Robert Bethel (abt. 1751 - 1816)

Born about 1751 in Cheshire, England

Descendants

Died 15 Feb 1816 at about age 65 in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia

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Biography

Captain Robert Bethel served with King's Orange Rangers during the American Revolution.

Robert Bethel was a United Empire Loyalist.
UEL Status:Undetermined
Date: Undated

Robert was born about 1753. He was employed at Customs House in Boston before the War, evacuated to New York where he enlisted in 1777 as a Lieutenant & Quartermaster in the King's Orange Rangers^[1][2], and was in the action to take Forts Montgomery and Clinton. In Oct 1778 the KOR was ordered to Halifax, Nova Scotia. Bethel was promoted to Captain in 1782 and his company was sent to protect Lunenburg. Capt. Bethel petitioned for land at Lunenburg^[3] and was granted land at Chester after the KOR was disbanded in 1783.

On Oct 12 1793, he married Margaret Honey, widow, at Lunenburg.^[4]

On 6 June 1796, Robert purchased land at Chester from John Creighton for 100 pounds totalling around 200 acres on Prescott's Islands^[5], which in July he sold for 475 pounds to Wendell Haas.^[6] In July 1807, Robert Bethel sold property in Lunenburg to Nicolas Oxner for 100 pounds sterling. ^[7]On May 13th 1811, Robert purchased land in the town of Lunenburg from John Nicholas Oxner.^[8]

He passed away in 1816.^[9][10][11] An inventory of his estate can be read online.^[12]

Following Capt. Bethel's death in 1815 there is much correspondence regarding Margaret's effort to obtain her widow's pension which is archived and contains extensive details of Capt. Bethel's military service, and life in Nova Scotia. After he married Margaret, they left Chester for Halifax. Halifax life proved too expensive for a half-pay Captain and in 1799 he applied for a new land grant between Halifax and Truro, and eventually returned to Lunenburg, where he died in 1815. Margaret's maiden name is not yet known. She was a widow when she married Robert in 1792 – her surname from 1st marriage might be “Konay” (difficult to resolve the handwritten record), but was transcribed as "Honey" in the previously cited record. They had two daughters - Jane who married ___ Glawson and Ann who married Thomas Holland - both are named in Robert's last will and testament.

Sources

1. ↑ Qr Mr Robt Bethel, in Muster Roll of Lt Col Bayald's Company K.O. Rangers, Camp Harlem 25th August 1778, National Archives of Canada, RG 8, “C” Series, Volume 1908: https://data2.archives.ca/microform/data2/dm13/d13/006003/c-4224/pdf/c-4224-00428.pdf
2. ↑ Lt Robert Bethel, in Muster Roll of Captain Howard's Company of Orange Rangers commanded by Lt Col Commandant John Bayard, taken at Harlem 28th August 1778, National Archives of Canada, RG 8, “C” Series, Volume 1908: https://data2.archives.ca/microform/data2/dm13/d13/006003/c-4224/pdf/c-4224-00420.pdf
3. ↑ Robert Bethell, Captain (King's Orange Rangers). Petition for Stanford's Division (H) in the Township of Lunenburg: https://archives.novascotia.ca/land-papers/archives/?ID=141&Doc=memorial&Page=201100386
4. ↑ Robert Bethel, bachelor and Margaret Honey, widow, by licence, in St John's Anglican Church marriage record: https://www.familysearch.org/records/images/image-details?page=19&place=3050782&rmsId=TH-909-70968-105248-54&imageIndex=1263&singleView=true
5. ↑ Lunenburg County Deed Records: https://www.familysearch.org/records/images/image-details?page=4&place=3050786&rmsId=TH-909-70941-77388-91&imageIndex=79&singleView=true
6. ↑ Lunenburg County Deed Records: https://www.familysearch.org/records/images/image-details?page=4&place=3050786&rmsId=TH-909-70941-77388-91&imageIndex=83&singleView=true
7. ↑ County of Lunenburg Deed Records:https://www.familysearch.org/records/images/image-details?page=4&place=3050786&rmsId=TH-909-70939-78996-55&imageIndex=211&singleView=true
8. ↑ County of Lunenburg Deed Records: https://www.familysearch.org/records/images/image-details?page=4&place=3050786&rmsId=TH-909-70939-78996-55&imageIndex=123&singleView=true
9. ↑ Robert Bethell, Last Will and Testament, naming wife Margaret and daughters Jane Glawsen and Anne Holland, in Lunenburg County Will Book: https://www.familysearch.org/records/images/image-details?page=3&place=3050786&rmsId=TH-909-54166-79946-2&imageIndex=201&singleView=true
10. ↑ Lunenburg 17 February 1816: this day Robert Bethell, Esq,, Last Will and Testament was proved by two of the subscribing witnesses, and probate was granted to Margaret Bethell, his widow sole executrix therein named, Lunenburg probate records: https://www.familysearch.org/records/images/image-details?page=3&place=3050786&rmsId=TH-7755-89758-19181-0&imageIndex=203&singleView=true
11. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (www.findagrave.com/memorial/198332845/robert-bethel : accessed 05 July 2021), memorial page for Robert Bethel (unknown–15 Feb 1816), Find A Grave: Memorial #198332845, citing Hillcrest Cemetery, Lunenburg, Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia, Canada ; Maintained by Linda (contributor 47353767) .
12. ↑ Lunenburg County Wills: https://www.familysearch.org/records/images/image-details?page=4&place=3050786&rmsId=TH-909-73224-44924-8&imageIndex=398&singleView=true

• UK, Pension Applications For Widows and Family of Military Officers, 1776-1881 [database on-line]. Original data:War Office: Officers’ Birth Certificates, Wills and Personal Papers. WO 42/52–63. Records created or inherited by the War Office, Armed Forces, Judge Advocate General, and related bodies. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives.
• Capt. Robt. Bethel, in Chester Muster Roll 1784, Chester, Lunenburg, Nova Scotia: Library and Archives Canada: oocihm.lac_reel_c9818_data_sip_data_files_0127.jpg
• Robert Bethel, Esq., in: Mather Byles DesBrisay, “History of the County of Lunenburg", 2nd ed. 1895, p.111
• Capt. Rob Bethel, in Muster Roll of New Settlers at Chester: https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/loyalists/loyalists-ward-chipman/pages/item.aspx?IdNumber=3755&
• Memorial of Captain Robert Bethel 1799: https://novascotia.ca/archives/land-papers/archives.asp?ID=313&Doc=memorial&Page=201101427
• Lt. Robert Bethel, Muster Roll of Captain Coffin's Company in the King's Orange Rangers commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Bayard, Aug 1777: https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/loyalists/loyalists-ward-chipman/pages/item.aspx?IdNumber=8436&l
• Robert Bethell, in Lorenzo Sabine, Biographical Sketches of Loyalists of the American Revolution. Vol. II. Baltimore, Maryland: Reprinted for Clearfield Company, Inc. by Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1994, page 479.