Sir Jennings Beckwith

Jennings Beckwith
BIRTH
1763
Richmond County, Virginia, USA
DEATH
13 Nov 1835 (aged 71–72)
Richmond County, Virginia, USA
BURIAL
Burial Details Unknown

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/181076744/jennings-beckwith

Jennings Beckwith was the son of Sir Jonathan Beckwith and Rebecca Barnes. He was born between 1760 and 1765 at North Farnham Park, Richmond County, Virginia. He married Catherine Miskell on April 2, 1787. She was the daughter of William Miskell and Elizabeth Samford.

Several sources say that Jennings Beckwith served as a Captain in a Virginia regiment during the American Revolution. He would have been a very young captain, so it is possible that it was one of his many Beckwith cousins who attained that rank.

His wife Catherine Miskell, was made famous by mistake as "Miss Kill".It is possible that she was a second cousin. A link needs to be proven that Jennings had an uncle, Roger Beckwith, who married a Winifred Miskell, Winifred Dalton's daughter. She would have been Catherine's aunt, making her Jennings's 2nd cousin, by descent from Mary Newman.

Described as "Sir" in his obit, though it seems doubtful that he actually took up the title, if he fought for Virginia during the Revolution. There's some confusion over which newspaper the obit appeared in, but it may have been in several. If it was in a paper a long way from where he lived and died, you'd expect it to be in a more local paper as well. Said to have died at Mount Airy, a very well-known house. Perhaps he died suddenly while visiting the Tayloes. Or perhaps he died at home at Belvoin "near Mount Airy" and the story evolved a bit.

An unproven story claims that Jennings was the father of James Pierson Beckwourth the "African-American mountain man". The story says that he left his family in Virginia and moved to Missouri with a pregnant salve girl. James Beckwourth wrote an autobiography that seemed to link him to Sir Jennings Beckwith. The story is likely to be untrue as Jennings remained attached to Virginia society. Perhaps that Jennings Beckwith was a cousin of this Jennings Beckwith. Jennings was an often repeated given name in this family. A thorough DNA study of the family would sort out many rumors and misconceptions.

Sources:

• https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=176304824
• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Beckwith-633

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Info from Find A Grave:
Eldest son of Jonathan Beckwith and Rebecca Barnes, and grandson of Sir Marmaduke Beckwith.

At the age of 19 years old, Virginia Militia "Recommended as Captain of the Company lately Commanded by Captain Randall" at the Court held on June 4, 1781.

Considered to be "the vagrant of the family", unlike his siblings who contributed handsomely to the political, cultural, professional, and military life of their day.

Married Catherine Miskell, daughter of William Miskell and Elizabeth Samford, in 1787.

As early as 1794, Jennings and Catherine disposed of land inherited from William Miskell. In January 1800, Jennings Beckwith sold 310 acres of land "Winders" in Lunenburg Parish, Richmond County, VA., inherited from Sir Jonathan Beckwith.

Resident of District of St. Charles, Louisiana Territory on September 7, 1809. The same year, he was in St. Louis on November 2nd. By 1810, he purchased land below St. Charles.

Much of his life had been spent wandering in the Far West on hunting excursions with the Indians around St. Louis and in late years he would live with men as would fish with him in summer or fox hunt in winter.

He died at "Mt. Airy", a short distance from his father's "Belvoin" plantation, an estate continuously occupied since 1740 by the direct male line of the Tayloe family.