Rensselaer G. Beckwith, D. D. S., of the firm of Boughnere & Beckwith, of whom mention is made on another page, in conjunction with the Valley City Post Graduate Dental school, at No. 101 Monroe street, Grand Rapids, was born in Allegan county, Mich., in the town of Martin, April 3, 1850, and is a son of Edgar M. and Celinda (Worden) Beckwith, natives of New York state. Edgar M. Beckwith was a mechanic by calling and was married in his native state, and soon afterward came to Michigan, and here he and wife both died in Allegan county, well advanced in years. Their family comprised eight children, who were born and named in the following order Nathan, who is a farmer near Cadillac; Daniel, a farmer in Wayland township, Allegan county; George, a farmer in Boone township, Wexford county; Melissa, wife of Andrew Stancliff, also of Boone; Serena, wife of George Ives, a resident of Martin, Allegan county; Harriet, married to Orson McLoed, also of Martin: Rensselaer G., the subject of this sketch, and John, who died at the age of twenty years. Dr. R. G. Beckwith was educated in the town of Wayland, Allegan county, and began business life as a clerk in a store, which occupied his time and attention from the age of sixteen years until about twenty-four. While employed in a general store, in which drugs were handled to a large extent, Dr. Beckwith made a careful study of the latter, was soon able to pass the required examination, was registered as a pharmaceutical, and engaged in a general drug business at Hopkinsburg, Allegan county. From there he transferred his business to Bradley, and then to Fennville, both in the same county, and then to Mears, Oceana county, where he disposed of his drug business. While engaged in the drug trade, Dr. Beckwith studied medicine under Drs. Stuck and Hopkins, and Dr. Reed, at Bradley, and began regular practice at Mears, although he practiced empirically while in the drug business. While practicing medicine, he had also much to do along the line of dentistry, in extracting, cleaning, and finally filling teeth. The demand for his service in this line eventually became so great as to lead him to a systematic study of the science of dentistry, and this branch of surgery has claimed his entire attention since 1893, when he came to Grand Rapids and formed his partnership with Dr. Boughnere. Dr. Beckwith, while still clerking in a general store in Allegan county, was united in marriage in November, 1875, with Miss Louisa Rogers, a native of Pennsylvania, and to this union were born five children, viz: Willie (deceased), Charlie, Frank, Sarah and Jessie. Mrs. Louisa Beckwith was called away September 20, 1885, and the doctor remained a widower until September, 1897, when he married Mrs. Lizzie Beebe, his present wife, whose maiden name was Fouser. This union has been crowned with the birth of one child, Genevieve, now three and a half months old. In politics Dr. Beckwith is a stanch republican, and two of his brothers, Daniel and George, also members of the same party, were soldiers in the Civil War. The family is noted for its patriotism and was represented in the earlier wars of the country, especially in the war of 1812, and the lack of years alone prevented the doctor from becoming a soldier.