Jonathan Belcher

A 3rd-generation American, Jonathan Belcher was an born at Cambridge, Massachusetts about 1681/82.

His father was the famous Andrew Belcher, Esq., one of His Majesty’s Council in the Province of Massachusetts Bay, justly esteemed the ornament and blessing to his country.

His mother was Sarah Gilbert.

Andrew Belcher took special care about the education of so promising a son, upon whom the hopes of his family were fixed. He distinguished himself from most of the young gentry of the the eighteenth century.

Jonathan kept his morals free from those pollutions which so much abound in the world, whereby inexperienced youth are often betrayed into ruin.

He was a confessed christian.

Jonathan was educated in the liberal arts and sciences as well as learned languages. From Harvard, Jonathan graduated second in a class of twelve in 1699. Jonathan traveled abroad for many years, was a merchant in Boston, and a member of the town council for several years.

He became governor of Massachusetts 08 January 1729-30, and held office for eleven years. In 1747 he was made Governor of New Jersey, until his death on 31 Aug 1757. He accumulated a fortune as a Boston merchant early in life. The career of Jonathan Belcher as Governor of Massachusetts and New Hampshire, and of New Jersey (1746-1757), spanned an era sometimes referred to as the prelude to the American Revolution.

His philosophy of government was: That a "good ruler" must serve as the father of his people and care for their welfare as much as a father cares for the well-being of his own child. This, of course, meant practicing Jesus' principle that we treat other people just as we would like to be treated ourselves. He was a "terror to evil doers", but to those who lived righteously, he was a firm and faithful friend. These qualities of the governor were extolled in the very first biography ever written about him by his friend Aaron Burr, Sr. (1715/16-1757), then president of the Princeton college.

Belcher's quick temper and a sharp tongue aggravated the troubles that every royal governor faced in reconciling colonial interests with those of the Crown, and earned for him many enemies in Massachusetts and New Hampshire whose intrigues brought about his dismissal in 1741. He was, however, able to convince the English court that he had been maligned by his political enemies, and after living in England for several years he was appointed to the New Jersey governorship in 1746.

He served as governor until his death in 1757.

Soon after his arrival in New Jersey in 1747, Belcher, a Congregationalist, adopted the infant college of the dissenting Presbyterians as his own and busied himself in its promotion for ``better enlightening the minds and polishing the manners of this and neighboring colonies.'' Finding the legality of the College's original charter under attack it had been granted by Acting Governor John Hamilton, whose authority was questioned Belcher granted a second one on September 14, 1748. The charter provided for twenty-three, rather than twelve, trustees, thus permitting the governing board to broaden and strengthen its representation politically and religiously Charter eight weeks later at the College's first commencement, the trustees conferred on Belcher Princeton's first honorary degree. Belcher encouraged the trustees to raise funds for a college building and a house for the president and, in the dispute as to where the College was to be settled, threw his influence in favor of Princeton -- ``as near the center of the Province as any and a fine situation.'' Just before the College moved from Newark to Princeton Belcher gave the trustees his library of 474 volumes, his full-length portrait, his carved and gilded coat-of-arms, a pair of terrestrial globes, and ten framed portraits of kings and queens of England. In their address of thanks the trustees asked his permission to name the first building, then being erected in Princeton, Belcher Hall. Modestly -- and providentially -- the governor declined this honor and persuaded them to name it Nassau Hall for ``the glorious King William the Third . . . of the illustrious House of Nassau,'' who was held in high regard by dissenters as a champion of religious freedom and political liberty. His fellow trustees declared in 1755, viewed him as ``its founder, patron, and benefactor.''

A portrait of Belcher that now hangs in Nassau Hall was obtained from an English descendant of the governor and presented to the University in 1953

Jonathan Belcher married (1) Mary Partridge. He married (2) Mary-Louisa-Emilla Teal 09 September 1748 in Burlington, NJ.

Children of Jonathan Belcher and Mary Partridge are:

"The scholar, the accomplished gentleman, and the true Christian, were seldom ever more happily and thoroughly united, than in him...." President Aaron Burr of Princeton College, speaking of Governor Jonathan Belcher, 1757

Boston. 1730

By Capt. Homans from London, we are informed that His Majesty has been pleased to confer the Honour of Knighthood on His Excellency JONATHAN BELCHER Esq; who is appointed Governour and Commander in Chief in and over His Majesty’s Provinces of the MASSACHUSETTS-BAY and NEW-HAMPSHIRE; in NEW-ENGLAND; and that His Excellency intended speedily to proceed for his Government in one of His Majesty’s Ships of War.

- (From: The New-England Weekly Journal, No. 160, April 14, 1730.)

ST. James’, Decemb. 13.

His Majesty this day was pleased to sign a Commission, appointing Jonathan Belcher Esq., to be Governour and Commander in Chief of the Province of New-Hampshire in New-England in America; and also another Commission, appointing him to be Captain General and Governour in Chief of the Province of the Massachusetts-Bay in New England; both which Governments became void by the Death of William Burnet, Esq.

London Feb. 10 1730

On Saturday last his Majesty’s Commission constituting the Hon. Jonathan Belcher Esq. Governor of the Provinces of the Massachusetts Bay and New-Hampshire in New-England, passed the Great Seal; and we hear his Excellency is making all possible Dispatch to set out for his said Governments.

(From: The New-England Weekly Journal, No. 162, April 27, 1730

Sources:

From Alexander Leitch, A Princeton Companion, copyright Princeton University Press (1978).

JONATHAN BELCHER,Governor of His Majesty’s Province of New Jersey by Aaron Burr, A. M., President of the College of New Jersey [later called Princeton University] (New York: Hugh Gaine, Printer, 1757)

The Belcher Families in New England by Joseph Gardner Bartlett:

New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, Mass: 1906.

Belcher Family Research (Website)