Genealogical and family history of the state of New Hampshire : a record of the achievements of her people in the making of a commonwealth and the founding of a nation, Vol. III, Part 89

Author: Stearns, Ezra S; Whitcher, William F. (William Frederick), 1845-1918; Parker, Edward E. (Edward Everett), 1842-1923
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: New York : Lewis Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 876

USA > New Hampshire > Genealogical and family history of the state of New Hampshire : a record of the achievements of her people in the making of a commonwealth and the founding of a nation, Vol. III > Part 89

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Virginia, and in other battles, was captured at Knoxville, Tenessee. November 23, 1863, and died in a Confederate prison, June 25, 1864. William Stevens died at Mont Vernon, New Hampshire, January 5. 1887.

(1) Isaac Stephens, probably a native of Con- neetieut, resided for some years in Haverhill, New Hampshire, where some of his children were born. He removed with his family to Maidstone. Essex county. Vermont, in 1790, and subsequently to Strat- ford. New Hampshire. He married Elizabeth Rich. daughter of John and Catherine Sophia Rich. John Rich was born in Germany, near the Rhine, in 1729. and emigrated to America when a young man. He was married in or near Boston, Massachusetts, by Rev. Samitel Merrill, 1753, to Catherine Sophia Whiteman, also a native of Germany, who came to this country with her parents when she was fourteen years of age. John Rich finally settled in Haver- hill. New Hampshire, where he became the owner of a fine farm and furnished supplies to the Con- tinental army during the war of the Revolution. Later he was a member of the legislature. Mrs. Stephens is said to have been a woman of most ex- cellent character, whose praise was in the hearts of all who knew her.

(II) Colonel Rich, son of Isaae and Elizabeth (Rich ) Stephens, was born in Haverhill, New Hamp- shire, about 1788, and died in Maidstone, Vermont. At the age of two years he was taken by his parents to Maidstone, and when they removed to Stratford, they left him on the homestead, a valuable farm. which was well stocked and which was a comfort- able provision for his entire life. He was a man of pleasing manner, helpful to those who were in need of assistance, and highly esteemed by all. He built the first brick house in Essex county, on his farm in 1817. He was also a surveyor by occupa- tion, and for many years the one most in demand in that section of the country, and was well versed in the mysteries of the lines in the timberlands "up the Hegan." He surveyer and allotted the third division lots in Maidstone in 1829. His title as colonel was earned in the war of 1812. He was United States deputy marshal for some years. high sheriff of the county of Essex for a period of five years, his last service being in 1828: and held a number of other offices of trust in his township. One morning in the month of March, 1851, he crossed the Connecticut river on the ice; during the day it rained and the river rose; he was known to have started to return to his home in the evening across the ice. but he was never seen afterward. He mar- ried Fanny Shoff. daughter of Jacob Shoff, and she and two sons survived him.

(III) Orson, son of Colonel Rich and Fanny ( Shoff) Stevens, was born in Maidstone, Vermont. and died October 15, 1863, aged fifty-seven years and ten months. He followed the occupation of farming all his life, and resided in Maidstone, until he moved to Columbia and was proprietor of the Columbia House for some years. He married Mi- randa Holbrook, daughter of Thomas and Holbrook, and they had children: George An- drews, Daniel. Fanny A., Ann, Frederick, Clark, sce forward ; Frank, James, Amanda. Flora. Mrs. Stevens died August 29, 1869, aged fifty-nine years and seven months.

(JV) Clark, fourth son and sixth child of Orson and Miranda (Holbrook) Stevens, was born in Maidstone. Vermont, May 23, 1839. His boyhood days were spent on the farm of his father, and his

Clark Stevens

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education was acquired in the common schools of the vicinity. At the age of fourteen years hewent into the neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, where he was employed in farming tintil May, 1861. According to the official records he enlisted May 3, 1861, for three months, in Company F, Sec- ond New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry, but was not mustered in at that time. He re-enlisted May 27, 1861, for three years, and was mustered in June 4, 1861, as a private. He was wounded and missing July 21, 1861, at the battle of Bull Run, and no trace of him was then found. He was wounded August 29, 1862, at the second battle of Bull Run, was taken prisoner, and confined in Libby prison for nine months. He was one of the unfortunate ones to draw a number of the list of those who were to be shot. but owing to the mistake of one of the warders in skipping his name on the list, lie escaped this fate. Later he was exchanged. He was at the battle of Gettysburg, July 3, 1863, and was mustered out June 21, 1864. He enlisted in Company I, First Regiment New Hampshire Vol- unteer Heavy Artillery, for one year, and was mus- tered into service as a private the following Sep- tember. He was appointed second lieutenant, Sep- tember 7, 1864, and was mustered out June 15. 1865, the war being ended. His service was credited to the town of Columbia. In association with Jere- miah Willard he established the old Willard House, which the conducted for a short time, when he sold his interest in this enterprise to Mr. Willard. He engaged in business in Bloomfield, Vermont, in 1870, in conjunction with his brother Frederick, where he established a starch mill and operated a saw mill for a period of ten years, until it was destroyed by fire. Subsequently he engaged in logging. and still later he removed to North Stratford, New Hampshire. where he carried on a grocery business, and died, August 19, 1896, from the effects of exposure in the war. He was a selectman of Stratford for a num- ber of years, and represented the town in the legis- lature four terms. He was connected with the Masonic and Odd Fellow fraternities.

He married at Stratford, November 7, 1867, Mary S. Shoff, born May 7, 1850, at Island Pond. Ver- mont, daughter of Charles and Eliza (Spaulding) Shoff, and granddaughter of Jacob and Mary (Chase) Shoff. Charles Shoff was born in Maid- stone, April 30, 1824: Jacob Shoff was born in Maidstone; Mary (Chase) Schoff was a descend- ant of Aquilla Chase, who came to this country from Cornish, England. Mr. and Mrs. Stevens had children: I. Charles O., of Colebrook, married Mary Leavitt, has children: Clark L., George O., Mabel and Richard. 2. Julia E., married Charles WV. LeGro, a lumberman, resides in Portland, Maine, and has children: Marion S. and Mildred H. 3. Pearl C., died at the age of nineteen years. 4. Mary M., married A. S. Morse, a merchant of Stratford. 5. Alice C., married William H. Mercer, and re- sides in New York. 6. Mabel A., married Joseph H. Hanson, and resides in Stratford. They have children : Pearl N. Helen G .. Dorothy and Clyde Stevens. 7. Herbert, died in childhood. 8. Aaron E., at home. 9. Don W., is a mail carrier.

BEDEL This name appears in different forms in the carly settlement of Massachusetts Bay Colony, the most ustal of which was Beedle. It was also often found Bedell, which was borne by one of the most distinguished soldiers of New Hampshire in Revolutionary times and be-

fore, and has since been borne by other citizens active and skillful in the professions, in the arts of peace and war; and many of the descendants of the revolutionary hero bearing other names as well as that of Bedel have rendered honorable service in the history of this state. This name in the early writing is variously spelled Beatle, Beedle, Bedle, Beadle, Bedell and Bedel.

(I) The first of whom record appears was Robert Beedle, of Salisbury, Newbury and Ames- bury, Massachusetts. There are conflicting state- ments as to his age, the dates of births given ranging from 1633 to 1645. Savage says that he was probably a son of Robert Beedle. of Wethersfield and New London, Connecticut, who may have re- moved to Newbury in 1650. There were several in Salem who spelled the name Beadle, but no Robert has been found among them. Robert Beedle seems to have removed from Salisbury to Newbury about 1667, and took the oath of allegiance the following year, at which time his age was given as thirty-six years. He was a resident of Amesbury in 1680 and in 1683, the inventory of his estate being made in the latter year. He bought land in Amesbury in 1668. His widow, Martha, presented the inven- tory of his estate September 30, 1684. Their chil- dren were: Mary, Thomas, Elizabeth, Judith (died young), Hannah, Robert, Judith, John and Isabel.

(II) Robert (2), second son and sixth child of Robert (I) and Martha Beedle, was born January 5, 1675, in Newbury and resided in Amesbury, where he was married November 11, 1702, to Anna Carr. who is supposed to have been a daughter of George (2) Carr and a granddaughter of George (I) Carr, of Salisbury. Their children were: Martha, John (died young), Anne, Jacob, Mary, Robert, Judith, John and Timothy.

(III) Colonel Timothy, youngest child of Robert (2) and Anna (Carr) Bedel, was born July 21, 1724. in Amesbury, Massachusetts, and died in Haverhill, New Hampshire, in February, 1787. He was taxed in Salem, New Hampshire, in 1757, and is probably the Timothy Bedel who was out in Captain Goffe's scouting company in 1745. He left Salem in early life and seems to have worked north- ward, "scouting and ranging and finally settled in Haverhill in 1760, and a little later in what was then called the Cohos country." He was one of the original grantees of Haverhill and of Bath, New Hampshire, and also of Newbury, Vermont. He lived in Bath a short time just previous to the Revolution. His first positively known service to the province of New Hampshire as a soldier was in Captain Goffe's company, to make a scouting cam- paign from the Merrimack and the Connecticut rivers, which was begun on the 30th of July, 1745. In 1754 he was in Colonel Blanchard's regiment, raised for His Majesty's service on the Merrimack and Connecticut rivers. He was in a detachment of Colonel Blanchard's regiment, posted at Charles- town, on the Connecticut river. under the command of Major Benjamin Bellows. In 1755 he was under General Johnson in his expedition against Crown Point. The troops from New Hampshire were under Colonel Blanchard and stationed at Fort Edward. The next year he was in William Stark's company of rangers in the second expedition against Crown Point. He went to Halifax, Nova Scotia, in 1757, as a lieutenant under Colonel Meserve and the following year was with General Amherst as a lietitenant at the capture of Louisburg. In 1759 he was under General Wolfe as a lieutenant at the

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taking of Quebec and in 1760 was a lieutenant in Captain John Hazzen's company, Colonel John Goffe's regiment, under the command of General Amherst, and participated in the conquest of Isle Aux Noix, St. John's, Chambly and Montreal. The next year he was in the King's service under General Amherst as lieutenant of the western frontiers guarding conquest. In 1762 he was a lieutenant with the Royal Provincials and went to Havana, and was at the six weeks' siege and capture of that place. He was appointed captain under Sir Jeffery Amherst, April 13. 1762, and remained in service until after peace was made in 1763. The captain's commission was signed by Benjamin Wentworth, Provincial governor of New Hampshire. Under his advice and direction, and by order of Governor John Wentworth, in August, 1768, a company of militia was established in Coos, composed of men from Piermont, Haverhill and Bath. This is under- stood to be the first militia organization in that lo- cality, and was raised to aid the civil authorities in an effort to suppress a band of counterfeiters, and in support of a warrant to be issued by Bedel in some judicial capacity.

In 1775 Timothy Bedel was elected from Bath to the Provincial congress to be holden at Exeter in May. 1775, to organize an independent govern- ment or take such action as the welfare of the colony might require. This congress resolved that it was necessary to raise immediately two thousand active men in New Hampshire. On the 6th of June. 1775. Timothy Bedel was appointed "to be colonel of the rangers raised by said congress for the de- fence of the united colonies in America." This regiment was designed for service on the northern and western frontiers as a protection against In- dian and British invasion from Canada. On July 7 of the same year the committee of safety commis- sioned "Colonel Bedel as captain of the first com- pany of rangers in the service of the colony." Under this commission he was ordered to proceed immediately to Northumberland or Lancaster, and in conjunction with the inhabitants erect a garrison, and when that was done to assist the inhabitants in building a garrison at such other places on the frontiers as he, with the advice of the inhabitants, should think best. On the 10th of September, 1775, in compliance with orders from the Provincial con- gress, Colonel Bedel marched from Haverhill, New Hampshire, to Lake Champlain and proceeded then by lake to a point on the north of St. Johns, Canada, which Major-General Schuyler was then besieging. His command drove a herd of cattle, took a supply of flour and provisions on the backs of horses. the entire route at that time being through an unin- habited wilderness. This march he accomplished in eight days instead of fifteen, which had been al- lowed to him. He is spoken of at this time as a "person of great experience in war and well ac- quainted with Canada." By constant accessions his command soon came to number twelve hundred men or more. Colonel Bedel was active in con- clueting the siege of St. Johns, and was commended for his energy and gallantry. He was also at Cham- bly and assisted in its capture. During the fall his men suffered much from want of clothing, but he pressed the siege of St. Johns until the second of November, 1775, when he captured that place, which was a position of great importance. It fell after a siege of fifty-one days. In the winter following a regiment of eight companies was raised in New Hampshire to march directly into Canada, for the

reinforcement of the American troops then there. Colonel Bedel received his commission as com- mander of this regiment on the twenty-second day of January. 1776, and in his march following was in command of a force of five hundred men at a point of land called the Cedars, at or near the junction of the waters of the St. Lawrence and Ottawa rivers, which was ordained to be a position of strategic im- portance. On the fifteenth of May, Colonel Bedel left his command at the Cedars, although suffering with smallpox, and proceeded to Caughnawaga for the purpose of holding a friendly counsel with a body of Indian chiefs, whose friendship it was regarded as very necessary to obtain. While absent on this mission he received notice from friendly Indians that a large force of British and Indians was ad- vancing for an attack on his position at the Cedars. After considering whether the emergency demanded he should at once return to the Cedars or that he should proceed to Montreal for reinforcements and that he might report the result of his conference with the council of chiefs, he decided upon the latter course, considering at the time that the visit to Montreal would delay his return to his command only two or three hours. It is also apparent from the writings of Arnold and the commissioners as to the threatening dangers at the Cedars, that this information was questioned and that there was a lack of activity in getting off reinforcements. It is also apparent that the advance of Major Sherburne, who was in command of the reinforcing party, was retarded by the lack of proper means of transporta- tion across the lake and by stress of weather. Colonel Bedel. after proceeding as far as La Chine on his return to the Cedars, was prostrated with disease and thereby prevented from conducting the advance of the reinforcing party. During the time occupied by Major Sherburne's advance the posi- tion was surrendered to the enemy, and when Sher- burne's force proceeding under great difficulties had reached a point about four miles from the Cedars it was surprised and overcome by the enemy which advanced from the position Major Sherburne sup- posed to be in the hands of his friends. Under this misfortune and disaster. General Arnold became violent and openly charged Colonel Bedel with leav- ing his post in the presence of the enemy, and per- emptorily ordered him to Sorel for trial. Colonel Bedel pleaded for a trial and justification, but did not get either at Sorel. In a letter to General Gates, written at Crown Point. July 12. 1776, Colonel Bedel said: "I am now under confinement these forty days or more, for a crime I am sensible I am innocent of, and which I hope your honor will find. I am under a court of inquiry-only wait the de- cision of the affair." Under the impulsion of Arnold's power and ascendeney at the time, an in- complete court of inquiry found Colonel Bedel guilty of the technical offense charged-"for quit- ting his post at the Cedars." He was removed from his command, but not incapacitated from holding commission. Judge Aldrich, in an address before the New Hampshire Historical Society, has said: "It is difficult to find evidence to warrant even this finding of a technical military offense. Indeed it is difficult to see wherein Colonel Bedel was in the slightest degree culpable in respect to the matter in- volved in the charge or in any way responsible for the surrender of the fort. When he left the posi- tion to discharge what he supposed to be an im- portant duty in the service of his country, things were tranquil at the post and no immediate danger

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was apprehended. * Colonel Bedel for a *

time suffered in military circles by reason of this affair, and in fact never received due credit for his important service at St. Johns, but it is apparent that those who knew the man, and especially the people of the western frontiers, never lost con- fidence in his loyalty and courage. Colonel Bedel returned to Haverhill and was in communication with Generals Gates and Schuyler much of the time during the summer and winter of 1777, in respect to military operations on the borders, and was much of the time active in connection with the ranging and scouting service which was maintained in the direction of the frontiers."

When General Stark raised his force to oppose the advance of General Burgoyne, many men who had held high rank went in subordinate capacities, and Timothy Bedel, although having held the rank of colonel, served as a first lieutenant of a company of thirty-four men which went from Haverhill and Bath, under Colonel Joseph Hutchins as captain. This company was out from August 18, 1777. to October 5, and according to the authority of Gov- ernor Harriman and others, Timothy Bedel fought bravely as a volunteer in the army of General Gates at the battle of Saratoga.

On the ioth of November, 1777, Colonel Bedel was again commissioned a colonel, the regiment which he was called to command being raised to defend the frontiers on and adjacent to the Con- necticut river. A part of this force built what was known as the Bedel-llazzen road, which extended about fifty miles beyond Peacham, Vermont ; other portions of the command performed scouting service. The regiment was maintained until some- time in 1779, when it was disbanded. Colonel Bedel remained active as a member of the Vermont Board of War and otherwise, gathering and for- warding military supplies and stores. After the ad- justment of the dispute with regard to the bound- aries of Vermont, and upon the close of the Revolu- tion and the establishment of peace, Colonel Bedel remained a man of prominence and influence, and the people of his locality gave evidence of their con- tinued confidence, respect and esteem by electing him to various positions of responsibility and trust. He readily adjusted himself to the jurisdiction of New Hampshire, and became a useful supporter and advocate of her interests and institutions. He is credited by some writers with the rank of major general after the Revolution, but we find no record of such a commission. He was a member of the New Hampshire house of representatives in 1784, representing the classed towns of Haverhill, Pier- mont, Warren and Coventry. Colonel Bedel died, it has been said, in February, 1787, "and his dust rests in the old cemetery at Haverhill on that com- manding eminence which overlooks the broad valley of the Connecticut and the locality which was the centre of his struggles, his leadership and power." * *

It must be said of Colonel Bedel that he was a man of large natural endowments and great force of character ; that he was a man of never ceasing energy, of indomitable will and a man of courage. The northwestern settlements furnished their gen- erous proportion of military force for the common cause, and Colonel Bedel probably actually raised more troops in the province of New Hampshire for service in the war of the Revolution than any other one man. Ile performed loyal and important service in the war for the independence of the colonies, and

history should accord him just and honorable recognition and praise. Colonel Bedel's first wife, Elizabeth, died August 31, 1779, in her thirty-sixth year. His second wife was Mary Johnson, daughter of Captain James and Susanna John-on. She died in August, 1789. She was a sister of Elizabeth Captive Johnson, who was born while her mother was an Indian prisoner in the forests of the present town of Cavendish, Vermont. There were nine children-seven by the first marriage, and two by the second. as follows: Cyrus, Moody, Ruth, Anna, Mary, two daughters (died young), Hazen and Abigail.

(IV) General Moody, second son and child of Colonel Timothy and Elizabeth Bedel, was born in Salem, New Hampshire, May 12, 1704, and died January 13, 1841, aged seventy-seven. "At the age of eleven or twelve he was with his father as a servant or orderly in his second Canadian expedi- tion, or at the battle of Saratoga-the various ac- counts disagree upon this point, ( says Judge Ald- rich ), and I am not able to state which is the cor- rect version. He later enlisted as a private in Cap- tain Ezekiel Ladd's company, in his father's regi- ment, and in 1781 was clerk to Captain King's Ver- mont company in the third regiment. He was lieutenant in the first company in the Seventeenth regiment, in 1786. appointed by John Sullivan; he was captain of the first company of the Thirteenth regiment, in 1793. by appointment of Governor Bart- lett ; he was major in 1795, and lieutenant-colonel in 1801, by appointment of Governor Gilman; was appointed brigadier-general of the first brigade of the New Hampshire militia in 1806. by Governor John Langdon, which command he held until April 9, 1812; he was appointed by President Madison, lieutenant-colonel in the eleventh regiment of in- fantry, in the service of the United States, July 23. 1812.

From the time of his appointment until Septem- ber, 1814, he performed important detached service, but joined General Brown and his regiment at Fort Erie, and in the memorable sortie of September 17 of that year, at his own solicitation, with his regi- ment led General Miller's column to "the cannon's mouth." and so distinguished himself as to receive honorable mention by his superior officers and sub- sequent promotion to rank as colonel from Septem- ber I, 1814. He served until the close of the War of 1812, and died in 1841.

His first wife, was Ruth Hutchins, of Bath, New Hampshire, and his second wife was Mary Hunt. There were nine children by each marriage. Among the children of the second marriage were Colonel Hazen Bedel, late of Colebrook, and General John Bedel, late of Bath.

( III). Adeline, third daughter of General Moody and Ruth (Hutchins ) Bedel, married Clark J. Haynes, of Pittsburg. New Hampshire, son of John Clark and Dolly J. Haynes. They were the parents of five children: Adaline Bedel, John C, Moody B .. Mary Ann and Eliza Jane.

(IV) Adeline B. Haynes, first child of Clark J. and Adeline ( Dedel) llaynes, was born at Pitt -- burg, New Hampshire, and is now living at the age of eighty-six years. She married Ephraim C. Ald- rich. ( See Aldrich, III).

( I ) Abraham Bedell was one of seven brother- who came to this country from England carly in . the nineteenth century His brothers were: Thomas, Judson, Elisha, Elijah, Abial and Austin. (11) Reverend Abraham Judson, son of Abra-

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ham Bedell. was born in Machias, Maine, and moved to Jefferson, New Hampshire, in 1852, and founded the Free Will Baptist Church there, of which he was the first minister. He married Mary E. Eddy, of Machias, and they had children. Rev- erend Abraham J. Bedell died May 17, 1870. His wife died 1875, at Jefferson.

(III) Elisha Edward, son of Rev. Abraham Judson and Mary (Eddy) Bedell, was born at Machias, Maine, September, 18440. At the age of fourteen he went to Lancaster, New Hampshire, during his father's pastorate in the neighboring town of Bath, and worked for Jacob Benton. Young Bedell partly paid for his education by work in the school house. After leaving school he taught for sixteen terms in the towns of Jefferson, Randolph and Carroll. He then bought a farm in Jefferson, which he conducted for three years, selling out in 1868 to engage in the starch business with his brother at Elijah at Andover, Maine. In 1886 he came back to New Hampshire and built the Jeffer- son House on Jefferson Hill, which he managed for twelve years. In ISO8, on account of his health, he moved to California, where he remained till May, 1905, when he came back east to live on a farm which he had bought at Northampton, Massachu- setts. He now divides his time between his farm at Northampton, his son's home at Jefferson, New Hampshire, and his son's home in Boston. Mr. Bedell is a Republican in politics, and for several years was selectman at Andover. Maine. He is a member of the Free Will Baptist Church. He mar- ried Olive S., daughter of Levi N. and Susan ( Estis) Stillings, of Jefferson. They have two children: Irving Elisha, whose sketch follows; and Edward L., who lives in Boston. Mrs. Bedell died at Northampton, Massachusetts, February. 1906.

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Genealogical and family history of the state of New Hampshire : a record of the achievements of her people in the making of a commonwealth and the founding of a nation, Vol. III, Part 89

Author: Stearns, Ezra S; Whitcher, William F. (William Frederick), 1845-1918; Parker, Edward E. (Edward Everett), 1842-1923 Publication date: 1908 Publisher: New York : Lewis Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 876

Author: Stearns, Ezra S; Whitcher, William F. (William Frederick), 1845-1918; Parker, Edward E. (Edward Everett), 1842-1923
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: New York : Lewis Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 876