Bevier, Johannes (John) DeWitt (b. 28 FEB 1798, d. 23 FEB 1863)

Note: According to author, Ralph LeFevre, who wrote a history of the New Paltz Patentee's descendants, Johannes died young in New Paltz, New York.

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Note: During the census of 08/11/1850, he and his large family lived in Avon Township, Livingston County, New York. His occupation was listed as laborer. In 1854, he moved his family of nine children and wife Anna to Harmonia, near Battle Creek, Michigan. They moved later to Bedford, Michigan. He died soon thereafter leaving the family in dire financial condition.

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Note: Children are listed under Elijah Bevier. The Concord, Pennsylvania Cemetery has a stone indicating she died in 1867, aged 59 years.

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Note: Other sources state his date of birth as 13 Feb 1791 and his death as 14 Oct 1883.

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Source: (Name)
Titel: The Bevier Family - by Katherine Bevier
Auteur: Katherine Bevier
Publicatie: Tobias A. Wright Company - 1916
Media: Book

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Note: He was educated at the Kingston Academy and was a very good student. In later life, Louis established a small circulating library of his own for his friends. He remained on the farm at Marbletown which had belonged to his father, grandfather, and great grandfather before him. During the War of 1812, he was appointed Captain in Bevier's Battalion, New York Militia. He was ordered to serve at Staten Island in 1814 and served on a Court Martial Board while at that post. He was later commissioned as a Lt. Colonel of the 130th Regiment of Infantry of New York State. He did not survive his father David by very long as he died in 1826 after a brief illness. He left his widow with the heavy responsibility of raising eight children. Maria Elting Bevier was a woman of great strength of character and directed the running of the farm and raising of the children with equal skill and vigor. She sent all of her children on to be educated.

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Note: Catharine Bevier was a charming, high-spirited girl who rejected the local swains and married Stephen Stilwell, a stranger who was little known, but who settled down in New Paltz.

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Note: His studies were carried on at the Kingston Academy. After marrying Catherine Hasbrouck they settled on a farm in Cairo, Greene County, New York which had been purchased by his father. After his wife died in 1829, he moved to Olive in Ulster County. He was gentle and easy-going in manner. An interesting story about the old French Bible, brought from France by Louis Bevier the Patentee is told by Mrs. William H. Morrison. It seems that the Bible had been given to Joseph Bevier, her grandfather. When Joseph died, he left this precious family possession to his youngest daughter, Eleanor, a child of twelve. Soon thereafter, a clergyman, who was a friend of the family, seeing that the old book was not particularly valued by its new owner, agreed to give her two nice new Bibles and a hymn book in exchange for it. This was readily agreed to and the old family Bible of Louis Bevier passed into the possession of the New York Bible Society. Some say it was the New York Historical Society. This was not the end of the incident for Blandina Bevier of Marbletown, sister of Louis Bevier. When she heard of the fate of the old Bible, she journeyed to New York to visit its new custodians. Whether she purchased the book or merely explained forcibly the nature of the transaction is not recorded. She brought back to Marbletown the valuable family relic which had suffered only an inscription placed therein just below the original family record written in 1689. He wrote, " I hold this precious volume in my hands" and then signed it. The valued family book was returned to Marbletown and the foreign inscription was promptly erased by Louis Bevier. All descendants of the old Beviers should give a grateful thought to Blandina Bevier who saved their priceless family heirloom for posterity.

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