Individual Details
Edmund Beauchamp
(16 Dec 1625 - 26 Sep 1691)
"That he was the son of John Beauchamp, merchant of London, is clear, first, because of his mention in John Beauchamp's Herald's Visitation statement; secondly the list of John Beauchamp's children in parish records; and thirdly, the fact that one of John Beauchamp's daughters married a Doggett and that one of Edmund Beauchamp's sons was named Doggett Beauchamp, apparently for his uncle.
Edmund Beauchamp in his will speaks of himself as "weaver, of London." He was in Maryland by 1665 since in that year he assigned fifty acres of land to William Smith*. He was sent to Somerset County, Maryland, by Gov. Charles Calvert in the spring of 1666 as a person well qualified to exercise the office of clerk of court for the entire Eastern Shore, but on August 22, 1666, Somerset Co., was established and from that time with the exception of a few months, he was clerk of Somerset Co. until his death in 1691.
May 5th 1674
Comission then issued to Edmund Beauchamp of Somersett County to be Clerke of the County Court of the same County with like limitations as other County Court Clerks.
The author of "The Beauchamp Family", Stith Thompson, has seen the records which he made and was in full agreement with ClaytonTorrence, author of "Old Somerset on the Eastern Shore of Maryland", [pg. 333]. " Anyone who has occasion to make careful study and investigation of the records of Somerset Court from its beginning throughout Beauchamp's years of service as clerk will fully realize the care and thought which this early worthy bestowed upon the duties of his office. A more splendidly kept set of records of court proceedings and deeds cannot, we believe, be found elsewhere during the early colonial period. He was a veritable master of his craft."
On June 30th, 1668, just after Edmund's marriage, he purchased 300 acres of land called "Contention" lying at the head of the Great Annemessex River [see Archives of Maryland, Vol. 54] . In Oct., 1669, he conveyed this land to his wife "Sarah Beachamp, alias Dixon, daughter of Ambrose and Mary Dixon." "Contention" was the home of the Beauchamps for more than a century.
Edmund Beauchamp was a member of the Church of England, and his wife and three of their children were among the first to be baptized into that church in Somerset County. This happened in 1671, 1674, and 1677.
The record of Edmund Beauchamp's children appears in the parish records of Coventry Parish church and also in the Somerset County court record book IKL. The same list appears in his will. His will was not recorded in the Register of Wills Office at Princess Ann, but was found in an unused alcove of the courthouse there by Mrs. Layton of Washington, D.C. Abstract of will follows:
"I, Edmund Beauchamp, weaver of London, and at present writing clerk of the county court of Somerset County. To wife Sarah, the land where she now dwells during natural life or widowhood, land lying between land of son Thomas, bounds of land of son John. Also household furniture, etc. To son Thomas Beauchamp, personality. To son Edmund, part of my land called "Contention," [50 acres] beginning at the corner tree of son Thomas' land by conveyance made over to him by myself and wife, etc. To son Edmund, personality. To Patience Beauchamp, twelve pounds sterling to be paid her at age or day of marriage. Balance of estate to be equally divided between my son Thomas Beauchamp, my son Edmund Beauchamp, my daughter Alice Beauchamp, my son John Beauchamp, my son Doggett Beauchamp, my son Edward Beauchamp, and my son Robert Beauchamp.
Dated 10 April, 1691."
Text taken from The Filson Club Quarterly, Vol. 28 No. 2 which contained The Beauchamp Family written by Stith Thompson.
* Edmund proved his right to 50 ac. of land for having transported himself from England to Maryland. Apparently the same 50 acres he assigned to William Smith in 1665.
Edmund Beauchamp in his will speaks of himself as "weaver, of London." He was in Maryland by 1665 since in that year he assigned fifty acres of land to William Smith*. He was sent to Somerset County, Maryland, by Gov. Charles Calvert in the spring of 1666 as a person well qualified to exercise the office of clerk of court for the entire Eastern Shore, but on August 22, 1666, Somerset Co., was established and from that time with the exception of a few months, he was clerk of Somerset Co. until his death in 1691.
May 5th 1674
Comission then issued to Edmund Beauchamp of Somersett County to be Clerke of the County Court of the same County with like limitations as other County Court Clerks.
The author of "The Beauchamp Family", Stith Thompson, has seen the records which he made and was in full agreement with ClaytonTorrence, author of "Old Somerset on the Eastern Shore of Maryland", [pg. 333]. " Anyone who has occasion to make careful study and investigation of the records of Somerset Court from its beginning throughout Beauchamp's years of service as clerk will fully realize the care and thought which this early worthy bestowed upon the duties of his office. A more splendidly kept set of records of court proceedings and deeds cannot, we believe, be found elsewhere during the early colonial period. He was a veritable master of his craft."
On June 30th, 1668, just after Edmund's marriage, he purchased 300 acres of land called "Contention" lying at the head of the Great Annemessex River [see Archives of Maryland, Vol. 54] . In Oct., 1669, he conveyed this land to his wife "Sarah Beachamp, alias Dixon, daughter of Ambrose and Mary Dixon." "Contention" was the home of the Beauchamps for more than a century.
Edmund Beauchamp was a member of the Church of England, and his wife and three of their children were among the first to be baptized into that church in Somerset County. This happened in 1671, 1674, and 1677.
The record of Edmund Beauchamp's children appears in the parish records of Coventry Parish church and also in the Somerset County court record book IKL. The same list appears in his will. His will was not recorded in the Register of Wills Office at Princess Ann, but was found in an unused alcove of the courthouse there by Mrs. Layton of Washington, D.C. Abstract of will follows:
"I, Edmund Beauchamp, weaver of London, and at present writing clerk of the county court of Somerset County. To wife Sarah, the land where she now dwells during natural life or widowhood, land lying between land of son Thomas, bounds of land of son John. Also household furniture, etc. To son Thomas Beauchamp, personality. To son Edmund, part of my land called "Contention," [50 acres] beginning at the corner tree of son Thomas' land by conveyance made over to him by myself and wife, etc. To son Edmund, personality. To Patience Beauchamp, twelve pounds sterling to be paid her at age or day of marriage. Balance of estate to be equally divided between my son Thomas Beauchamp, my son Edmund Beauchamp, my daughter Alice Beauchamp, my son John Beauchamp, my son Doggett Beauchamp, my son Edward Beauchamp, and my son Robert Beauchamp.
Dated 10 April, 1691."
Text taken from The Filson Club Quarterly, Vol. 28 No. 2 which contained The Beauchamp Family written by Stith Thompson.
* Edmund proved his right to 50 ac. of land for having transported himself from England to Maryland. Apparently the same 50 acres he assigned to William Smith in 1665.
Events
| Birth | 16 Dec 1625 | Cosgrove, Northamptonshire Co., England |  | ||
| Death | 26 Sep 1691 | Annemessex, Somerset Co., Maryland | | ||
| Marriage | Annemessex, Somerset Co., Maryland - Sarah Dixon | |
Families
| Spouse | Sarah Dixon ( - ) |
| Child | Patience Beauchamp (1669 - ) |
| Child | Thomas Beauchamp (1670 - 1717) |
| Child | Alice Beauchamp (1674 - ) |
| Child | Edmund Beauchamp (1676 - 1733) |
| Child | John Beauchamp (1679 - 1725) |
| Child | Doggett Beauchamp (1681 - 1716) |
| Child | Edward Beauchamp (1683 - 1750) |
| Child | Robert Beauchamp (1685 - 1741) |
| Child | William Beauchamp (1687 - ) |
| Father | John Beauchamp (1592 - 1653) |
| Mother | Alice Freeman (1601 - ) |
| Sibling | Thomas Beauchamp ( - 1647) |
| Sibling | Alice Beauchamp (1617 - ) |
| Sibling | Mary Beauchamp (1619 - ) |
| Sibling | Richard Beauchamp (1632 - ) |
| Sibling | John Beauchamp (1634 - ) |
| Sibling | Elizabeth Beauchamp (1635 - ) |
| Sibling | George Beauchamp (1639 - ) |
Endnotes
1. import file from Gary Hawley.
2. import file from Gary Hawley.
3. import file from Gary Hawley.