Armed Services Question about the 1600's

[amontilado]

I know very little about the armed services, so please excuse me if my question is asking something obvious.

I am trying to put together a family tree for the Becher/Beecher family. Like many families, the same names were frequenly used, making it difficult to tell them apart...

Two of my puzzles are

 Lieutenant Colonel Phane Beecher. He died at Drogheda, Ireland in 1649, and there are many references to him in the House of Lords. His will was proved at Bristol.
"Will of Phane Becher, Quarter Master of All Forces raised under the command of the Lord Lieutenant, signed 21 September 1649,"

There are several possibilities as to which Fane/Phane he is. Are there any Army records that go back that far that would help to identify him?

My second puzzle is a Phance Beecher, of a similar era. There are a few (not very complimentary ) primary references to him. He is called an ensign...does that always refer to an armed services rank?

A conspicuous figure among the Pioneer Planters of St Christopher was one Phance Beecher, known to his critics as “lyinge Beecher” or “Bragging Beecher” who arrived about 1639, a penniless youth, without servants or luggage and quickly built up what passed for a fortune “by his cuttthroate dealings” in such items as playing cards, pins, needles and canvas. Beecher was elevated to the Island Council because he was a kinsman of the clerk of the Privy Council, and in 1642 “this most arrogant and now sawcye proude fellowe” led a rebellion against Governor Warner that convulsed St Christopher for a year” 1

House of Commons Journal Volume 2
14 January 1643
Die Sabbati, 14 Januarii, 1642.
PRAYERS.
Island of St. Christoppher's.
UPON the humble Petition of Wm. Somner and Ensign Beecher, employed from the Island of St. Christopher's, to complain of the Oppressions the Inhabitants are under there, and to desire a Redress; and setting forth, That one Robinson has, by false Pretences and Suggestions to his Majesty, got a Writ of Rebellion against the said Inhabitants and Petitioners; and is gone to Plymouth with it; and intends there to embarque himself for St. Christopher's.
It is Ordered, That the said Robinson be stayed, and not permitted to embarque himself: And that he be injoined and required not to leave the Kingdom, till the Matters may be heard and determined, and that the House take farther Order.  From: 'House of Commons Journal Volume 2: 14 January 1643

It seems from another article I have that he may have been hanged in 1642/3, but nobody seems to know.
Again, is there somewhere to look up an ensign on St Christopher (Sometimes called St Kitts) 1639-43?

Sorry for the rambly question!

Jenny

[Morian]

Hi Jenny,

I was interested to know whether you had any further information on Phance Beecher. I am more particularly interested in finding about William Somner. I have a paper "The English Caribees in the Period of the Civil War, 1642-1646" which mentions Phance, if you are interested, but gives little more information than you have presented in your posting.

Regards,

Ian

[amontilado]

Hi Ian,
Thank you, I have the article too. I haven't made any headway in finding out any more information about Phance/Phane Becher on St Christopher, but I must admit, it has been a while since I tried. Might be time to have a look again in case something new has been digitised.
Good luck with your research,
from Jenny

[liverpool annie]

You probably have all of this already Jenny ... maybe it's even yours !!  but just in case ..... 

The Business of Slavery

Meanwhile, on Barbados by 1638 was Thomas Verney, son of Sir Edmund Verney (Penson, Colonial Agents, p. 12). On St. Kitts in 1639 arrived penniless one Phance Beecher, a kinsman of the clerk of the Privy Council, regarded as a trashy, saucy upstart, who later led "a rebellion" against Governor Warner. Dunn, Sugar and Slaves, p. 120.

http://www.danbyrnes.com.au/business/business13.html

http://www.amazon.com/Sugar-Slaves-1624-1713-Published-Institute/dp/0807848778

http://www.radleysofcork.bigpondhosting.com/My_Homepage_Files/Page10.html

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~becher/Henry%20Becher%20and%20Mary%20Lyon.htm

[liverpool annie]

I did find this also ....

THE BANDON MILITIA, OR SOUTH-CORK LIGHT INFANTRY

Bandon-bridge was established by Phane, son of Alderman Henry Beecher, of London

http://www.paulturner.ca/Ireland/Cork/HOB/hob-22.htm

[Morian]

Hi Jenny,

Thanks for the very quick response. I didn't have 2 of the articles which you referred to, so I have more to follow up on.

I also have some copies of manuscripts coming from the British Library in the next few weeks (I live in Australia so posting from the UK takes about 6 weeks) which will hopefully give me some more information on William Sommers/Somner. If there is anything on Phane/Phance Beecher I shall let you know.

Once again, many thanks for your help. Enjoy the day.

Regards,

Ian

[amontilado]

Thanks Annie for the links. The last one IS my website!

Ian, I live in Australia too! I hope the mail is much faster than 6 weeks....I would love to hear of anything that you find out.
From Jenny

[Morian]

Hi Jenny,

No problems - I just have to be patient waiting for the snail mail from the UK. I live down south in Ballarat - the coldest place, on average, in Victoria.

Regards,

Ian