BELCHER, JONATIIAN (1681-1757). A colo nial Governor of Massachusetts and New Hamp shire, and afterwards of New Jersey. He was born in Cambridge, Mass., graduated at Harvard in 1699, and afterwards spent six years in Eu rope. In 1730 he was appointed Governor of Massachusetts and New Hampshire: but he soon became embroiled in disputes with the colo nial legislatures concerning the payments of the Governor's salary, questions of colonial cur rency, and the protracted boundary dispute be tween Massachusetts and New Hampshire, and in 1741 was removed, in deference to the popu lar outcry against him. lie has passed into history as perhaps the most unpopular of all the royal Governors of Massachusetts. Some time after his removal he again visited England, where he succeeded in restoring himself to favor, and in 1747 be was appointed to succeed Morris as Governor of New Jersey. His administration of affairs in this province was for the most part wise and satisfactory to the people, and he re mained in office until his death. As a governor,
especially in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, he was arbitrary and opinionative, reckless in invective against his opponents, not above the arts of cajolery and flattery, inordinately fond of display, and ostentatiously pious. He has been spoken of as 'the most perfect example of a New England courtier in a corrupt age.' On the other hand, he was a good administrator, rigidly enforced the laws, and seems for the most part sincerely to have desired to promote the public welfare. In 1756 he gave his library of 400 vol umes to the College of New Jersey (now Prince ton), and it was he who chose the name for Nas sau Hall. Many of Belcher's letters, written between 1730 and 1741, were published in the England Historical and Genealogical Reg ister for 1865, and The Belcher Papers, with a biographical preface, were published by the Mas sachusetts Historical Society in 1893. Consult Collections of the Massachusetts Historical So ciety, Vol. VI. (Boston. 1893).