Founder of Beamsville. United Empire Loyalist. Jacob Beam (Boehme) was born in what is today Lancaster Co., PA of Pennsylvania Dutch Mennonite origins. A farmer in Sussex Co., NJ during the American Revolution, he was arrested and jailed for aiding in the escape of some British troops. He was forced to pay 500 pounds and forfeit all his land. He afterward moved to Mansfield, NJ where he came under the influence of baptist preaching. In 1788 he lead a group of baptist immigrants to the Niagara Peninsula and was granted 400 acres near 30 Mile Creek in Clinton Twp (where he settled) and 500 acres in Grimsby Twp. He donated the land the Baptist Church, school, and cemetery in Beamsville. Stone Inscription: "In memory of Jacob Beam, Sr., born Nov. 29th, 1728, died May 10th, 1812, aged 83, also his wife, aged 83." He married Anna Catherine Boughner and they were the parents of (at least) 11 children: John, Lewis, Alice (m. William Kitchen), Catherine, Peter, Jacob Jr., Susannah, Margaret, Christina, Anna, and Sarah. Sources:
Jacob Beam (Boehm) by Robert A. M. Stewart, published in Loyalist Families of the Grand River Branch, UELAC (1991); Graves and Inscriptions in the Niagara Peninsula by Janet Carnochan; Hixson Trails by Margaret Madara Free. See Also Ontario Cemetery Finding Aid: http://www.islandnet.com/cgi-bin/ms2/jveinot/search
"Numerous researchers including Robert Kemp of Beamsville have tried to link him to the Mennonite Jacob Beam b. 1693 and his wife Barbara Kendig of Zweibrucker, Palatinate, Rhineland Germany and later of the Pequea Colony in Conestoga Twp near Lancaster Pennsylvania. There is no clear evidence that Jacob Beam Sr. was related to this line and in fact, current DNA studies seem to indicate that the two lines are not related. The only son of the Mennonite Jacob Beam who did come to Canada was Abraham Boehm who settled in Willoughby Twp., Welland co. The Pennsylvania Beam lines are now well researched and it appears that Jacob b"Eam" of Beamsville came from a New Jersey Beam family."
-Deborah Glover, UE, 3/10/2023
Jacob Beam (Boehm) by Robert A. M. Stewart, published in Loyalist Families of the Grand River Branch, UELAC (1991); Graves and Inscriptions in the Niagara Peninsula by Janet Carnochan; Hixson Trails by Margaret Madara Free. See Also Ontario Cemetery Finding Aid: http://www.islandnet.com/cgi-bin/ms2/jveinot/search
"Numerous researchers including Robert Kemp of Beamsville have tried to link him to the Mennonite Jacob Beam b. 1693 and his wife Barbara Kendig of Zweibrucker, Palatinate, Rhineland Germany and later of the Pequea Colony in Conestoga Twp near Lancaster Pennsylvania. There is no clear evidence that Jacob Beam Sr. was related to this line and in fact, current DNA studies seem to indicate that the two lines are not related. The only son of the Mennonite Jacob Beam who did come to Canada was Abraham Boehm who settled in Willoughby Twp., Welland co. The Pennsylvania Beam lines are now well researched and it appears that Jacob b"Eam" of Beamsville came from a New Jersey Beam family."
-Deborah Glover, UE, 3/10/2023
Founder of Beamsville. United Empire Loyalist. Jacob Beam (Boehme) was born in what is today Lancaster Co., PA of Pennsylvania Dutch Mennonite origins. A farmer in Sussex Co., NJ during the American Revolution, he was arrested and jailed for aiding in the escape of some British troops. He was forced to pay 500 pounds and forfeit all his land. He afterward moved to Mansfield, NJ where he came under the influence of baptist preaching. In 1788 he lead a group of baptist immigrants to the Niagara Peninsula and was granted 400 acres near 30 Mile Creek in Clinton Twp (where he settled) and 500 acres in Grimsby Twp. He donated the land the Baptist Church, school, and cemetery in Beamsville. Stone Inscription: "In memory of Jacob Beam, Sr., born Nov. 29th, 1728, died May 10th, 1812, aged 83, also his wife, aged 83." He married Anna Catherine Boughner and they were the parents of (at least) 11 children: John, Lewis, Alice (m. William Kitchen), Catherine, Peter, Jacob Jr., Susannah, Margaret, Christina, Anna, and Sarah. Sources:
Jacob Beam (Boehm) by Robert A. M. Stewart, published in Loyalist Families of the Grand River Branch, UELAC (1991); Graves and Inscriptions in the Niagara Peninsula by Janet Carnochan; Hixson Trails by Margaret Madara Free. See Also Ontario Cemetery Finding Aid: http://www.islandnet.com/cgi-bin/ms2/jveinot/search
"Numerous researchers including Robert Kemp of Beamsville have tried to link him to the Mennonite Jacob Beam b. 1693 and his wife Barbara Kendig of Zweibrucker, Palatinate, Rhineland Germany and later of the Pequea Colony in Conestoga Twp near Lancaster Pennsylvania. There is no clear evidence that Jacob Beam Sr. was related to this line and in fact, current DNA studies seem to indicate that the two lines are not related. The only son of the Mennonite Jacob Beam who did come to Canada was Abraham Boehm who settled in Willoughby Twp., Welland co. The Pennsylvania Beam lines are now well researched and it appears that Jacob b"Eam" of Beamsville came from a New Jersey Beam family."
-Deborah Glover, UE, 3/10/2023
Jacob Beam (Boehm) by Robert A. M. Stewart, published in Loyalist Families of the Grand River Branch, UELAC (1991); Graves and Inscriptions in the Niagara Peninsula by Janet Carnochan; Hixson Trails by Margaret Madara Free. See Also Ontario Cemetery Finding Aid: http://www.islandnet.com/cgi-bin/ms2/jveinot/search
"Numerous researchers including Robert Kemp of Beamsville have tried to link him to the Mennonite Jacob Beam b. 1693 and his wife Barbara Kendig of Zweibrucker, Palatinate, Rhineland Germany and later of the Pequea Colony in Conestoga Twp near Lancaster Pennsylvania. There is no clear evidence that Jacob Beam Sr. was related to this line and in fact, current DNA studies seem to indicate that the two lines are not related. The only son of the Mennonite Jacob Beam who did come to Canada was Abraham Boehm who settled in Willoughby Twp., Welland co. The Pennsylvania Beam lines are now well researched and it appears that Jacob b"Eam" of Beamsville came from a New Jersey Beam family."
-Deborah Glover, UE, 3/10/2023
