Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 01.djvu/271

 BEEBE.

BEECHER.

BEEBE, Bezaleel, soldier, was born at Litch- field, Conn., April 28, 1741. He joined Rogers's Rangers in 1758, was with them in the sharp skirmish near Wood Creek when Putnam was captured, and afterwards served at Montreal in 1760. After the war he returned to his home, but again took the field in 1775, immediately after the battle of Lexington, and marched to Lake Cham- plain with a force to protect the lake. He par- ticipated in the movements of 1776 in New York and New Jersey as a captain in Colonel Hinman's regiment, was taken prisoner at the capture of Fort Washington, N. Y., and was no sooner ex- changed than he was again captured, spending more than a year as a prisoner of war in New York city. He was promoted major in 1777, lieu- tenant-colonel in 1780, colonel in the Continental army in 1781, and afterwards commanded the Connecticut troops raised for the defence of the sea coast. After the war he occupied a seat in the Connecticut legislature for a number of terms. He died in Litchfield, Conn., May 29, 1824.

BEECHER, Catherine Esther, educator, was born at East Hampton, L. I., Sept. 6, 1800; daughter of Lyman and Roxana (Foote) Beecher. She was the eldest of thirteen children, and by her mother's death the care of her father's house- hold devolved upon her when she was sixteen years of age. She was educated at the Litchfield (Conn.) seminary, and in 1822 opened a school for young women at Hartford, Conn., which was very successful, and was the first school attended by her brother, Henry Ward Beecher. This work she continued for ten years. Becoming dissatis- fied with existing text-books, she set about preparing others on subjects which pressed im- mediately upon her attention. One book, a treatise on mental and moral philosophy, was never published. An edition, however, was printed, and held to be of such value as to be used as a college text-book. When her father assumed the presidency of Lane theological sem- inary in 1832, she went to Cincinnati with him, and there established a young ladies' school ; but her health failed, and after two years the enter- prise was abandoned. She continued actively engaged in the cause of education ; travelled long distances to interest and instruct educators in their work ; organized societies in which teachers could learn not only the details of instruction, but broaden their views so as to embrace more varied study for their own advancement, and a better knowledge of the capabilities of children and youth. She was especially eager *' to unite American women in an effort to provide a Chris- tian education for two million children in our own coimtry." Her gradually increasing physical weakness unfitted lier for active labors, but her keen thought and subtile power of analysis con-

tinued, and by speech or pen incited others to do what she had strength only to conceive. In later life she connected herself with the Episcopal church. She was the author of many books relat- ing, for the most part, to the training of women, among them: "Letters on the Difliculties of Religion" (1836); " Tlie Moral Instructor" (1838) ; " Treatise on Doir estic Economy " (1842) ; " A Memoir of George Poecher " (1844) ; " Duty of American Women to their Country " (1845) ; "Truth Stranger than Fiction" (1850); "True Remedy for the Wrongs of Women, with a History of an Enterprise having that for its Object" (1851) ; " Common Sense Applied to Religion " (1857) ; " An Appeal to the People, as the Author- ized Interpreters of the Bible " (1860) ; " Religious Training of Children in the School, the Family and the Church " (1804) ; " The American Woman's Home" (1869); " Woman's Profession as Mother and Educator, with Views in Opposi- tion to Woman's Suffrage " (1871) ; " Housekeeper and Health-keeper" (1873), and a "Domestic Receipt Book," which had a large sale. She died in Elmira. N. Y., May 12, 1878.

BEECHER, Charles, clergyman, was born at Litchfield. Conn., Oct. 7, 1815; son of Ljonan and Roxana (Foote) Beecher. When he was a little more than eleven years old his father moved to Boston. There he had the advantage of the Latin school, afterwards .studying at Lawrence acad- emy, Groton. Mass., and from that institution went to Bowdoin college, graduating in 1834. His theological course followed in Lane seminary, Ohio, of which his father was president. For seven years he followed mercantile pursuits in New Orleans and Indianapolis, and in 1844 he was installed pastor of the Second Presbyterian church in Fort Wayne, Ind. , where he remained nearly seven years, and which he left to take the pastor- ate of the First Congregational church in Newark, N. J., in 1851. He resigned his charge in Newark, and removed to Georgetown, Mass., in 1857, where he became pastor of the First Congrega- tional chiirch. From 1870 to 1877 he resided in Florida, acting as superintendent of state educa- tion for two years. In 1885 he was acting pastor in Wysox, Pa. Among Mr. Beecher's published works were: "The Incarnation: or. Pictures of the Virgin and her Son " (1849) ; " David and his Throne" (1855); "Pen Pictures of the Bible" (1855) ; " Autobiography and Corxespondence of L\Tnan Beecher" (1863); "Redeemer and Re- deemed" (1864); "Spiritual Manifestations" (1879) ; " Eden Tableau " (1880). and " Patmos " (1896). He also selected hymns and music for the "Plymouth Collection." He was a thor- oughly competent musician, and was employed as organist in churches, 1837-'43. He died at Georgetown, Mass., April 21, 1900.