Beacham, Beecham, Beauchamp

Keith,

Where does your BEACHAM family come from?.  I'm stuck with a marriage on the 22nd Sept 1775 of a Joseph MARSHALL and Elizabeth BEACHUM in Winscombe Parish Church.  I think Elizabeth was probably the daughter of John & Martha BEACHAM, being christened in Winscombe on the 8th Dec 1754 but before that I have hit the proverbial brick wall.  Can you help at all?

Thank you

Pat

Pat,

My BEACHAMs lived in Yatton (GF Frank BEACHAM b: 1891Clevedon to parents Joseph BEACHAM 1863-1918 and Fanny RADFORD 1862-1906 back through generations to William BEACHAM born abt 1748 d: 1839 Yatton marr to Mary HAWKINS who brought up a family in Kingston Seymour in the 1780's - 1790's. A distant cousin, Charles Henry BEACHAM living Atlanta, Ga, USA (with whom I believe you have had past correspondence) has carried out extensive research into our family and is, like you, at a brick wall with William BEACHAM b abt 1748 above.

I am trying to assist Charles from a little closer in here in south Wales and he sends me on mini research forays now and again. One to Adelaide, South Australia for which I haven't claimed expenses yet! The Winscombe BEACHUMs are interesting and not too far removed from Yatton but cannot find a link. I particularly like the story of George "Cunning" BEACHAM buried 27 July 1788 in Winscombe Churchyard against his dying wishes and who apparently returned to haunt his widow Joan as related in Francis Knight's book "Heart of Mendip"published 1915.

Keith

Dear Pat,

When I posted my comment I had carelessly not looked in the Weston worthies section; there I would have found the wonderful information that I believe you wrote about Hannah Beacham and her family.

When I first set eyes on the portrait of Hannah (a few years ago, in fact, and before I knew as much as I do now about my family) I was struck by seeing some resemblance with my father and his sister. (It was almost like seeing my father dressed up as an older woman for a pantomime!) He would have been a 4x gt grandson. Although for most of our lives we have not known my grandmothers parentage, we have recently established both ancestral lines through DNA links. Amazing finds! Also I know that Hannah Beacham is definitely a blood ancestor, because a DNA matched distant cousin and I share Hannah as our common ancestor (5x gt grandmother to both of us). I am descended from Hannah’s eldest son William Gould (1757-1822). I was so delighted with the information and stories surrounding Hannah that you wrote in Weston Worthies. I still think she must have been a fascinating character from what you say.( is there anyway that I can copy and save her page from the website to show my family and keep it with my family tree archive.? )

Very best wishes  Angela Willes