Roxana was a granddaughter of a Revolutionary War officer General Andrew Ward. She was also literate, artistic, and indulged herself in the reading of mathematical and scientific treatises, just for pleasure. Roxana was living in a part of Guilford, Nutplains, where she met Lyman Beecher. She was one of three sisters who were all talented in addition to being beautiful.
Husband: Rev. Lyman Beecher.
Children: Catharine, William, Edward, Mary, George, Harriet (Beecher Stowe), Henry Ward Beecher, Charles.
Lyman got everything he wanted in a wife. Unfortunately, Roxana died at just 41 years old of Tuberculosis. With the death of Roxana there was also the death of all his dreams.
From: Litchfield Book of Days:
Page 155 — 1816. Roxana Beecher died. Mrs. Reeve, in a letter written at the time says: 'Her soul lighted up and gilded the way as she entered the valley of death. She made a very feeling and appropriate prayer in my hearing. She told her husband that her views and anticipations of heaven had been so great that she could hardly sustain it. She dedicated her sons to God for missionaries. Mr. Beecher then made a prayer, and she fell into a sweet sleep from which she awoke in heaven."
Page 139 — "Litchfield was famous for good society. I would send you notes, but you would have to deliver them in the graveyard, always hospitable to the dead, and inhospitable to the living. and yet if you should go over to the east of the town and wondering the burial ground, you should find a stone marked Roxana Foote Beecher, please uncover your head and drive from your mind all but heavenly thoughts." — Henry Ward Beecher in a Letter to Fanny Fern.
Husband: Rev. Lyman Beecher.
Children: Catharine, William, Edward, Mary, George, Harriet (Beecher Stowe), Henry Ward Beecher, Charles.
Lyman got everything he wanted in a wife. Unfortunately, Roxana died at just 41 years old of Tuberculosis. With the death of Roxana there was also the death of all his dreams.
From: Litchfield Book of Days:
Page 155 — 1816. Roxana Beecher died. Mrs. Reeve, in a letter written at the time says: 'Her soul lighted up and gilded the way as she entered the valley of death. She made a very feeling and appropriate prayer in my hearing. She told her husband that her views and anticipations of heaven had been so great that she could hardly sustain it. She dedicated her sons to God for missionaries. Mr. Beecher then made a prayer, and she fell into a sweet sleep from which she awoke in heaven."
Page 139 — "Litchfield was famous for good society. I would send you notes, but you would have to deliver them in the graveyard, always hospitable to the dead, and inhospitable to the living. and yet if you should go over to the east of the town and wondering the burial ground, you should find a stone marked Roxana Foote Beecher, please uncover your head and drive from your mind all but heavenly thoughts." — Henry Ward Beecher in a Letter to Fanny Fern.
Roxana was a granddaughter of a Revolutionary War officer General Andrew Ward. She was also literate, artistic, and indulged herself in the reading of mathematical and scientific treatises, just for pleasure. Roxana was living in a part of Guilford, Nutplains, where she met Lyman Beecher. She was one of three sisters who were all talented in addition to being beautiful.
Husband: Rev. Lyman Beecher.
Children: Catharine, William, Edward, Mary, George, Harriet (Beecher Stowe), Henry Ward Beecher, Charles.
Lyman got everything he wanted in a wife. Unfortunately, Roxana died at just 41 years old of Tuberculosis. With the death of Roxana there was also the death of all his dreams.
From: Litchfield Book of Days:
Page 155 — 1816. Roxana Beecher died. Mrs. Reeve, in a letter written at the time says: 'Her soul lighted up and gilded the way as she entered the valley of death. She made a very feeling and appropriate prayer in my hearing. She told her husband that her views and anticipations of heaven had been so great that she could hardly sustain it. She dedicated her sons to God for missionaries. Mr. Beecher then made a prayer, and she fell into a sweet sleep from which she awoke in heaven."
Page 139 — "Litchfield was famous for good society. I would send you notes, but you would have to deliver them in the graveyard, always hospitable to the dead, and inhospitable to the living. and yet if you should go over to the east of the town and wondering the burial ground, you should find a stone marked Roxana Foote Beecher, please uncover your head and drive from your mind all but heavenly thoughts." — Henry Ward Beecher in a Letter to Fanny Fern.
Husband: Rev. Lyman Beecher.
Children: Catharine, William, Edward, Mary, George, Harriet (Beecher Stowe), Henry Ward Beecher, Charles.
Lyman got everything he wanted in a wife. Unfortunately, Roxana died at just 41 years old of Tuberculosis. With the death of Roxana there was also the death of all his dreams.
From: Litchfield Book of Days:
Page 155 — 1816. Roxana Beecher died. Mrs. Reeve, in a letter written at the time says: 'Her soul lighted up and gilded the way as she entered the valley of death. She made a very feeling and appropriate prayer in my hearing. She told her husband that her views and anticipations of heaven had been so great that she could hardly sustain it. She dedicated her sons to God for missionaries. Mr. Beecher then made a prayer, and she fell into a sweet sleep from which she awoke in heaven."
Page 139 — "Litchfield was famous for good society. I would send you notes, but you would have to deliver them in the graveyard, always hospitable to the dead, and inhospitable to the living. and yet if you should go over to the east of the town and wondering the burial ground, you should find a stone marked Roxana Foote Beecher, please uncover your head and drive from your mind all but heavenly thoughts." — Henry Ward Beecher in a Letter to Fanny Fern.
Inscription
To the memory of Roxana Beecher who died Sept. 23, 1816, aged 42 years.
Gravesite Details
Roxana's headstones was cleaned June 2019 by volunteer "East Litchfield."
Family Members
Siblings
