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Jonathan Belcher and Jonathan Belcher, Jr.
by David Crockett, MPS

For the past several months, I have been
working on a biography of Jonathan
Belecher (1681-1757), the first known
American-born Freemason. Belcher cal-
culated that he was a Freemason in 1704,
according to his letter to St. John' s Lodge
of Boston dated Sept. 25, 1741. My re-
search explores his ancestors, the first
transcript of his previously unknown
1704 Journal, his life before 1730, his
activities and associates as Governor,
and an appendix of his close associates.
One interesting aspect of the research,
which is new to Masonic literature, is
primary evidence of Belcher' s voyages to
England, particularly my transcript of
his 141- page journal written in 1704 and
several letters in the Belcher Papers Col-
lection at the Massachusetts Historical
Society.

As an example of Belcher's close asso-
ciates in England, and as a brief preview
to this research, the following November
1 , 1731 letter that Governor Belcher
wrote to his youngest son, Jonathan Jr.,
might be of interest to readers of The
Philalethes. My comments are noted and
the letter is in quotations.

Governor Belcher' s son, Jonathan Jr.,
continued hiseducation in Cambridge
and Oxford, and later became Provincial
Grand Master of Nova Scotia (Calcott's
1772 Boston edition, subscribers list).
Because Jonathan Jr. was twenty- one
years old on July 23, 1731, and remained
in England between 1731 and 1740, it is
my belief, from implications in this letter
and other correspondence, that Jona-
than Jr. may have been accepted as a
Freemason in London by some of Gov-
ernor Belcher's old Masonic associates,
during this time. The letter is as follows
(my comments not in quotes):

" Dear Jonathan,

My last was 26 July Post Cary, since
which I have rec'd yours of 1, 14, & 31
of same month, & August 16 post Foster,
NH. York, Homans & Shepardson . . . I
heartily ascribe blessing & praise to God,
your preserver & redeemer, the great
author of all our mercies, for your safe
arrival in London, and can't be thankful
enough for the signal preservations you
met within our passage, nor for the great
civility, respect, & honor you find from
all orders & ranks of men. "

From the introduction it is apparent
that his son wrote every two weeks and
that he arrived in London about August
1 73 1, two years before Freemasonry was
organized in Boston. Jonathan Jr. re-
mained in London for roughly ten years.
This date is interesting from a Masonic
point of view because it took about three

weeks to sail to London and Jonathan
Jr., the later Provincial Grand Master of
Nova Scotia, was twenty- one years old
on July 23 , 1731 .

Jonathan Belcher [Sr.] next mentions
two "old friends. " These men, and oth-
ers in this letter are noteworthy, being
London friends of a rare pre-Grand
Lodge era Freemason. Belcher [Sr.] had
spent six years in England and Europe
between 1704 and 1730. In fact, after
studying his correspondence to John
White (1704, 1708 and 1715), Benjamin
Colman(1730), andmanyothers, Ihave
learned that he was in England five
times: in 1704-5, again in the spring of
1708-9, again in 1715-16, again in 1728-
1730 when the King appointed him Gov-
ernor of Massachusetts and New Hamp-
shire (1730), and finally between 1743-
47 when he was successfully appointed
Governor of New Jersey after being un-
happily replaced in Massachusetts in
1741. The letter continues:

" I was sorry to hear of the death of my
old friends, Mr. Caswall & Mr. Bull, and
that the former had left his family in such
melancholy circumstances. The small
things you desire are [Posted by ship by
Captain] Homans, as in Postscript. I
take notice with a great deal of gratitude
of Mr. Newman's affectionate regards &
civilities to you, and that he had allow'd
you to be under his roof 'till your cham-
bers were ready. This was uncommonly
kind. "

These individuals are worthy of further
research as possible pre-Grand Lodge era
Freemasons. Mr. Bull was John Bull,
husband of Hannah. Mr. Caswall was
John Caswall, brother of H. Caswall.
Mr. Henry Newman (1670-?) was born
in Massachusetts, became a librarian at
Harvard, and later was agent of New
Hampshire in London. He died in Lon-
don.

"But I am above all oblig'd to your
good uncle that he seems to have adopted
you for a son." The "uncle" is Richard
Partridge (1681-1759), the ~aker
brother of Governor Belcher's wife, and
the Governor's agent in London be-
tween 1730-1741. Partridge first went to
London in 1715 as agent for Rhode Is-
land. He was apparently a shrewd, re-
spected and significant colonial agent for
forty-two years in London. Because of
other evidence, it is known that Partridge
gave a gift from the Governor to the
Duke of Montague, Grand Master of
England in 1721-2 (Belcher Papers,
Massachusetts Historical Society).

The letter continues: "My dear son,
you will see by the several letters now
under your cover, unseal'd (which you
will read, seal, & deliver) that my soul is
unwearied in its care for your wellfare &
happiness, and I can appeal to him
whom I adore that my first & chief con-
cern is that you may be happy in a better
world; and I must now reprove you for
so great a neglect of your pious & hon-
ored grandmother. "

The Governor's son, as agent, would
read letters and then deliver them to the
Speaker of the House of Commons, Ar-
thur Onslow (1690-1768), the Duke of
New Castle, (Thomas Pelham 1693-
1768), Former Governor of Massachu-
setts (Samuel Shute 1662-1742), and the
Massachusetts Agent in London, Fran-
cis Wilks (?-1742). In later correspon-
dence, letters were mailed to over 250
individuals in London. All of the above
letters requested "goodness and favor"
to Jonathan Jr.

The "grandmother" would be Jona-
thanJr's maternal grandmother, widow
of Lt. Gov. William Partridge. She died
June 10, 1739, three years after her
daughter Mary, Governor Belcher's wife
died on Oct. 6, 1736. Governor
Belcher's mother also died when he was
seven years old. He was very devoted to
his children. The letter continues on the
subject of the grandmother, with the
Belcher fatherly style that is common in
many of his letters:

" I am as well satisfied that she will have
an exalted seat in heaven as if she was
already arriv'd to the General Assembly
& Church of the First Born, and to the
spirits of the just made perfect, and upon
a thoro search of your heart, if you can
hope that you are born anew in Christ
Jesus, you must first give glory to God,
and then your own excellent grand-
mother as the instrument, who in the
tender years of your craddle, and so
along to your youth up, devoted you to
God upon bended knees of her soul, and
was continually inculcating upon you
her pious counsels, and which have been
often ready to believe have drop as the
rain & distill'd as the dew, as the rain
upon the tender herb, and as the showers
upon the grass. Oh, that God wou'd
continue the influences thereof upon you
for ever & ever. How can you then forget
the endearing love of such a parent &
never write her a line? "

Governor Belcher was also a very de-
termined and persuasive man. I expect
his son promptly wrote to his Quaker
grandmother. The letter continues with
moral advice and evidence that the Gov-
ernor had prepared for his son's 1731
arrival in London with many instruc-
tions:

"The instructions I gave you at parting
with what I left upon my last voyage to
Gt. Britain (and which I think you took
to London) were so full that I hardly
know what to add, but desire you often
to peruse & pursue them. Remember
that you was devoted to God in your
infancy, and that those vows have been
renewed & ratified by you at adult years
. . . hold fast your integrity, and let no
man take your crown . . . etc.

The letter next mentions more Belcher
associates in London: "Councilor Hors-
man, I see, has shown you great re-
spect. "

This is probably a Massachusetts
Councilman in London. "so has Dr.
Watts" This is Rev. Isaac Watts (1674-
1748). "Calamy" This was Rev. Ed-
mund Calmamy (?-1732). "Mr Mor-
ton "

This is John Morton, apparently el-
derly in 1741. "Belamy, Neal," Neal is
Rev. Daniel Neal, Belamy is unknown.
"Jefferies, Chandler, Belcher; and I am
greatly obliged to them, and desire you
to give them my hearty thanks & humble
service, and at their leisure shall esteem
their favors. "

Jefferies and Chandler are unknown,
but Belcher is John Belcher (1664-?) a
cabinetmaker in Paul's Yard, London,
and a cousin of Governor Belcher's fa-
ther, Captain Andrew Belcher (1646/7-
1717). Jonathan Jr. developed a very
close relationship with John Belcher's
daughter, and even discussed marriage
at one point. The marriage was discour-
aged until Jonathan Jr. finished college,
and he eventually married Abigail Allen
in 1756, daughter of Jeremiah Allen.
The letter continues, thanking friends
who helped his son:

"Tell Dr. Calamy I am not unmindful
of serving his son; but will endeavor to
do it, if I can properly find it in my
power. I am also under great obligations
to the Honoble Mr H. Walpole, Sr Jo-
sephJekyll, Mr. Cartaret, Mr. Bendish
& Sandford for the notice they have taken
of you, and intend to write them in a little
time, and to Sr R. Walpole & others
under your cover. "

Sir Robert Walpole was, of course, the
Prime Minister of England, and Horace
was his brother. Cartaret was Edward
Cartaret; Bendish was Henry Bendish,
and Sandford was Thomas Sandford.

To summarize this brief and rather hur-
ried sample of a more inclusive study, the
above names are interesting because
they are associates of a rare pre-Grand
Lodge-era Freemason. There are only
six known individuals in the world who
directly claimed to be English Freema-
sons before 1717 (AQC 103, 22); Jona-
than Belcher was one of those six. If
there are not a few pre-Grand Lodge-era
Freemasons among the above names, I
would be very surprised.

Apparently Francis Wilks (agent for
Massachusetts) was an important asso-
ciate: "I expect to have a account in the
spring from Mr Wilks & you that every-
thing is easy & placid, and that you enjoy
as much of his company & acquaintance
as his favor & leisure from your studies
will allow" (Extracts from Belcher Pa-
pers, Vol. VI, pp. 27-35).

If any Philalethes reader has com-
ments, questions or suggestions about
thls paper, or about research on Jona-
than Belcher, I look forward to your
remarks, and/ or corrections, in The
Philalethes.

Note:

A review of Brother Stoddard's book,
First American Born, appeared in the Oc-
tober, 1992 issue of The Philalethes.
