▁According ▁to ▁his ▁son ▁Henry ▁Ward ▁Be e cher , ▁his ▁father ▁was ▁" larg ely ▁engaged ▁during ▁his ▁life - time ▁in ▁controvers y ". ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁Be e cher ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁New ▁H aven , ▁Connecticut , ▁to ▁David ▁Be e cher , ▁a ▁black sm ith , ▁and ▁Est her ▁Haw ley ▁L yman . ▁His ▁mother ▁died ▁shortly ▁after ▁his ▁birth , ▁and ▁he ▁was ▁committed ▁to ▁the ▁care ▁of ▁his ▁uncle ▁Lot ▁Bent on , ▁by ▁whom ▁he ▁was ▁adopted ▁as ▁a ▁son , ▁and ▁with ▁whom ▁his ▁early ▁life ▁was ▁spent , ▁black sm ith ing ▁and ▁far ming . ▁But ▁it ▁was ▁soon ▁found ▁that ▁he ▁preferred ▁study . ▁He ▁was ▁fitted ▁for ▁college ▁by ▁the ▁Rev . ▁Thomas ▁W . ▁B ray , ▁and ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁eigh teen ▁entered ▁Y ale ▁College , ▁gradu ating ▁in ▁ 1 7 9 7 . ▁He ▁spent ▁ 1 7 9 8 ▁in ▁Y ale ▁Div inity ▁School ▁under ▁the ▁tut el age ▁of ▁his ▁ment or ▁Tim othy ▁D w ight . ▁ ▁Ministry ▁ ▁Ministry ▁on ▁Long ▁Island ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁( 1 7 9 8 – 1 8 1 0 ) ▁ ▁In ▁September ▁ 1 7 9 8 , ▁he ▁was ▁lic ensed ▁to ▁pre ach ▁by ▁the ▁New ▁H aven ▁West ▁Association , ▁and ▁entered ▁upon ▁his ▁cler ical ▁duties ▁by ▁supp lying ▁the ▁pul pit ▁in ▁the ▁Pres by ter ian ▁church ▁at ▁East ▁Ham pton , ▁Long