Jonathan Belcher

Jonathan Belcher
Governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay
In office August 10, 1730 – September 7, 1741
Preceded by	William Tailer
Succeeded by	William Shirley
Personal details
Born	January 8, 1682 Cambridge, Massachusetts
Died	August 31, 1757

Jonathan Belcher (January 8, 1682– August 31, 1757) was colonial governor of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and New Jersey.

Born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, he attended Harvard University. His first wife, Mary Partridge Belcher (1685-1736), was the daughter of Lt. Gov. William Partridge, and a sister was the wife of Lt. Gov. George Vaughn. One of his sons, Jonathan Belcher, was the Chief Justice of the Nova Scotia Supreme Court and Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia. His other son, Andrew Belcher, served on the Massachusetts Governor's Council.

In 1718, Belcher was elected to the Massachusetts council and became colonial governor when his predecessor died. Initially accepted by Boston, his popularity decreased when he brought the censure of the English government. He was later appointed governor of the province of New Jersey and assisted in the founding of the College of New Jersey (now known as Princeton University), including building the library for the new school.

Belchertown, in western Massachusetts, is named for him. His son, also named Jonathan Belcher, was the Lt. Gov of Nova Scotia. He was the uncle of Lt. Gov Andrew Oliver and Chief Justice Peter Oliver, and was also the great-grandfather of Admiral Edward Belcher.

His great-nephew Peter Oliver, Jr., was the husband of the daughter of Governor of Massachusetts Thomas Hutchinson. Thomas Hutchinson and his wife Margaret Sanford were descendants of Anne Hutchinson, a descendant of William the Conqueror. Margaret (Sanford) Hutchinson was a descendant of Rhode Island Governors Peleg Sanford and William Coddington.

External links

• Biography of Jonathan Belcher, New Jersey State Library
• Official Massachusetts Governor Biography
• Template:Worldcat id