JEDIDIAH BUCKINGHAM was born in Saybrook, Connecticut, October 2, 1696. He was the third son of Thomas Buckingham, Jr., of Saybrook (now Old Saybrook), and grandson of the Rev. Thomas Buckingham, one of the original Trustees of the College.
His mother was Margaret, daughter of Francis Griswold, of Norwich.
He studied theology, and about October, 1716, after the death of the Rev. Nathaniel Bowers, the minister of Newark, New Jersey, began to preach there as a candidate for settlement; but though there was a strong party in his favor, he was not able to heal a division which manifested itself, and before December, 1718, withdrew from the pulpit. He, however, continued to reside in Newark, where his only child was born, October 14, 1719.
He died in Norwalk, Connecticut, while visiting at the house of his uncle, the Rev. Stephen Buckingham (Harv. 1693), the minister of that town; his grave there is marked with this inscription:
“Here lyeth the body of the Rever. Mr. Jedediah Buckingham, late preacher of the gospel at the West part of Newark in East Jersey, who departed this life, March 28, 1720, AEtatis (suae) 24.”
The expression “west part of Newark” seems to indicate that, subsequent to his occupancy of the pulpit of the First Church in Newark, he had preached to the “Mountain Society,” formed about this time in the northwestern part of the town (now Orange).
His wife, whose maiden name was Mary Haynes, survived him.
