Roswell Beckwith

  Noted events in his life were:

• Birth: From Revolutionary War records, 21 Oct 1753, Lyme, New London, Connecticut.

• Military Service: From Revolutionary War records, letter dated December 11, 1924 to Bertha E. Malone, 81 Waverly Ave., Detroit, Michigan, Jan 1776, Lyme, New London, Connecticut. He enlisted as a private in Captain David F. Sill's company, Colonel Samuel H. Parsons' Connecticut Regiment, and was in the battle of Long Island, after which he volunteered and served in Captain Pope's Company, Colonels Knowlton and Colburn's Regiment of Rangers, until captured at Fort Washington at which time he was a Corporal. He was imprisoned at Harlem, in the North Stone Church in New York, and on board the prison ship, "Dutton" was paroled in February 1777 but not exchanged until 1780. He was again called into service for a few days when New London was burned.

He was allowed pension on his application executed September 5, 1832, at which time he was a retired Baptist clergyman, residing at Cazenovia, Madison County, New York. He died February 4, 1836.

It is not stated whether soldier ever married.

• Occupation: From The Beckwiths by Paul Beckwith, 1891. He was a Presbyterian minister; later joined the Baptist Church and became a preacher of that denomination.

• Military Service: From The Beckwiths by Paul Beckwith, 1891, 1775. He enlisted in the Continental Army, Sill's Company, Parsons' regiment. He was taken prisoner at Fort Washington and placed in the prison ship in New York harbor.

• Residence: From 1790 Census, 1790, New London, Connecticut. Name: Roswell Beckwith
Event Date: 1790
Event Place: New London, Connecticut, United States

Males 16+ 1 Roswell
Males <16 2 Roswell Jr and Barak
Females 5 Lydia, Elizabeth, Hulda, Eunice, and Unknown

Line Number: 32122
Page: 114
Affiliate Film Number: 1
Affiliate Publication Number: M637
Affiliate Name: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)
Digital Folder Number: 005157133
Microfilm Number: 0568141
Image Number: 00072

Citing this Record
"United States Census, 1790," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHKV-8K1 : accessed 30 April 2021), Roswell Beckwith, New London, Connecticut, United States; citing p. 114, NARA microfilm publication M637, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 1; FHL microfilm 568,141.

• Occupation: Culler of staves and surveyor of boards and shingles, 1792, Lyme, New London, Connecticuit. The Educational History of Old Lyme, Connecticut, 1635 - 1935, May Hall James, Page 103

Ecclesiastical Control

During the war, in response to emergency needs, the number of selectmen in the town was increased to seven in order the better to distribute additional public responsibilities. Then in 1792, as a result of the returning trade in lumber, Roswell Beckwith, Benjamin Higgins, ____ Ely and James Ely were appointed cullers of staves and surveyors of boards and shingles. New provisions were also made for the holding of town meetings. “Accordingly for the future the Town Meetings in the Town of Lyme were to be held one third part of the time at the Meeting House in the First Society 5 one third of the time at the Meeting House in the East Society, called the new Meeting House; and one third part of the time at the Meeting House in the North Society called Mr. Higgins’ Meeting House.” The plan of the “moving school” was applied to the town meeting in an effort to equalize the opportunities and to distribute the difficulties of regular attendance.

• Occupation: From the Gazetteer of the State of New York 1860, Page 167, 1800, Chesterville, Albany, New York. Albany County

A Bap. church was organized, about 1800, at Chesterville; Roswell Beckwith was the first pastor.

Note: Chesterville is now called Westerlo.

• Residence: From the Beckwiths by Paul Beckwith, 1891, 1806, Cazenovia, Madison, New York. Also listed in 1784 History of Chenango & Madison Counties, NY by James H Smith; pub. 1880


Rev. Roswell BECKWITH, Baptist minister 1806

• Residence: From 1810 Census, 1810, Cazenovia, Madison, New York. Name: R Beckworth
Event Type: Census
Event Date: 1810
Event Place: Cazenovia, Madison, New York, United States
Event Place (Original): Cazenovia, Madison, New York, United States
Page Number: 739
Affiliate Publication Number: M252
Affiliate Name: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)

Digital Folder Number: 005157070
Microfilm Number: 0181382
Image Number: 143

Citing this Record
"United States, Census, 1810", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XH2T-XS9 : Sat Mar 09 07:03:22 UTC 2024), Entry for R Beckworth, 1810.

• Death: From Revolutionary War records, 4 Feb 1836, Cazenovia, Madison, New York.

• Cemetery: Evergreen Cemetery, 1836, Cazenovia, Madison, New York. Roswell Beckwith

Birth: 1753
Death: 1836

Rev. War Vet. Roswell Beckwith, (1753-1836), served at the siege of Boston and in the NY campaign. He was captured at Fort Washington, 1776, and not paroled until 1780. He was born in Lyme, CT; died in Cazenovia, NY...son of...

Elisha Beckwith, (1718-1776), was among the volunteers at the battle of White Plains where he lost his life. He had four sons in the Continental army

Find a Grave entry Created by: Andrew L. Zachow

• Family: See Beckwith Notes Number 3, Page 26.

Roswell married Lydia Dorr, daughter of George Dorr and Sarah Marvin, on 13 Jan 1780 in Lyme, New London, Connecticut. (Lydia Dorr was born in 1753 in Lyme, New London, Connecticut, christened on 5 Oct 1755 in Lyme, New London, Connecticuit, died on 16 Apr 1834 and was buried in 1834 in Cazenovia, Madison, New York.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

• Marriage: From Barbour Connecticut Records, 13 Jan 1780, Lyme, New London, Connecticut. Roswell, mar Lydia Dorr, both of Lyme, 13 Jan 1780, by Rev. Stephen Johnson - Lyme VR

• Marriage: From Old Lyme Congregational Church Records 1731 - 1829, 1780, Lyme, New London, Connecticuit. Roswell Beckwith and Lydia Dorr, page 21

Transcribed 10 October 2023 at Connecticut Historical Society, Hartford, Connecticut.