John Beauchamp (Plymouth Company)

Bunker describes how, within less than a decade, Beauchamp rose to become by far the largest importer of the sort of goods sold by travelling salesmen of the time.

He would then import household goods which could be sold far and wide across England by peddlers travelling along the main roads out of London.

[citation needed] Around 1619, a group of merchant adventurers gathered in London at the direction of King James to finance a voyage to Plymouth Plantation in present-day Massachusetts.

King James wanted Episcopalian representation to oversee the Puritans in the company and Beauchamp filled that role.

[citation needed] In 1624 four "adventurers", including John Beauchamp, sent a statement of affairs to the Plymouth Colony explaining why most of the backers had given up on them through losses at sea and failed profits.

They asked that after the colonists' needs were filled that "you gather together such commodities as ye cuntrie yields and send them over to pay debts and ingagements which are not less than £1400."

James Sherley, Richard Andrews, Timothy Hamerly and John Beauchamp were later known as the "English Partners of the Purchasers".

[citation needed] In July 1627 "The Undertakers", led by Bradford, Standish and Allerton, with others including John Howland, agreed to pay the sums owed in London and became personally liable in the event of default.

Sherley, Goldsmith, and Beauchamp were named as agents to receive and trade in all goods and merchandise sent to England and purchase supplies for Plymouth Colony.

The remaining joint stock, consisting of housing, boats, implements and commodities, valued at £1400 was shared by the London Partners.

John's children received substantial sums of money, from the sales of "Coppiehold Lands Tenements and hereditiments".