Eighth Generation

811. James Warner Bedwell was born on 22 May 1834 in White County, Tennessee. In 1870 he was a blacksmith. He owned real estate worth $1500 in 1870. [NEED TO DEFINE SENTENCE: Personal Estate] In 1880 he was a blacksmith. He died on 3 Jan 1916 in Leavenworth, Leavenworth County, Kansas. He was buried on 6 Jan 1916 in Mt. Muncie Cemetery, Leavenworth, Leavenworth County, Kansas.

In his book, Descendents of Stephen Bedwell (1968), Vernon Ferrell writes:
"James Warner Bedwell ... moved with his parents in 1839 to Platte Co., Mo. He ran away from home in 1849 to Ft. Leavenworth where he joined an expedition across the western plains as an ox team driver. He returned after approximately one year, learned the blacksmith trade and later worked for the government at Ft. Leavenworth, Ft. Supply, and other frontier army posts. ... Shortly after their marriage, James and Nancy moved to Nodaway Co., Mo. They farmed there approximately 14 years, then returned to Kansas. In 1872, they moved to Leavenworth where James became head blacksmith for the Missouri Valley Bridge & Iron Co. -- a job he held for 27 years. He belonged to the Methodist Church and was a charter member of Knights of Pythias in Leavenworth. ... On 22 Feb 1865, James enrolled at St. Joseph, Mo. for military service. He was assigned to Company C, 51st Regiment, Missouri Infantry, Union Army. His description from pension application (1912) records show he was 6 feet with dark complexion, grey eyes, black hair. While he was in the service, Nancy made canvas tops for covered wagons to support the family. On 31 Aug 1865, James was discharged at Benton Barracks, St. Louis, Mo. with rank of Sergeant."

• Kansas Election Lists, 1854, found on ancestry.com, shows: James W. Bedwell, District: Fifteenth Election, Date: November 29, 1854, Page: Part #1-63.

• 1860 Census for Nodaway County, Missouri shows James Bedwell, 25, a farmer with $500 real estate and $150 assets, as head of household containing: Nancy, 24; Mary, 6; Eliza, 4; and Amanda, 2. James was born in Tennessee, the others in Missouri. Nancy is shown as unable to read or write.

• 1875 Census for the city of Leavenworth, County of Leavenworth, Kansas, taken March 1875, shows James Bedwell, 40, a blacksmith born in Tennessee, as head of household including: Nancy, 39, born in Missouri; E, 8 (female); Nora, 16; William, 12; James Jr., 12; Kate, 8; John, 8; Rosa, 6; Anna, 2; and Frank, 14. Rosa and Anna were born in Kansas, the other children in Missouri.

• 1880 Census for Leavenworth City, Leavenworth County, Kansas shows James Bedwell, 45, a blacksmith, as head of household with: wife Nancy, 43; daughter Christina, 19; son William, 17, a blacksmith; twin son Duglas, 17, works in (illegible -- bray?) shop; son James, 15, drives team; son John, 13; twin daughter Katherine, 13; daughter Rosa, 11; daughter Annie, 6; and daughter Ema, 3. James was born in Tennessee; Rosa, Annie, and Ema were born in Kansas; the others were born in Missouri.

• 1910 Census for Leavenworth, Kansas shows James W. Bedwell, 76, born in Tennessee of parents born in Virginia and Tennesse, a widower with no occupation listed, as head of household with: son-in-law Paul Radford, 37, a baker born in Kentucky; daughter Annie, 36, born in Kansas, who has been married for 13 years and has had one child; and granddaughter Ruth, 10, also born in Kansas.

James Warner Bedwell and Nancy Ussary were married on 20 Jan 1853 in Platte, Missouri. [stephen bedwell kansas.FTW]

REFNBFT14028 Nancy Ussary (daughter of Capt. William Ussary and Phoebe Snodderly) was born on 19 Dec 1835 in Jackson, Kansas. She appeared in the census in 1870 in Leavenworth County, Kansas. She died of pneumonia and stroke on 30 Mar 1909 in Leavenworth, Leavenworth County, Kansas. She was buried on 3 Apr 1919 in Mt. Muncie Cemetery, Leavenworth, Leavenworth County, Kansas.

Note: 1870 Census says she was born in Missouri.

From [email protected]: "Her father was Capt. William Ussary. Capt. Ussary's title resulted from his serving with the Missouri State Militia at the time the Mormons were driven from Independence, MO."


James Warner Bedwell and Nancy Ussary had the following children:

+2403	i.	Mary Armesia Bedwell.
+2404	ii.	Elizabeth Eliza (Liza) Bedwell.
2405	iii.	Nora Amanda (Mandy) Bedwell535,855 was born on 22 Aug 1858 in Missouri.535,856
2406	iv.	Christiana Phoebe (Phely) Bedwell535,857 was born on 17 Dec 1860 in Missouri.535,856
+2407	v.	Stephen Douglas (Doug) Bedwell.
+2408	vi.	William Francis (Frank) Bedwell.
+2409	vii.	James Riley Bedwell.
+2410	viii.	Nancy Catherine (Kate) Bedwell.
+2411	ix.	John Jasper Bedwell.
+2412	x.	Rosa Alice Bedwell.
2413	xi.	Albert Bedwell858 was born on 28 Apr 1872 in Leavenworth County, Kansas.858 He died of dysentery on 28 Sep 1872.858 He was buried in Fairview Cemetery, Potter, Kansas.858
2414	xii.	Alfred Bedwell858 was born on 28 Apr 1872 in Leavenworth County, Kansas.858 He died on 5 Oct 1872 in Leavenworth County, Kansas.858 He was buried in Fairview Cemetery, Potter, Kansas.858
+2415	xiii.	Ida Ann (Annie) Bedwell.
+2416	xiv.	Ernestine Emma (Ernie) Bedwell.