Beecroft/Becraft Lines  (Updated 6/30/2011)

 

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Hello Cousins! Update 2011!

For those who keep track of things on this site, there will be another 3,000 names here. Give or take a few. Australian lines have been added. Much more detail has been added to existing lines, including some leaf consolidation into the main lines.

All I ask in return is you send me updates, content that isn't here, anything that helps to clarify the lines and connections better.

Regards,
Robert J Becraft aka [email protected]

 

The Entire Database - for those of you interested in finding someone who may not be linked in an obvious fashion to one of the lines listed below.  The index is quite nice. There are numerous loose leaves to be found in the database.  These are stubs that will over time need to be connected into the rest of the family.  Right now, I have insufficient data to do so.  If you find a stub that should be connected or that you have more data on, please contact me.

 
The Maryland Lines

The Maryland Becraft line originates with Peter Becraft and Rebecca (unknown) in 1695 with the birth of their first child Rebekah.  The Maryland line is responsible for the majority of Becraft's living in Maryland today.  In addition, branches of the Maryland line can be found in VA, KY, and OH.  In addition, many other branches in many other states owe their origins to families in one of these states.

 The NY Lines

One of the first known Becraft genealogists is David Martin Kendal.  He has a mimeographed version of his "Beecrofts" book in the Library of Congress.  It documents Beecrofts in and around the Schaghticoke region of NY. 

 Other Lines

Jim Beecroft of Washington has documented his family line's quick entry into the states and migration west by leaps and bounds.  His line originated with Joseph Beecroft who came into America on June 30 1856.  Many Beecrofts in the western states are descended off of this line.

Another Washington Line, starting with Thomas Becraft.
Maryland II/ Wythe VA Lines

Lorrain Plotner Becraft has been trying to connect the Washington County MD Becraft's to the rest of the MD line, but so far they elude connection.  There is also some evidence that this line is the source of the elusive Wythe, VA BeCrafts.

Canadian Lines

There is a Canadian line that originates around 1720 in Ontario and jumps back and forth across the US/Canada borders. 

 England Lines

The line continues in England.  The following researchers have provided their lines to aid in building a comprehensive family tree of those Becraft's.
New Jersey Line

Here is a  New Jersey line that interestingly, came through Baltimore, MD, long enough for one child to be born there.

 Pennsylvania Lines Michigan Lines
Iowa  Australia  NEW!  Australian Lines
  

Germans

Biegraft Biekraft appears to be another version of Becraft that has shown up in records especially in PA.  More study and contributions are needed to firm up these families.


Other Countries

None known, but I'm sure they're out there.  I've seen some Scotland tidbits.

 

Previous Update Notes...
Hello Cousins! Update 2006!

The following lines have been developed from my research and contributions made from other researchers, either directly or indirectly.  As I have done in earlier updates to the website, I am publishing everything in my database.  This includes all the lines that have sprung up over the years that people are still trying to either tie back to England, or into the existing lines.  The last update to this site published just over 2900 family sheets.  There are now more than 4100 family sheets.  I've published each family as a separate sheet to facilitate printing them out for your own use in reviewing the data that is here, or in comparing it to your own data sheets. 

A note on my philosophy... what I have established is a working document of Beecroft/Becraft lines.  There are bound to be points of contention with regard to how this collection fits together.  It is the best I have been able to put together with the data I have. SO, if you disagree with something I've put together, don't get mad at me, just send me the data that can be used to make it right.

One of the exciting parts of putting this collection together is the number of matches you start to get when you review your collection of raw data.  

Regards,
Robert J Becraft aka [email protected]

 
Hello Cousins! Update 2007!

This is an exciting update.  There are now almost 5300 family pages on this website.  I've started integrating some of the various English lines that people are putting together in order to possibly begin to make connections between the American lines or some of the disconnected English ones.  There is a whole new collection of wonderful researchers over there who are just as willing to share and provide information as the ones here in the states. 

My first comment is "THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!"  If it weren't for everyone who is sharing, this site and this collection would not be possible.

As I always say, please feel free to set me straight.  I don't believe I have the most correct, or even remotely the best collection of Becraft materials.  My goal is to keep making it better.  Here's hoping you find a tidbit or two that you didn't have before.  And if you've sent me updates, I hope I got them all in the right places.

You will find some photos mixed in here now.  I've been collecting those as well.

Regards,
Robert J Becraft aka [email protected]
Hello Cousins! Update 2008!

Here are some statistics... 2007 had 5,755 individuals with 1,630 unique surnames.  2008 now has 8,809 individuals with 1,918 unique surnames.  In 2007, the database had 1,466 Becrafts, now has 2,303.  It had 790 Beecrofts, now has 1,447.  I've been working on making dead people dead so their info shows up when I publish it, but it appears I've still got lots of them alive in the database.

In an effort to make maintaining this database easier I've used a new format for the pages.  It is a format that is used on other sites throughout the internet and should be familiar to everyone.  I also turned on publishing of every field I can find in the report part of the database.  It added some details to this site that didn't make it into the updates from last year.

As before, I've been adding pictures, so if you have any to contribute for these people, send them in and I'll put them in the next update. 

This is intended to be a collection of genealogical materials to make it available for everyone doing research on these families.  Contributions are encouraged.  No money is made from this collection, no money is ever asked of anyone.  It exists to honor those who have contributed and worked to uncover everything found here.

So far no one has offered up any Australian lines to be included here, so one of my upcoming projects is to add some of those cousins into the mix.  They are showing up more and more around the internet, so this should not be too big a project.  There are some interesting stories in these lines as well.

Regards,
Robert J Becraft aka [email protected]

 

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