Mertz Genealogy - Person Sheet
Mertz Genealogy - Person Sheet
NameBeckett Hopewell 
Birth16 September 1768, Burlington Co, NJ
Death29 May 1827, Mt Holly, NJ
Father5G GF Daniel Hopewell (~1723-<1776)
Mother5G GM Mary Beckett (1737-1816)
Spouses
ChildrenDaniel (1801-1826)
James (1798-)
Mary (1793-)
Martha (1796-1830)
Sarah (1805-)
William C (1807-)
Rebecca Ann (1810-)
John Cowden (1814-1888)
Research notes for Beckett Hopewell
Listed in 1793 Census of Northampton Twp, Burlington Co
An Ancestry.com family tree says that there are Family Bible Records at the Flemington Historical Library that show that Beckett and Rebecca had 4 children with birth dates as I’ve listed and stated for them.
An Ancestry.com family tree says that there are Family Bible Records at the Flemington Historical Library that show that Beckett and Rebecca had 4 children with birth dates as I’ve listed and stated for them.
Children Names notes for Beckett Hopewell
I have a copy of a transcript of Beckett’s family bible. There are a few children not listed by Paul Hopewell but I think they died young. Beckett and Rebecca “re-used” names: if a child died young, a later one was given the same name.
Census History notes for Rebecca (Spouse 1)
1830. Rebecca Hopewell is living in Burlington County in 1830. She appears to be 50-60 (thus born 1770-1780) and her mother is living with her age 80-90. I believe James names a daughter Rebecca and his son John clearly does. So, I at least have to consider that this could be James’ mother.
Children Names notes for Rebecca (Spouse 1)
Paul William Hopewell is descended from Beckett and Rebecca Hopewell so he has tracked this branch of the family more closely than our branch. He lists eight children for Beckett and Rebecca, including two worthy of further mention here.
✧ James born 2 Sep 1798. Paul William Hopewell was totally unable to track this James, though I know he tried. For most of Beckett’s children, PWH has tracked them up until their death. This includes son Daniel who moved to Ohio. So why couldn’t PWH find James?
Paul was aware of Daniel’s grandson named James Hopewell, the one who appeared in Northumberland by 1821, but seems never to have considered that he may have been Beckett’s son. J L Floyd says that James of Northumberland was born in 1798 and was the son of John Hopewell and PWH put that statement together with the idea that Daniel had an “other son” and basically bought into the story as told by J L Floyd. Paul had no other reason to ever be interested in Northumberland County genealogy and thus had no reason to have become suspicious of anything said by J L Floyd.
I take note, though, of the coincidence of the birth of this James in 1798 and that there is no basis, other than Floyd, to believe James of Northumberland County was born in 1797. I just have to wonder whether there is any chance that James Hopewell of Northumberland was Beckett’s son. There is also no real evidence of the exact date of James’ arrival in Northumberland -- all I know is it was before 1821. Did Beckett and his sister Sarah stay close despite their geographic separation? Does the fact that Beckett named his son born in 1814 John Cowden Hopewell indicate this continuing relationship? Might it be that John Cowden brought his nephew, James, to Northumberland, say in about 1814 at the age of 16 to work in his store?
If true, it doesn’t change anything else about our earlier Hopewell ancestors: Daniel, Nathaniel and John (of Mansfield, England). They would still be our 5G, 6G and 7G grandfathers.
✧ John Cowden was born 25 Nov 1814. His obituary said he was the most prosperous man in Flemington, NJ when he died. He was a hatter, then later owned the Flemington Gas-Works and then the Flemington Water-Works.
Paul William Hopewell notes that Cowden was the name of James Hepburn’s trading partner and that Beckett named his son John Cowden Hopewell but says “I do not know what significance to attach to the use of this name.”
But I know. The significance is that John Cowden, like James Hepburn, married one of Beckett’s sister. But the Cowdens had lived in Northumberland for at least 14 years before John Cowden Hopewell was born. So what was it that made that name so important in 1814 and were these families in that close contact?
✧ James born 2 Sep 1798. Paul William Hopewell was totally unable to track this James, though I know he tried. For most of Beckett’s children, PWH has tracked them up until their death. This includes son Daniel who moved to Ohio. So why couldn’t PWH find James?
Paul was aware of Daniel’s grandson named James Hopewell, the one who appeared in Northumberland by 1821, but seems never to have considered that he may have been Beckett’s son. J L Floyd says that James of Northumberland was born in 1798 and was the son of John Hopewell and PWH put that statement together with the idea that Daniel had an “other son” and basically bought into the story as told by J L Floyd. Paul had no other reason to ever be interested in Northumberland County genealogy and thus had no reason to have become suspicious of anything said by J L Floyd.
I take note, though, of the coincidence of the birth of this James in 1798 and that there is no basis, other than Floyd, to believe James of Northumberland County was born in 1797. I just have to wonder whether there is any chance that James Hopewell of Northumberland was Beckett’s son. There is also no real evidence of the exact date of James’ arrival in Northumberland -- all I know is it was before 1821. Did Beckett and his sister Sarah stay close despite their geographic separation? Does the fact that Beckett named his son born in 1814 John Cowden Hopewell indicate this continuing relationship? Might it be that John Cowden brought his nephew, James, to Northumberland, say in about 1814 at the age of 16 to work in his store?
If true, it doesn’t change anything else about our earlier Hopewell ancestors: Daniel, Nathaniel and John (of Mansfield, England). They would still be our 5G, 6G and 7G grandfathers.
✧ John Cowden was born 25 Nov 1814. His obituary said he was the most prosperous man in Flemington, NJ when he died. He was a hatter, then later owned the Flemington Gas-Works and then the Flemington Water-Works.
Paul William Hopewell notes that Cowden was the name of James Hepburn’s trading partner and that Beckett named his son John Cowden Hopewell but says “I do not know what significance to attach to the use of this name.”
But I know. The significance is that John Cowden, like James Hepburn, married one of Beckett’s sister. But the Cowdens had lived in Northumberland for at least 14 years before John Cowden Hopewell was born. So what was it that made that name so important in 1814 and were these families in that close contact?