The Beach Family
This is my husband's maternal line. His mother was Pasme Ellen Beach.
According to family legend, "the Beaches came to America from England sometime during the reign of Cromwell - approximately 1650". This account has not been substantiated, but it is known that Beaches did immigrate as early as 1639. To date, no evidence has been found linking these early immigrants to our known ancestors.
Legend also has the family going to Virginia and then to Kentucky. Research has found the name of Beach in Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky and Oklahoma. Research also found the name spelled in various ways, but the family has used the single name of BEACH for several generations. However, it was known there was a "double name" at one time and it has been determined through records the name then was BASBEECH. This name has also been found listed as BAYSBEECH, BESBEECH, BASSBEACH, BAYSBEACH, BASBEACH, BOSBEACH, BESBEACH, and BASEBEACH. The name was then written as "B.BEACH", and then the "B" was dropped to the present name now in use.
It has been recorded that the spelling of "BEACH" began about 1809. The prefix to the name of Beach came from a maternal side of the family at some point in the past when there were no males to carry this name down and was added to the Beach she married. Although there is no known family connection as of this publication, the following is included more as a matter of interest since it concerns the Beach name:
From the Abridged Compendium of American Genealogy by Virkus, Vol. 1, page 226, under the name of Charles Fisk Beach, the following explanation is given:
"The family "de la Beche" had its origin in Touraine, France; descendants migrated to England about the beginning of the 14th century and the name became "Beach" in the 16th century."
Originally it was known there were four Beach brothers: Patrick B.Beach, Henry B.Beach, John B.Beach and Elijah B.Beach. It has since been determined there was a fifth brother: William B.Beach. All of these are sons of Pierce B.Beach and Tabby (Tabitha) Farley. They were married on November 22, 1795 in Prince Edward County, Virginia. Pierce Basbeech/B.Beech was a son of John Basbeech (Sr.) and Abigail [--?--].
Beaches are known to have been in Chesterfield, Nottoway, Charlotte, Lunenberg and Prince Edward Counties in Virginia, and in Williamson and Anderson Counties, Tennessee, before going to Kentucky. A John B.Beach, 70 to 80 years of age, and a John B.Beach, Jr. are shown in the 1830 Census of Tennessee. In 1783 a John Basebeach is listed in Chesterfield County, Virginia with 8 in the family and is presumed to be the one who made the 1777 will.
If you have questions about any of the information here, please contact me.