Seventh Generation

696. Joel Reese (Bidwell) Bedwell²⁶⁵ was born on 27 Jul 1887 in Cumberland City, Stewart County, Tennessee.^265,570

Annie Ruth and Lillian Bayer said that Joel Reece Bedwell was born in Nov 1885, but on his WWI draft card he lists himself as born on 27 July 1887.
He died of tuberculosis on 19 Mar 1937 in Dallas, Dallas County, Texas.^564,778

• 1900 Census for 6 Civil District, Stewart County, Tennessee, shows Reese Bedwell, 15, a farm laborer, living with his brother, J.P. Bedwell.

• From: The Clarksville Leaf Chronicle (Clarksville, Montgomery County, Tennessee)
116 SHILOH: "July 1, 1902--Reece Bedwell, the 16-year-old white boy who was lodged in jail last Saturday on a charge of assault and battery upon his stepfather, George Powers, in District 20, succeeded in securing bond yesterday. His bond was reduced to $500, the old man being a great deal better. It was thought at first that he had been fatally injured. Reece's examining trial has been continued."

According to Reece's brother, Robert Scott Bedwell, the stepfather was a very abusive man and was the reason that Scott ran away from home. The above article appears to substantiate this story.

• I have not been able to find Reece in the 1910 U.S. Census.

• Reece started spelling name as Bidwell sometime after leaving Tennessee.

• World War I draft registration card, filed 5 June 1917, shows Joel Reece Bidwell, born 27 July 1887 in Cumberland City TN, a resident of 1514 Pearl St., Joplin, Missouri. He is employed as a "gas engineer at mine" by "Darling Mine, Picher, Oklahoma". He is married with a wife and two children as dependents. He is described as tall and slender with light blue eyes and light brown hair. He lists a disability of "hand cut -- stiff". He signed the card "Bidwell", not Bedwell.

• 1920 Census for Tulsa, Tulsa County, Oklahoma, taken in Jan 1920, shows Joe R. Bedwell, 33, who says he was born in Ohio of parents born in Ohio, whose occupation is listed as "manager, wrightbuild", as head of household containing: wife Ludie, 28, son Joel T., 7; son Wallis S., 5; and son Walter H., 5/12. Ludie, Joel T., and Wallis were born in Arkansas, Walter in Oklahoma.

• 1930 Census for Dallas, Dallas County, Texas shows Joel R. Bidwell, 37, an insurance auditor, as head of household with: Ludie, 37, his wife of 18 years; son Thurman, 17, a salesman at a grocery store; son Wallace, 16, a hatter in a hat factory; son Jack, 10; and daughter Betty Lou, 2. Joel was born in Tennessee (he lists his parents as born in "Irish Free State" and Tennessee); Ludie, Thurman, and Wallace in Arkansas; Jack in Oklahoma; and Betty Lou in Texas. They rent a residence for $35/mo. at 501 Center St. (there are two other households at that same number, including the owner of the building, Stanley Alderman and his family, who run a "scientific museum" at the address, which is worth $12,000).

• Apparently, according to one of his children, at one time he held the job of "postal inspector".

? 1900 Census for 6 Civil District, Stewart County, Tennessee, shows Ree se Bedwell, 15, a farm laborer, living with his brother, J.P. Bedwell.

? From: The Clarksville Leaf Chronicle (Clarksville, Montgomery County, Te nnessee)
116 SHILOH: "July 1, 1902--Reece Bedwell, the 16-year-old white boy w ho was lodged in jail last Saturday on a charge of assault and battery up on his stepfather, George Powers, in District 20, succeeded in securing bo nd yesterday. His bond was reduced to $500, the old man being a great de al better. It was thought at first that he had been fatally injured. Reece 's examining trial has been continued."

According to Reece's brother, Robert Scott Bedwell, the stepfather was a v ery abusive man and was the reason that Scott ran away from home. The abo ve article appears to substantiate this story.

? I have not been able to find him in the 1910 U.S. Census.

? Reece started spelling name as Bidwell sometime after leaving Tennessee.

? World War I draft registration card, filed 5 June 1917, shows Joel Ree ce Bidwell, born 27 July 1887 in Cumberland City TN, a resident of 1514 P earl St., Joplin, Missouri. He is employed as a "gas engineer at min e" by "Darling Mine, Picher, Oklahoma". He is married with a wife and t wo children as dependents. He is described as tall and slender with lig ht blue eyes and light brown hair. He lists a disability of "hand c ut -- stiff". He signed the card "Bidwell", not Bedwell.

? 1920 Census for Tulsa, Tulsa County, Oklahoma, taken in Jan 1920, sho ws Joe R. Bedwell, 33, who says he was born in Ohio of parents born in Ohi o, whose occupation is listed as "manager, wrightbuild", as head of househ old containing: wife Ludie, 28, son Joel T., 7; son Wallis S., 5; and s on Walter H., 5/12. Ludie, Joel T., and Wallis were born in Arkansas, Wal ter in Oklahoma.

? 1930 Census for Dallas, Dallas County, Texas shows Joel R. Bidwell, 3 7, an insurance auditor, as head of household with: Ludie, 37, his wi fe of 18 years; son Thurman, 17, a salesman at a grocery store; son Wallac e, 16, a hatter in a hat factory; son Jack, 10; and daughter Betty Lo u, 2. Joel was born in Tennessee (he lists his parents as born in "Iri sh Free State" and Tennessee); Ludie, Thurman, and Wallace in Arkansas; Ja ck in Oklahoma; and Betty Lou in Texas. They rent a residence for $35/m o. at 501 Center St. (there are two other households at that same numbe r, including the owner of the building, Stanley Alderman and his family, w ho run a "scientific museum" at the address, which is worth $12,000).

? Apparently, according to one of his children, at one time he held the j ob of "postal inspector".

Annie Ruth and Lillian Bayer said that Joel Reece Bedwell was born in N ov 1885, but on his WWI draft card he lists himself as born on 27 July 188 7.

Joel Reese (Bidwell) Bedwell and Ludie Stuart were married on 20 Jan 1912.⁷⁷⁸ Ludie Stuart was born on 15 Nov 1891 in Arkansas.^452,778 She died in Sep 1985 in Dallas, Dallas County, Texas.⁴⁵²

Social Security record shows her as Ludie Bidwell.
Joel Reese (Bidwell) Bedwell and Ludie Stuart had the following children:

+2162	i.	Joel Thurman (Bidwell) Bedwell.
+2163	ii.	Wallace Stuart (Bidwell) Bedwell.
+2164	iii.	Walter Bernard (Jack Bidwell) Bedwell.
+2165	iv.	Bettie Lou (Bidwell) Bedwell.