.....This is a narrative about one Obadiah Belcher who lived in Georgia. There are several Belchers with this same name. [There is one contemporary Obediah Belcher who is listed in the 1810 Census of Charlotte County, Virginia. That Obediah who was born in 1776, married Sarah Blanks and may be the same person listed in the 1850 census of Troup County, Georgia.] This research was done by Betty and Giles Willis. Obadiah Belcher was the GG Grandfather of Betty Willis. For the remainder of this narrative, we will designate him as Obediah I.
.....Obediah I ,likely moved to Georgia in the late 1790's having obtained land in the 1797 Georgia land lottery [as listed in the land lottery grant book]. There is a record of Obediah Belcher I and his marriage to Mary (Polly) Cooper, in 1800 in the Marriage book of Greene Co, Georgia. Mary Belcher is listed as 66 years old in the 1850 Census of Jasper County, [page 769, born in Virginia] Obediah I received land in the Georgia land lottery of 1803 in Greene County, Georgia. [Grant Book EEEE page 467, 31.5 acres] He received another grant in Greene County in 1805 [Grant book BB page 939]. He also received grants in Baldwin County in 1808 [Grant book G5 page 394, 32 ac] and Jasper County in 1820[Grant book 3 page 433]. Isabel Harris another resident of Greene County was granted Tract 87 in district 15 of Baldwin County, Georgia in the 1807 land lottery [Grant Bearing date December 20, 1808]. This land was subsequently included in Randolph County then Jasper County. In 1810 Obediah Belcher I was living in Randolph County, Georgia when he purchased tract 87 in the 15th district from Isabel Harris [Book 2 page 216 January, 1810]. This land was known as "tract 87 in District 15 of Baldwin, now Jasper County by the waters of Camp Creek". Obadiah I later gave one acre of this land to the Methodist Church. [Book A page 402 Jasper County dtd April 10,1815]. This transaction is also recorded in Book A page 462 dated 10 Aug 1817. Trustees of the Midway Methodist Church in Kelly, Georgia were, Samuel Shy, Henry Ware, James Hodges, Adam Mayberry, and Jerimiah Lumsden. Jerimiah Lumsden also from Virginia and could perhaps be a brother in law to Obediah I. One report we saw suggested that Obediah I was a Methodist Minister.
.....The first available census listing containing Obadiah Belcher I is the 1820 census of Irwin County, Georgia [1820 Census record Irwin County, Ga page 182].

In accounting for his family in this census, we find that his family consisted:
Children: 1..Obadiah R.11;
2..Elijah C.,8;
3..Isham, 7;
4..Green Berry 3,
4..and daughters Esther (Essie),17;
5..1 f, between 10 and 16;Caroline,
6..Harriett and one other female, age 18 to 26.


.....In the 1830 census, Obediah I is listed in Jasper County Georgia. [1830 Census record of Jasper County, Georgia page 393]. Obediah I would have been about 68 years old at the time.

In the intervening years between 1820 and 1830, daughter Essie had married John W. Hawkins [Jasper Co marriage records #7 dtd April 11, 1821, Thomas Langford MG.]. However, John Hawkins must have died for Essie is a head of household in 1830.
Harriett had married Seaborne Shy and a daughter Sophie was born. At the time of her marriage, Obadiah I gave Essie 100 acres and some Negroes. Although the direct gift is not found in the records, a later reference attests to this deed of gift [Jasper county book D page 611 June 1851 discusses the same piece of land being sold to O. R. Belcher from O. R. Hawkins]. The children living at the home place in 1830 were, Obadiah R, 21; Elijah C, 18; Isham, 17; Green Berry, 13; 1 f, 20-30; Caroline, 11; and Sophie, 9. In the 1830 census Obadiah I claims 10 male and 9 female slaves.

.....After 1830 many changes had occurred in the family. Obadiah I died in 1835 [Jasper County will book 11, page 1, probated Nov 2, 1835]. In his will he leaves the remaining parts of his estate to his widow, Mary, and to his two unmarried children, Green Berry and Sophia, who were living at home at the time.
His inventory includes 4 male slaves, 3 female slaves and 2 children. Thus he disposed of some 12 slaves before his death.
Administrators of the estate were eldest son Obediah R. and son-in-law Seaborne Shy. [This name is sometimes noted as Seaborum or Ceburn].
Sons Obediah R and Elijah Clark were married. Isham married Eliza S. Akin in 1835.
However, Isham died shortly thereafter and was deceased at the time of his fathers death. Daughter Harriet had died and daughter Caroline married Harriet's husband Seaborne Shy in 1835 [Jasper county marriages, #3, Sep 7, 1835, Jerimiah Lumsden , JP]. It is likely that Obadiah I also gave land and Negroes to his married children, Obadiah Russell. and Elijah Clark Belcher before his death as was the custom at the time.
.....Some land of tract 87 in the 15th district was sold by Obediah I to Green Berry in 1835 just before Obadiah I’s death [Jasper County Book C, p 18 dtd Sep 2,1835]. In October 18, 1837, Green Berry Belcher died and his will was probated [Will book C, page 170] His estate is enumerated and sold in January 1838. Obadiah R. and Elijah C. among others bought some of his horses [Book 12 page 79]. Seaborne Shy sold land in Tract 87 in the 15th district to "Nancy Belcher" [Book C 170, 176 Nov 20, 1838]. The transaction was witnessed by Elijah C. Belcher. This transaction should have read “land sold by Seaborne Shy, administrator of the estate of Green Berry Belcher, to Mary Belcher”.

.....The direct tie between Obadiah I and son Elijah is the land transaction in 1838 wherein Mary Belcher, Obediah's widow names her sons Obadiah R. and Elijah C. Belcher and gives them 202 Acres in tract 87 of District 15, the same land conveyed from Isabel Harris to the deceased Obadiah I. and falling to Obadiah I's widow Mary from the estate of her deceased husband. [Jasper county records book C page 312, dtd Dec 13, 1838]

1850 Jasper County Georgia census lists mary
769 BELCHER Mary 66 1000.00 bornVirginia
GARRET Elizabeth 20 cannot read or write

1860 she is listed as age 80:
40 358 362 Belcher Mary A. 80 F . widow 1,200 5,000 Georgia . . . . .

.....Essie Belcher the eldest daughter's marriage to John W. Hawkins was short lived. In the 1830 Census, Essie is living next to her father as a head of household with 2 male and 2 female children. Two of the children were Obadiah R. Hawkins and Martha Hawkins. It is likely that Essie married a person named Tucker prior to her father's death. Obadiah I’s will is witnessed by Essie Tucker.

.....The eldest son of Obediah I, Obadiah Russell Belcher, married Comfort Maddox in 1834 [Jasper county marriages Drawer 36 box 4 p 16 Dec 4, 1834]. He and his family can be found in the 1840and 1850 census records of Jasper County.
1820 Census Jasper County Georgia
Belcher Obadiah 3 1 0 0 0 1 1 2 2 1 0

1850 Jasper County Georgia Census
575 BELCHER Obadiah R. 41 M 2500.00
Comfort 33 F
Green 14 M
John 12 M
William 10 M attended school
Russel 8 M attended school
James 6 M
Sarah 3 F
DAVERSON John 18 M

1860 Census:
Belcher O. R. 51 M . Farmer 3,375 17,980 Georgia . . . . . 26 267 270
Belcher Comfort B. 43 F . . . . Georgia . . . . . 27 267 270
Belcher Green B. 24 M . . . . Georgia . . . . . 28 267 270
Belcher William. D. 20 M . . . . Georgia . . . . . 29 267 270
Belcher C. Russel. 18 M . . . . Georgia . X . . . 30 267 270
Belcher James L. 15 M . . . . Georgia . X . . . 31 267 270
Belcher Sarah J. 13 F . . . . Georgia . . . . . 32 267 270
Belcher Cosby D. 6 M . . . . Georgia

1870 Census
BELCHER, O. (?) 61 M $420.00(?) $200.00(?)
Comfort 54 F
C.D.. 16 M Cannot write
Anna 20 F Cannot read or write
Perry 5/12 M Born in Feb

BELCHER, R (?) 28(?) M $300.00
Martha 28(?) F
Thomas 5 M L (?) 3 M
William 4/12 M Born in Apr

William D. 30 M $400.00
BELCHER, Susan 28(?) F
William P. 5 M James E. 2 M

After 1850, several of his children went to Texas. Obadiah, the grandson of Obadiah I, was a Methodist minister in Texas. Another son James, was a resident of Bosque County, Texas.

.....Elijah C. Belcher, married Georgia Ann Wells [Jefferson County marriages, Drawer 22, Box 4, page 219 Dec 30, 1832]. He is enumerated in the 1840 Jasper Co, Ga census. Elijah moved to Randolph County between 1840 and 1850. He bought horses at the sale of his father's goods. The records show that Elijah C. Belcher had a history of financial trouble.
In 1835 he bought 600 acres in the 19th district, lot 241, on Munder Creek. In 1839 he sold Matthew Whitfield 317 acres that he had pledged on a note. Later in 1839 he sold his brother Obadiah, his interest in the 200 acre lot given to them earlier by their mother, Mary Belcher. It also appears that Mary sold Matthew Whitfield 100 acres in 1842 to clear up Elijah's debt.

In 1857, Thomas M.P. Belcher, Elijah's eldest son, gave land containing about 240 acres to his mother, Georgia, and stipulated that Elijah would not have any control over the land or the proceeds from its use [Randolph County book K page 624]. Shortly after this transfer, Georgia died and Elijah married Emeline Brunner Arnold a widow with 6 living children. Emeline's father was Thomas Brunner, a Methodist minister.

.....The youngest daughter of Obadiah I was Sophia, who married James Spears. [Drawer 36 Box 4, Jasper County Marriages #16, 1837].

.....There were many people from Virginia who were neighbors of Obadiah Belcher I. Based on the census and other data we would conclude that Obadiah Belcher who we discussed here, was born about 1762 possibly in Chesterfield County, Virginia and may be the son of one “Edmund” Belcher.
This Belcher Line
His naming of a son Isham and Green Berry clearly connects him with the Virginia Belcher families. [ See Chesterfield County, VA marriages Isham Belcher in May 1789 and Oct 1805, and Green Berry in Nov 1790].
Census:1840 Jasper County
77A&B Davidson's 290th GMD Belcher, Obediah R. 3 . . 1 1 . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . . . . . . 3 6 One over 20 can't read or write

78A&B Davidson's 290th GMD Belcher, Elijah 2 . . . 1 . . . . . . . 2 . . . 1 . . . . . . . 2 6

86A&B Crawford's 292nd GMD Belcher, William . . . 1 1 . 1 . . . . . . . . . 1 . 1 . . . . . . . Two over 20 can't read or write

1860 Census:
40 78 78 Belcher John 22 M . Farming
Belcher Mary 18



Other informaiton on Elijah Belcher

DECENDANTS OF ELIJAH CLARK BELCHER
sent to us by: Glenda Belcher at email address: gbelcher@accessatc.net


1. ELIJAH CLARK BELCHER was born 1812 in Jasper Co. Ga. He married
Georgia Ann Wells on Dec. 30, 1832 in Jefferson Co. GA.

Children of Elijah Belcher and Georgia Wells are:
1. THOMAS MADISON PATTERSON BELCHER,( B. 1833)
2. ELLEN BELCHER (B. 1835)
3. MARY BELCHER (B. 1837)
4. JOHN DANIEL BELCHER (B. Feb.17,1838, d. April 26, 1921, Brooks Co. GA)

5. OBEIDIAH BELCHER, (B. 1841)
6. CUSHEN BELCHER (B. 1845)

7. PERRY BELCHER (B. 1849).

THOMAS MADISON PATTERSON was (born 1833). He married TABITHA QUINTINE YOUNG 1861.

Child of THOMAS BELCHER and TABITHA YOUNG IS:
GEORGE WASHINGTON BELCHER (B. June 22, 1872.) m. EVA FLORENCE
CORBIN 1896.
* Notes for GEORGE W. BELCHER
Buried in Eastview Cemetery, Cuthbert, GA

JOHN DANIEL BELCHER was( born Feb. 17. 1838, and died April 26, 1921 in
Brooks Co. GA. ). He married SARAH CAROLYN LEE on Jan. 3, 1865 in Randolph Co.
GA

*Notes for JOHN DANIEL BELCHER
Private in the "Randolph Volunteer", Company E, 13th Regiment Georgia
Volunteer Infantry, C.S.A. Captured at Gettysburg, PA on July 5,1863.
Paroled at Point Lookout, MD on November 1, 1864. He is buried at Concord
Methodist Church Cemetery on the Quitman-Morven Road in Brooks Co. GA.

*Notes for SARAH CAROLYN LEE
She is buried at Concord Methodist Church Cemetery on the Quitman-Morvan Road in Brooks Co. GA

Children of JOHN BELCHER and SARAH LEE are:
1. SIDNEY BELCHER (B 1866)
2. ALFONZA WELLS BELCHER ( B. AUG. 8,1867; D. APRIL 24,1941)

He married MINNIE LEE MORSE on Oct. 25, 1896. They had two children:

LOIS BELCHER COLLLINS still lives in Screven, Wayne co. GA. (May 24, 2002) at the age of 92. Her mind is sharp as tack. She can tell you anything that you want to know and then some. A very amazing woman.

ROY BELCHER later married MILDRED FARMER. They were married 18 year. He then married his third wife MARGARET ?. Then later on married DALE ?. In 1904 ROY had a stroke, which left him paralyzed on the left side. ROY worked as a millwright for many years. He worked at Brunswick Pulp Mill and ten worked in industrial construction. He passed away in the Jesup Rehab Center in Jesup, GA.

1. ERIC C. BELCHER

6. HOMER L. BELCHER

5. OBEDIAH BELCHER (b. 1841)

6. CUSHEN BELCHER (b. 1845)

7. PERRY BELCHER, (b. 1849)