Jonathan Belcher (1682-1757)

He graduated from Harvard in 1699 and spent six years travelling in Europe where he visited the Court of Hanover among other places. Returning to Boston, he married Mary, daughter of William Partridge, Lieutenant-Governor of New Hampshire, and pursued a mercantile career. In 1729, he was sent to England as Agent of the Colony and later that same year the King appointed him Governor of Massachusetts and New Hampshire. He held office for eleven years and distinguished himself by his hospitality and style of living. In 1741, he fell victim to political intrigue and was removed from office by popular clamor, replaced by Benning Wentworth in New Hampshire and William Shirley in Massachusetts. Nonetheless, he easily vindicated himself at the subsequent trial and in 1747 he was appointed Governor of New Jersey. He promoted the establishment of the College of New Jersey (now better known as Princeton University) becoming its chief patron and benefactor, giving among other gifts his valuable library. He and his first wife had five children, but only three survived to adulthood.