Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

esident of Preston, where he died. He
was a prominent citizen, and served as
Indian commissioner and advisor, and
was elected as deputy to the General
Court from New London in 1690, and
from Preston in 1693-94. He married
(first), November 16, 1665, Rachel Dymond,
daughter of John Dymond. James
Morgan, father of Captain John Morgan,
and the founder of this branch of the
Morgan family, was born in Wales in
1607, and came to America in 1636. He
married August 6, 1640, Margery Hill, of
Roxbury, Massachusetts, who died in
1685, at the age of seventy-eight years.
William Belcher, father of Captain
William Belcher, was born in Milton,
Massachusetts, December 20, 1701, and
died in Preston, Connecticut, February 7,
1731-32. His father, Deacon Moses Bel-
cher, was bom August 14, 1672, and died
May 4, 1728. He bought a farm in Mil-
ton, Massachusetts, and resided there un-
til 1720, when he removed to Preston,
Connecticut. He was one of the first
deacons of the second church in Preston.
In 1 72 1 he represented the town in the
General Assembly. On December 19,
1694, he married Hannah Lyon, born November
14, 1673, died August 20, 1745,
daughter of George and Hannah (Tolman)
Lyon, of Milton. His father, Sam-
uel Belcher, was born August 24, 1637,
was a resident of Braintree, Massachusetts,
where he died. June 17, 1679. On
December 15, 1663, he married Mary Bil-
lings, daughter of Roger Billings, of Dorchester,
Massachusetts. His father, Gregory
Belcher, was born about 1606. He
was in New England as early as 1637, and
received a grant of fifty-two acres in
Mount Wallaston, now part of Quincy,
Massachusetts. On May 13, 1640, he was
admitted freeman, and was elected selectman
in 1646. On July 14, 1664, he pur-
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
241
chased nine acres in Milton. He married
Catherine. He died November 25, 1674.
(VI) Edgar A. Strang, son of Joseph
White and Elizabeth Morgan (Belcher)
Strang, was born December 3, 1833, in
New York City, and died February 10,
1909. Edgar A. Strang's opportunities
for formal education were few. He was
only nine years of age when he went to
work in a wholesale grocery store. But
he possessed a fine type of mind, with
splendid powers of observation and per-
ception. He read extensively and pon-
dered well all that came within his ken,
so that his mind showed a much better
development than many minds which
have been favored with greatly superior
educational advantages. At the time of
the Civil War Mr. Strang was suffering
from a spinal disease which prevented
him from seeking enlistment, but so
strongly did he feel it to be the duty of
every loyal citizen to serve his country
that he paid a man to go for him. At the
time of his marriage he was engaged in
the banking business in New York City,
and continued in it until the condition of
his health made it necessary for him to
give up all physical activity. He became
a resident of Peekskill, about 1901. He
and his wife were earnest Christians,
identified with the Dutch Reformed
church for many years.
Mr. Strang married Anna Suydam. born
January 12, 1839, in New York City, died
December 21, 1907, in Peekskill, New
York, aged sixty-eight years, eleven
months, nine days, daughter of Cornelius
R. Suydam, born July 31, 1793, near Bed-
ford, Long Island, died November 12,
1845, in New York City, aged fifty-two
years, three months, twelve days, and his
wife, Jane Eliza (Heyer") Suydam, born
March 13, 1779, daughter of Cornelius
Heyer, born September 30, 1773, died