James Chaplin Beecher (January 8, 1828 – August 25, 1886), was an American Congregationalist minister and Colonel for the Union Army during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

. He came from the

Beecher family Originating in New England, one particular Beecher family in the 19th century was a political family notable for issues of religion, civil rights, and social reform. Notable members of the family include clergy ( Congregationalists), educators, au ...

, a prominent 19th century American religious family.

Parents and siblings

James Chaplin Beecher was born in Boston, Massachusetts, and the youngest child of Lyman Beecher and Harriet Porter Beecher. Lyman was a Presbyterian minister who became best known as a revivalist and social reformer in the years before the

. His noted half-siblings include;

Harriet Beecher Stowe Harriet Elisabeth Beecher Stowe (; June 14, 1811 – July 1, 1896) was an American author and abolitionist. She came from the religious Beecher family and became best known for her novel ''Uncle Tom's Cabin'' (1852), which depicts the harsh ...

, famed abolitionist and author of the novel

Uncle Tom’s Cabin ''Uncle Tom's Cabin; or, Life Among the Lowly'' is an anti-slavery novel by American author Harriet Beecher Stowe. Published in two volumes in 1852, the novel had a profound effect on attitudes toward African Americans and slavery in the U.S. ...

Catharine Beecher Catharine Esther Beecher (September 6, 1800 – May 12, 1878) was an American educator known for her forthright opinions on female education as well as her vehement support of the many benefits of the incorporation of kindergarten into children's ...

, noted educator and author, Henry Ward Beecher, a famous preacher and abolitionist, and

Charles Beecher Charles Beecher (October 1, 1815 – April 21, 1900) was an American minister, composer of religious hymns and a prolific author. Early life Beecher was born in Litchfield, Connecticut, the fifth child of Lyman Beecher, an abolitionist Congr ...

and

Edward Beecher Edward Beecher D.D. (August 27, 1803 – July 28, 1895) was an American theologian, the son of Lyman Beecher and the brother of Harriet Beecher Stowe and Henry Ward Beecher. Biography Beecher was born August 27, 1803, in East Hampton (town), New ...

. His sister,

Isabella Beecher Hooker Isabella Beecher Hooker (February 22, 1822 – January 25, 1907) was a leader, lecturer and social activist in the American suffragist movement. Early life Isabella Holmes Beecher was born in Litchfield, Connecticut, the fifth child and secon ...

, was a leader and activist in the

American Suffragists American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

movement, and his brother, Thomas K. Beecher, was a preacher and educator.

Early life

James was educated at

Lane Theological Seminary Lane Seminary, sometimes called Cincinnati Lane Seminary, and later renamed Lane Theological Seminary, was a Presbyterian theological college that operated from 1829 to 1932 in Walnut Hills, Ohio, today a neighborhood in Cincinnati. Its campus ...

in Walnut Hills, within

Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...

, of which his father was president. He entered

Dartmouth College Dartmouth College (; ) is a private research university in Hanover, New Hampshire. Established in 1769 by Eleazar Wheelock, it is one of the nine colonial colleges chartered before the American Revolution. Although founded to educate Native A ...

and graduated in 1848. James served for five years as ship's officer in the East India trade. After a couple of years serving a coaster which traded along the eastern U.S. coast, James took up the study of theology at Andover Theological Seminary. During his time at Andover, James married Anne Morse, a widow with a young daughter. In May, 1856, James was ordained a minister of the Congregational Church. Soon after his ordination, James and Anne left for China to be missionaries in Canton and Hong Kong. In 1859, Anne Beecher returned to America for health reasons. During a correspondence with Isabella Beecher Hooker, James admitted to his sister that Anne was suffering from drug and alcohol addiction. Anne went to Gleason’s sanitarium in

Elmira, New York Elmira () is a city and the county seat of Chemung County, New York, United States. It is the principal city of the Elmira, New York, metropolitan statistical area, which encompasses Chemung County. The population was 26,523 at the 2020 cens ...

for their water cure treatment before she was committed to an asylum in June 1860.Van Deusen, A. (2013). Partners in reform: Isabella beecher hooker and john hooker. p. 74. Available fro
ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global
accessed 14 April 2017

American Civil War

James remained in China until the outbreak of the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

. Upon returning home, James quickly enlisted in the army. The "Beecher's Bibles," and "Beecher's Pets," nicknames of the 1st Long Island Regiment (later the

67th New York Infantry The 67th New York Infantry Regiment was a regiment of the Union Army, which was raised in the city of Brooklyn in 1861 at the beginning of the American Civil War. Regimental history May and June 1861: The 67th Regiment, New York Volunteers ( ...

),Phisterer, Freferick
New York in the War of the Rebellion
(Albany, New York: J. B. Lyon Co., 1912), III, 2661. p. 3635 would be Beecher’s first assignment as chaplain. Soon after, he would take charge of the 141st New York Volunteer Infantry. The heavy demands of leading a regiment and the increasing concerns of Anne’s health, James began to break down and briefly returned to civilian life until Anne’s death in 1863. As the war progressed, James rejoined the army and accepted the promotion of lieutenant-colonel and was appointed to recruit an African American regiment, the 1st North Carolina Colored Infantry (35th Regiment, United States Colored Infantry). The regiment would come to be called the 35th

United States Colored Troops The United States Colored Troops (USCT) were regiments in the United States Army composed primarily of African-American (colored) soldiers, although members of other minority groups also served within the units. They were first recruited during ...

, and fought at the Battle of Olustee, Florida and Honey Hill, South Carolina. In 1866, James Beecher was mustered out of service rising to the rank of Brevet Brigadier General.)White, James Terry
The national cyclopaedia of American biography
Vol. 3. JT White, 1893. p. 131

Return to ministry

In 1864, James married Francis “Frankie” Johnson, of

Guilford, Connecticut Guilford is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States, that borders Madison, Branford, North Branford and Durham, and is situated on I-95 and the Connecticut seacoast. The population was 22,073 at the 2020 census. History Guilfo ...

and after the Civil War, James re-entered the ministry. The two adopted three daughters and opened a school in

Jacksonville, Florida Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the seat of Duval County, with which the ...

for newly emancipated people. After serving as pastor for nine months at Thomas Beecher’s church in Elmira, New York, James would have charge of two churches: one at Owego, New York in 1867 and one in

Poughkeepsie, New York Poughkeepsie ( ), officially the City of Poughkeepsie, separate from the Town of Poughkeepsie around it) is a city in the U.S. state of New York. It is the county seat of Dutchess County, with a 2020 census population of 31,577. Poughkeepsi ...

in 1870. Three years later, James would resign his position as Pastor of the Poughkeepsie Congregational church, where he was “extremely popular and in receipt of a large salary.”"JAMES BEECHER'S ECCENTRICITY"
(1882, Nov 30). New York Times (1857-1922) accessed 14 April 2017 James would build a home near what would be called “Beecher Lake,” and remove himself from the pastoral life of the church.
(1879, Oct 29). New York Times (1857-1922) accessed 14 April 2017 In 1881 Henry Ward Beecher asked James to take over Plymouth Church. James reluctantly agreed, he preferred a more rural life. After years of mental suffering, James spent some time at the Middletown Asylum in Middletown, New York and then at Dr. Gleason's Water Cure Sanitarium in Elmira, New York, where his first wife had sought help. On the evening of August 25, 1886, after an afternoon at the shooting range with others, James Beecher "suddenly went to his room and taking a rifle placed the muzzle in his mouth and fired, killing himself instantly.""JAMES C. BEECHER'S SUICIDE"
(1886, Aug 26). New York Times (1857-1922) accessed 14 April 2017

Notes

External links

Harriet Beecher Stowe Center

67th New York Infantry
at

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