Seventh Generation

285. James R. Bedwell was born in Dec 1828 in Lawrence County, Indiana.³⁸¹ He died on 17 Jun 1900 in Poweshiek County, Iowa.¹²⁷ He was buried in Hazelwood Cemetery, Grinnell, Poweshiek County, Iowa.¹²⁷

• 1850 Census for Kelsey & Vicinity, El Dorado County, California, shows James R. Bedwell and John W. Bedwell. Both are listed as 21, born in Iowa, attended school within the past year. They are working as miners, and are shown in the household of a Matthew Black, age 41, who owns $10,000 of real estate. Three other young miners (each born in a different state) are also in the household.

• 1860 Census for Monrow Township, Mahaska County, Iowa, taken in Aug 1860, shows James R. Bidwell, 31, a farmer with $1136 real estate and $550 in personal assets, as head of household with: Margaret, 27, born in Ohio; Viola (?) J., 3; Meary A., 2; William Burns (?), 20, a farm laborer; and Elizabeth Burns, 23, a seamstress. The children were born in Iowa, both Burns (who are probably Margaret's siblings) in Ohio.

• 1870 Census for Pleasant Township, Poweshiek County, Iowa, taken in June 1870, shows James R. Bedwell, 40, born in Indiana, a farmer with $5000 in real estate and personal assets of $1580, as head of household including: Mary, 37, born in Ohio; Virginia J., 13; Mary A., 11; William S., 5; and Eliza A., 1. James and Mary are unable to read or write.

• 1880 Census for Washington Township, Poweshiek County, Iowa shows Bedwell (no first name listed), 51, born in Indiana, a farmer, as head of household with: wife Mar, 47, born in Ohio; son Willie, 15; and daughter E.A., 11.

• 1895 Iowa Census shows James R. Bedwell, 66, born in Indiana, and Margaret Bedwell, 61, residents of Grinnell, Poweshiek County, Iowa.

• 1900 Census for 1 Ward Grinnell, Poweshiek County, Iowa shows J.R. Bedwell, born Dec 1828 in Indiana of parents born in Virginia and N.C., living with Margaret, born May 1831, his wife of 44 years who has had five children with four still living. She was born in Ohio of parents born in Ohio and PA. They are homeowners.

• Cemetary Records show his birthdate as 1826, not 1828.

James R. Bedwell and Margaret Burns were married about 1854 in Iowa.³⁸¹ Margaret Burns³⁸¹ (daughter of ? and ?) was born on 17 May 1833 in Morrow County, Ohio.^127,381 She died on 23 Jan 1905 in Poweshiek County, Iowa.¹²⁷ She was buried in 1905 in Hazelwood Cemetery, Grinnell, Poweshiek County, Iowa.¹²⁷
From Poweshiek County, Iowa, Obituary Abstracts of Pioneer Settlers, found at
https://sites.rootsweb.com/~iapowesh/POWobitsettlersA-B.html: "BURNS, Margaret, born Morrow County, Ohio May 17, 1833. Came to Iowa with parents in 1855. Married 1856 to James Bedwell. James died 1900. Four daughters, one son. Mrs. Burns died in 1904."

James R. Bedwell and Margaret Burns had the following children:

946
i.
Virginia J. Bedwell³⁸² was born about 1857 in Iowa.³⁸²
+947
ii.
Mary Alice Bedwell.
948
iii.
Euphama J. Bedwell³⁸³ was born about May 1861 in Iowa.³⁸³ She died on 13 Sep 1863 in Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa.³⁸³ She was buried in Bedwell Cemetery, Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa.
+949
iv.
William H. S. Bedwell.
950
v.
Eliza A. Bedwell³⁸² was born about 1869 in Iowa.³⁸²