Eldest of six children of Seth Becraft and Clarinda Weldon. Theodore married Dorothea Thomas. Children identified in the 1860 and 1870 Censuses include Theodore (known to have been born March 19, 1852), John (b c1855), Eliza (b c1857), Lucy (b1860 but not in 1870 Census) and Dorothea (b c1862). It appears that his wife later adopted Henry (b c1866) who appears with a different last name in 1870 but later lists Theodore as his father on his marriage license.

Theodore was lost in the shipwreck of the USS Bainbridge off the coast of Cape Hatteras on August 21, 1863. 90 crew were lost in the shipwreck in a storm with only 1 crew member surviving.

Theodore is listed with an alias of Theodore Weldon on his Civil War Pension Index Card. His wife, Dorothea was the beneficiary of this pension as a widow. He is included in this article about the disaster as Theodore Weldon:

http://www.nytimes.com/1863/08/27/news/loss-us-brig-bainbridge-additional-particulars-disaster-list-crew.html)

From the NYT archives:
https://www.nytimes.com/1863/08/27/archives/loss-of-the-us-brig-bainbridge-additional-particulars-of-the.html

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Yesterday we briefly announced the loss of the United States brig Bainbridge, in the gale off Hatteras, on the 21st, she having foundered with all on board except one person. This vessel left New-York on Monday, the 17th, for Port Royal, was caught in the storm of the 21st and foundered, turning bottom upward. The following particulars were got from the person who was saved -- a colored seaman -- the only person known to be saved out of eighty persons.

The Bainbridge was fitted out in New-York. She was about 300 tons burden, carried seven guns, and her officers and crew numbered between 75 and 80. On the morning of the 21st inst., when off Hatteras, the brig was struck by a squall and capsized. One of the crew, a mulatto, named JOSEPH WHITE, was swept overboard, and fortunately came in contact with a plank, which he used for supporting himself. Soon afterward he floated near a boat belonging to the brig, in which was the ship's cook. WHITE managed to get into the boat with the cook, and floated at the mercy of the waves. During the day the cook drank salt water to such an extent that he became crazy, and while in that condition jumped overboard, and was drowned. WHITE stuck to the boat, though it leaked badly, and on the afternoon of the day the brig was capsized he was picked up by Capt. LANE, of the South Boston, from Barbados to this port. The negro WHITE states that when he last saw the Bainbridge she was bottom up, and his opinion was that all her officers and crew were drowned. The boat in which WHITE was saved is now at the Navy-yard, having been delivered there yesterday by Capt. LANE, of the South Boston. WHITE was sent on board the receiving ship.

Seamen -- Henry Smith, Jno. Lee, Jno. McCarthy, Jas. G. Jackson, Antonio Felix, Dennis Mansford, Jos. Linton, Chas. Limbers, Wm. Van Vleet, Oliver C. Davis, Wm. Johnson, Robt. C. Cunningham, Jas. Quinn, Jno. McMillen, Andrew Hager, Fred, Haysome, Wm. Mitchell, Thos. Reed, Jno. Gibson, Jas. Garvin, Wm.H. Ford, Ezekiel S. Brockway, Otis W. Warren, Jno. C Hancock, Chas. H. Grant, Theodore Weldon, Jas. Slocum, Chas. White, Henry Fisher, Abraham Huff, Andreas Janson.

Ordinary Seamen -- Thos. Kimursley, Jno. Gill, Chas. Montague, Wm. Jones, Thos. H. Barrett, Jas. White, Chas. F. Hall, Geo. White, Jno. H. Brockway, Thos. Gowan, Jas. R. Gardner, Thos. Fitzpatrick, Orville C. Marsh, Thos. Hamilton, Wm. Dalton, Gustavus White, Thos. Norton, Jas. Galligher, Jas. Harman, Edw. Newby, Henry K. Forrest.