- Folder 45: Medical Communications, with the Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Convention of the Connecticut Medical Society, 1862
- Contains "Medical Progress," an article written by Josiah Beckwith.
- Folder 46: Newspaper, Litchfield Republican, 1855 Mar 29
- Folder 47: Newspaper clipping, "A card from Dr. Beckwith", 1862 Aug 21
- Josiah Beckwith discusses his granting of medical exemptions during the Civil War.
- Folder 48: Newspaper clipping, "Dr. Josiah G. Beckwith", 1871
- Obituary.
- Folder 49: Notes on medical topics, 1828
- Written by Josiah Beckwith?
- Folder 50: Protest of bill of exchange, 1856 Jan 24
- Folder 51: Received for Beckwith, Jane Seymour document, undated
- Folder 52: Sermon, funeral of Beckwith, Josiah, 1871 Mar 26
- Folder 53: Stock certificate, Litchfield Bank, 1857 Dec 29
- Folder 54: Stock certificates, Waterville Manufacturing Co., 1849-1851
- Folder 55: Terry & Barnum Manufacturing Co. agreement, 1855 Apr 26
- Folder 56: Union College, bill of Beckwith, Josiah, 1826
- Item 1: Account book, Beckwith, Josiah, 1862 Aug 7
- Lists men who received certificates of exemption. Currently stored in flat document box.
- Item 2: Account book, Beckwith, Josiah, 1862 Aug 8-12, undated
- Lists men who received certificates of exemptions. Back of book has unrelated pages on prescriptions for patients. Currently stored in flat document box.
- Item 3: Day book, Beckwith, Josiah, 1867-1869
- Currently stored in 3B Box 75.
- Item 4: Day book, Beckwith, Josiah, 1869-1871
- Currently stored in flat document box.
- Item 5: Day book, Beckwith, Josiah and Beckwith, Josiah, 1867-1887
Originally maintained by Josiah Beckwith, after his death, it was continued by his son.
Currently stored in 3A box 75.
- Item 6: Allsopp, Robert diary, 1840-1841
- Currently stored in 3A box 1.
- Item 7: Journal, protested promissory notes, 1837-1841
- Currently stored in 3A box 76.
- Item 9: Ledger, Beckwith, Josiah, 1850-1858
- Currently stored in flat document box.
- Item 10: Ledger, Beckwith, Josiah, 1858-1869
- Currently stored in 3B Box 75.
- Item 11: Ledger, Beckwith, Josiah, 1861-1866
- Currently stored in 3B Box 75.
- Item 12: Beckwith, Anne A. (Mrs. Josiah G.) diary 1909-1934
- Currently housed in 3A Box 2.
- Item 13: Sarles, James D diary
Diary started in Aprl 1856 in Sag Harbor, Long Island, NY and continues to 1857. The last few entries on board a whaling ship.
Currently housed in 3A Box 2.
- Folder 57: Journal related to Ridgefield and Bedford, N.Y., 1831-1832
- Series 3: Seymour family papers, 1814-1886
- Folder 1: Newspaper clipping, "Obituary-the late Dr. George Seymour of Litchfield", 1861 Mar 8
- Folder 2: Newspaper clipping, "Horatio Seymour", 1886
- Obituary.
- Folder 3: Sermon, funeral of Seymour, Mabel Strong, 1840 Jun 8
- Folder 4: Seymour, D. L., undated
- Folder 5: Seymour, Delia Litchfield Female Academy diploma, 1821
- Folder 6: Seymour, Mabel Strong to Seymour, Delia, 1825 Mar 1
- Folder 7: Seymour, Moses, Jr., 1814-1823
- Folder 8: [?] [to Seymour, Moses, Jr.?], 1815?
- Item 1: Seymour. George Union College diploma, 1838
- Currently stored in 18B box 22.
Browse by Series:
[
Series 1: Papers, 1767-1892],
[
Series 2: Beckwith family papers, 1825-1871],
[
Series 3: Seymour family papers, 1814-1886],
[All]
