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Fifth Generation
76. Major M. (M.M.)
Bedwell5 was born
about 1802 in North Carolina.85
He owned 11 ac. that he bought from John McNatt in 1822 in Lincoln County, Tennessee.91 He owned in 1830 in 50 ac. school
land (Maj. Anthony's Co.). Lincoln Co..92
He died between Jul 1860 and 1870 in Lincoln County, Tennessee.
He was a farmer, a wagon maker, and a Methodist minister.
Major is a first name, not a military rank.
• 1820 Census for Lincoln County, Tennessee shows Major Bedwell as head
of a household consisting of one male between 18-26, one female between 16-26,
and one female under 10.
• 1830 Census for Lincoln County, Tennessee, shows Major Bedwell as head
of household containing one male under 5, one male between 20-30, one female
under 5, one female between 5-10, one female between 20-30, and one female between
50-60. (John Bedwell, his brother, lives next door. John McNatt and Charles
McNatt both have listings on the same census page.)
• 1840 Census for District 2, Lincoln County, Tennessee, shows M.M. Bedwell
as head of household containing 2 males between 5-10 (who might be Willis and
Asbury), 1 male between 10-15 (who might be John B.), 2 males between 30-40 (who
must be Major and ?), 1 female under 5 (unknown), 1 female between 5-10 (who
might be Eliza), 1 female between 15-20 (who might be Rebecca), and 1 female
between 30-40 (who must be Mary/Polly). All are engaged in agriculture.
• 1850 Census for District 12, Henderson County, Tennessee, shows Major
Bedwell, 47, a farmer born in North Carolina who owns $110 worth of real estate,
as head of household containing: Mary, 46; Eliza, 21; Asbury, 19; Willis, 17;
Elizabeth, 14; and Leven, 10.
• 1860 Census for Civil District 6, Lincoln County, Tennessee, shows M.M.
Bedwell, 58, a "Waggon Maker" with $150 in personal assets, as head
of household consisting of: Polly Bedwell, 55, whose occupation is spinning;
Elizabeth Bedwell, 37, whose occupation is weaving; L.A.J. Bedwell, 18, a waggon
maker; Mandy J. Thompson, 16, whose occupation is spinning; Asberry Bedwell,
8; Mary Bedwell, 5; and Elizabeth M. Nicks, 40, a "Teacher, C.S.",
who has personal assets of $1000. All were born in Tennessee except M.M., who
was born in N.C. All adults can read and write except Polly. The mysteries
here are: Asberry and Mary appear to be Willis Bedwell's children; where are
he and his wife??? They don't appear in the census records for that year.
• 1870 Census shows Mary Bedwell, 75, living with T.W. Crane, 22, and Elizabeth
Crane, 28, and their family. This must be Major Bedwell's widow, Mary/Polly,
and they must have gotten her age wrong. She dies in 1880, at a reported age
80. The mystery is Elizabeth, who was 14 in 1850 and may have been fibbing her
age down six years in 1870; however, where was she in 1860???
• Sometime between 1840 and 1850, Major Bedwell and a group of other families,
including his brother John and Mary/Polly's sister Christiana and her husband
Leven Benson, left Lincoln County and went to Henderson County. Major had returned
to Lincoln by 1860, but John stayed in Henderson. The following might be a clue
as to why they left:
• From an edition of LCT Pioneers, Vol. 7, No. 3:
"Minutes of the Lincoln Circuit of the Methodist Episcopal Church, 1st quarterly
Mt. Zion date (Oct. 1843). Members present. J. W. Spearman, Richael Holt, J.J.H.
Martin, James R. Brown, Wiley B. Snell, Miles Husbands, Thomas Timmons, Charles
Baker, John Neely, Nimrod Burrow, Wm. Jones, M. M. Bedwell, Benjamin Rives, Wm.
Springer, H. F. Holt. H. F. Holt appointed special sec.
"M. M. Bedwell case taken up - suspended for holding private holdings
contrary to Methodist Disciples and his ordination vows. Thomas Wells from Nicks
School House stated that Bro. Bedwell had some of his children Baptised but no
more - that he did not believe in infant Baptism and believed only in Imersion.
"William Springer - stated he heard him say he did not believe in any baptism
except Imersion for himself, but it might do for others. Francis Wells heard
him say that if he had never have been Baptised by Imersion he never would be.
Reuben Ellis also testified, as well as R. Ellis said Mrs. George was influenced
by Bedwells conversation and she was baptised. 2 Oct. 1843 Ministerial authority
was taken away from Bedwell. John Brooks, S. N. Dance, Lemuel Brandon - Com." Major
M. (M.M.) Bedwell and Mary K. (Polly) White were married before 1820 in Lincoln
County, Tennessee. Mary K. (Polly) White85,93
(daughter of Samuel White and Lucinda (Lucy) [--?--]) was born between 1795 and
1800 in Tennessee.85 She
died on 12 Jan 1880 in Lincoln County, Tennessee.85,94,95,96
State of Tennessee
Lincoln County
Will Book 2, Page 298
Last Will & Testament of Lucinda White Decd.
I Lucinda White do make and publish this as my last Will and Testament hereby
revoking and making void all other wills by me at any time made---
First-I direct that my funeral expenses and all my debts be paid as soon after
my death as possible out of any money that I may die possessed of or may first
come into the hands of my Executors.
Second-I give and bequeath to my Daughter Elizabeth who intermarried with Charles
McNatt the sum of five dollars in gold.
Thirdly-I give and bequeath to my Daughter Christiana who intermarried with Leven
Benson the sum of five dollars in gold.
Fourthly-I give and bequeath to my Daughter Mahala who intermarried with Benjamin
Fanning the sum of five dollars in gold.
Fifthly-I give and bequeath to my Daughter Mary who intermarried with Major Bedwell
the sum of five dollars in gold.
Sixthly-I give and bequeath to my Daughter Sarah who intermarried with John Teel
the sum of five dollars in gold.
Seventhly-I give and bequeath to my Daughter Nancy who intermarried with William
Mc Natt the sum of five dollars in gold.
Eighthly-I give and bequeath to the heirs of my son Willis White the sum of five
dollars in gold.
Ninthly-I give and bequeath to my Daughter Matilda who intermarried with Thomas
White all of my land estate it being in four several tracts containing in all
one hundred and fifteen acres and all my household & Kitchen furniture and
also five dollars in gold and lastly I do hereby nominate and appoint Thos. S.
Williams my Executor-In Witness whereof I do to this my Will set my hand and
Seal this 14th day of April 1852
her
Lucinda X White
Signed, sealed & published in our presence
and we have submitted our names hereto in the presence
of the testator this 14th day of April 1852
Peter C. Webster
Jacob Steinbraker
I Lucinda White having heretofore made and published my last will and testament
do make and declare this is a codicil thereto (to wit) I hereby give and bequeath
to my daughter Matilda who intermarried with Thomas White all the money and other
affects that I may die possessed of after complying with the foregoing Will and
lastly it is my desire that this codicil be attached and constitute a part of
my Will to all intents and purposes.
Signed, sealed as the foregoing Will the 26th day of February 1853
her
Lucinda X White
Gents
J. D. Bresy
Jacob Steinbraker
State of Tennessee
Lincoln County
I Daniel J. Whittington Clerk of the County Court of said County hereby certify
that the foregoing last will and testament of Lucinda White deceased this day
duly proven in open court by the oaths of J. D. Bresy and Jacob Steinbraker subscribing
witness thereto-Whereupon the Court orders that the same be certified and Recorded
as the last Will and Testament of Lucinda White Decd-Witness Daniel J. Whittington
Clerk of said Court at Offices in Fayetteville Septm 1859
Daniel J. Whittington Clerk
February 5, 1880, Fayetteville Observer
p.3 Col. 4
DIED - In this county, on the head waters of Mulberry creek, the 12th
inst., at the residence of T.W. CRAIN, of old age, Mrs. P.K. BEDWELL, aged
80 years.
Also at the same place on the 13th inst. of pneumonia, her daughter,
Mrs. Elizabeth, wife of T.W. CRAIN, aged 38 years. She leaves a husband
and six children to mourn her loss. She joined the M.E. church in early
life....
1870 Census shows Mary White Bedwell living in the household of T.W. Crane and
Elizabeth Bedwell Crane.
from Nashville Christian Advocate:
MARY BEDWELL died January 12, 1880 aged 86 years; her daughter, ELIZABETH CRAINE,
died January 13, 1880 aged 38 years. Mrs. Bedwell had sons, John, Willis and
Leven.
Major M. (M.M.) Bedwell and Mary K. (Polly) White had the following children:
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