Seventh Generation

525. Mary Bedwell²⁰⁴ was born on 6 Oct 1820 in Hamilton County, Ohio.⁶³³ She died on 13 Dec 1884 in Wapello County, Iowa.²⁰⁴

• The History of Wapello County, Iowa, p. 613, has this biography: "Mrs. Mary Kennedy, daughter of George Bedwell, widow of James M. Kennedy, Sec. 19; P.O. Agency City; he was born Sept. 19, 1816 in Washington Co., Tenn.; died March 5, 1860. She was born Oct 6, 1820, in Hamilton Co., Ohio. Married May 25, 1842. The following year, came to Wapello Co.; she owns 238 acres of land; has six children -- Rachel E., Francis J., Sarah C., Thomas W., David A. and James M. Members M.E. Church."

Mary Bedwell Kennedy's birth is shown above as occurring in 1820 in Hamilton Co., Ohio above. This statement, apparently self-reported by her during her lifetime, apparently condradicts the available evidence: her parents were married in Franklin County, Indiana in 1819, and the George Bedwell family is shown in the 1820 census for Franklin County, Indiana. However, a search of historical maps shows that these two counties were immediately adjacent to one another in 1820. Also, her mother, Rachel Stout, is shown in census records as being born in Ohio. Is it possible that she was actually born in Hamilton County, Ohio as she said, not in Indiana, perhaps at the home of Stout family relatives?

• 1850 Census for Wapello County, Iowa shows James M. Kennedy, 36, a farmer born in Tennessee who owns $935 real estate, as head of household with: Mary, 30, born in Ohio; Rachel A. 6, Frances, 5 (female), and Sarah C., 1, all born in Iowa; and David Bedwell, 26, born in Illinois.

• 1860 Census for Agency Township, Wapello County, Iowa, taken June 1860, shows Mary Kenedy, 39; Frances, 14 (female); Sarah E., 11; Thomas, 8; David A., 6; and James M., 3/12.

• 1870 Census for Agency Township, Wapello County, Iowa shows Mary Kennedy, 49, who owns $6350 real estate and $1400 assets, as head of household containing: Thomas, 19, a farmer; Francis, 24 (female); David, 16; James, 10; and Albert, 9. (Who is Albert? He seems to have been conceived after James M. Kennedy Sr. died, and he was not mentioned in Mary Kennedy's bio above).

• 1880 Census for Agency Township, Wapello County, Iowa shows Mary Kennedy, 60, as head of household with: daughter Frances J., 32; son Thomas W., 28, a farmer; son James M., 20, a farmer; and son Bert, 19, a farmer.

Mary Bedwell and James M. Kennedy were married on 25 May 1842.⁶³³ James M. Kennedy⁶³³ was born on 19 Sep 1816 in Washington County, Tennessee.⁶³³ He died on 5 Mar 1860 in Wapello County, Iowa.⁶³³ Mary Bedwell and James M. Kennedy had the following children:

1709	i.	Rachel E. Kennedy633,634 was born about 1844 in Wapello County, Iowa.634
1710	ii.	Frances J. Kennedy633,635 was born about 1845 in Wapello County, Iowa.634
+1711	iii.	Sarah C. Kennedy.
1712	iv.	Thomas W. Kennedy633,635 was born about 1852 in Wapello County, Iowa.635
+1713	v.	David A. Kennedy.
1714	vi.	James M. Kennedy633,635 was born about Mar 1860 in Wapello County, Iowa.635