William Beecher

Who was William Beecher?

Sir William Beecher was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1667 to 1679.

Beecher was the son of Oliver Beecher of Fotheringhay, Northamptonshire and Howbury, Bedfordshire and his wife Elizabeth Tate, daughter of Sir William Tate of Delapré Abbey, Northamptonshire. He was admitted at Trinity College, Cambridge on 17 September 1645. In 1657, he was commissioner for assessment for Bedfordshire. He succeeded his father by 1659. He was J.P. for Bedfordshire from March 1660 to 1680. He was commissioner for militia for Bedfordshire in March 1660 and captain of militia horse for Bedfordshire in April 1660. In August 1660 he became Deputy Lieutenant and commissioner for assessment for Bedfordshire and in September 1660 a J.P. for Bedford. He was one of those nominated to be Knight of the Royal Oak and had an estate worth £1,600 a year. He was knighted on 16 November 1660. In 1661 he was made a freeman of Bedford and was made commissioner for assessment until 1663 and J.P. for Bedford for the year. He was J.P. for Bedford again in1663.

In 1667, Beecher was elected Member of Parliament for Bedford in a by-election to the Cavalier Parliament.