Jeremiah Bedell Sr (abt. 1689 - bef. 1773)

Born about 1689 in Hempstead, Queens, New York Colony

Ancestors

Husband of Mary (Dorlandt) Bedell — married [date unknown] in Hempstead, Nassau, New York

Descendants

Died before 23 Dec 1773 before about age 84 in Hempstead, Queens, Province of New York

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Biography

Jeremiah married unknown in 1713 and had the following children:

1. Keziah Bedell, b. 1715, d. Bef 25 Aug 1781

2. Mary Bedell, b. 1717, d. Aft 20 Sep 1773

3. Jeremiah Bedell, b. 1719, Hempstead, Nassau Co., NY , d. 21 Jan 1788, Hempstead, Nassau Co., NY

4. Timothy Bedell, b. Abt 1721, Hempstead, Nassau Co., NY , d. Aft 20 Sep 1773, Hempstead, Nassau Co., NY

5. Hannah Bedell, b. 1725, d. Bef 20 Nov 1776, Hempstead, Nassau Co., NY

Probably born before 1690 as he recorded his ear mark on the town books of Hempstead 9 May 1710, as "a slitt down the end of the right ear and a half penny on the upper side of each ear" [HTR vol 2, p. 247]. On 9 Apr 1709 he is a witness with his brother, David, to the will of Jeremiah Wood of Hempstead [Wills of Queens County, Liber A, p 207 (Abstract of Wills of Queens County, p 53)]

He probably married before 1720 (name of his wife is unknown), and she probably died before 20 Sep 1773, the date of his will [Tredwell, NYGB Record, vol 71, p 245]. The Additions and Corrections state "his homestead was located on the present Greenwich Street, Hempstead, and was later occupied by his grandnephew, Hezekiah^[1]

One source states that there may have been other children by Jeremiah and his wife. Al Albright lists a David Bedell as a child of Jeremiah but provides no further information.

Jeremiah was undoubtedly a farmer or planter. He probably was fairly high up on the local social scale since in this Colonial period only 4 men in Hempstead were recorded in the Hempstead census of 1698 and in various public documents with the prefix "Mr." After Jeremiah reached his majority he also was designated by "Mr.", and even at that time only a small portion of the population was designated in this manner ^[2].

He was also called "Leftenant" as early as 7 Apr 1730 ^[3], probably holding the title with the local militia. His name also occurs on the list of vestrymen and wardens of St. George's Church in Hempstead on 9 Jan 1728 ^[4]

He is listed as a member of the Queens County Company commanded by Captain Jacob Hicks in 1738.

Jeremiah held many local offices in Hempstead. He was a fence viewer from 1718 to 1727. In 1727 he was elected "survair of the highways," and served again as fence viewer from 1729 to 1733. He was assessor from 1731 to 1734, "apprisor" of intestate estates from 1739 to 1742, a commissioner for laying out the highways form 1740 to 1741, and assessor again from 1742 until 1751. ^[5]

On 17 Mar 1725 Jeremiah witnessed the will of John Thomas of Hempstead [New York Archives, Wills, Libre 10, p 186]. At a Hempstead town meeting on 3 Apr 1738 he and others were commissioned to inspect the town flock and to geld any coarse-wooled rams. Jeremiah and Richard Bedell were elected to fence the town burial ground On 1 Apr 1740 by the townsmen. In the 6 Apr 1742 town meeting Jeremiah and others were instructed to take steps to protect the town house from vandals. Along with others, he was appointed on 22 Apr 1745 to "discuss and decide what is to be done regarding the plains of Hempstead." On 13 May 1745 the group announced that a decision had been reached. On 22 Apr 1745, Abram, Timothy, and Jeremi Bedel, Sen. and others entered a petition for a new highway near "East Meadow". Phebe Tredwell's will of 3 Aug 1748 left 10 pounds for the purpose of repairing the Presbyterian Meeting House, directing that the sum be placed in the hands of Jeremiah Bedell and John Hall ^[6]

On 13 Mar 1750 the Hempstead townsmen voted that a "comety" be chosen to examine and correct the division, recently made, of the common lands of the town. Jeremiah, with others, registered a protest of the action. On 30 Mar 1752, Jeremiah was among those voting against dividing the plains of Hempstead. Capt. Benjamin Smith's indenture of 17 Apr 1759 sold to his son Samuel Smith a parcel of land on the east side of Coes neck, bounded westerly by a highway leading to Jeremiah Beadle's land, and "southerly by Jeremiah Beadle".

Hempstead Town Records [HTR}, vol 4, pp 661-662: Jeremiah by deed on 24 Dec 1759 acquires from Peter Vergereau of New York City two home lots in Hempstead bounded on the east by Jeremiah's land and on the southwest and north by the "streets or highways" of Hempstead.

On 30 May 1768, Jeremiah and Silvanus Beadle petitioned the commissioners of highways in Hempstead to reopen a road from John Birdsall's to "James Seamans of Jerusalem" that had lately been blocked.

Jeremiah Bedel had the following undated rights laid out to him:

17 1/2 acres in the "south woods ye west side of the road that leads from Hempstead to Linington's Old Mill" in the right of Mr. Tappen [HTR vol 8, p. 282], and 13 acres in the same area in the right of Stephen Hudson ^[7]

11 1/2 acres in the "South Woods . . . Near Bates his field" in the right of Stephen Hudson. 14 3/4 acres on the "west side of the road from town to Linington's old mill north of Derick Brewers house" in the right of Christopher Yeomans^[8]

Jeremiah and Richard Bedel had a right of 11 acres laid out to them both in the "south woods on the east side of road from Town to Johnson's mill ye east side of Bedels Swamp below fulling mill" in the right of Christopher Yeomans ^[9]

Jeremiah died between 10 and 23 Dec 1773, for his will while dated 20 Sep 1773 was witnessed 10 Dec and proved 27 Dec 1773. ^{[10] [11]}

In the name of God, Amen, September 20, 1773. I, Jeremiah Bedell, of Hempsted, in Queens County, being weak in body. I leave to my daughter Hanna my best bed and furniture, 'the newest that I have,' and a cupboard, chest and table, and 1/2 of household goods, and 1/2 of the flax and grain, and 1/2 of the provisions. I leave to my daughter[s] Keziah Combes and Mary Lester, the rest of my movables. My executors are to sell all my lands and tenements and pay debts. I leave to my daughter Hannah 140 pounds, 'in lieu of 60 pounds which I sold her negro girl for.' I leave to my grandson, Benajah Bedell, 16 pounds. On the remainder I leave 1/2 to my son Jeremiah and 1/2 to my son, Timothy Bedell. But out of the part of Timothy is to be deducted the sum that my son Jeremiah paid to John Leffert Hagawout on his account. My executors are also to take from his share enough to indemnify my grandson, Timothy Bedell who is bound to Benjamin Lester in a sum of money for him. I leave to my sons, Jeremiah and Timothy, my wearing apparell, saddles, wagons, and all utensils, and all my fencing stuff, in the Plains of Hempsted. I leave to my grand daughter, Catharine Willett 10 pounds. All the rest of my movable estate I leave to my daughters, Keziah Combs and Mary Lester. I make my son-in-law, Benjamin Lester, and my respected 'kinsmen' David Bedell and Silvanus Bedell executors. Witnesses, Joseph Totten, Richard Ellison, Jr. and David Bothby.

On 13 Apr 1774 Silvanus Bedell, Esq., Benjamin Lester and David Bedel as executors of the last will of Jeremiah sold to Nehemiah Sammis for 330 pounds the 20 acres in the "town spot" where Jeremiah Bedell lived before his death; said land being bounded northerly by land of Silvanus Bedell, westerly by lands of said Silvanus and Isaac Bedell and easterly by a highway from St. George's Church, Hempstead to John Batty's land. The next day Nehemiah Sammis sold the same land to Silvanus Bedell, Esq. for the same sum. ^[12]

Sources

1. ↑ [Article in the "Hempstead Inquirer," 21 Mar 1918 provided to Tredwell by Gurney C. Gue of Merrick, Long Island, NY.
2. ↑ Tredwell, NYGB Record, vol 71, p. 245]
3. ↑ HTR vol 3, p. 107
4. ↑ H. Onderdonk, Jr., The Annals of Hempstead, p. 80.
5. ↑ HTR vol 2, p. 491, vol 3, pp. 6, 15, 25, 34, 39, 71, 77, 82, 89, 100, 107, 118, 119, 129, 261, 263, 266, 268, 270, 271, 473, 474, 475, 477, vol 4, p. 44.] He owned two slaves in 1755, 1 male and 1 female.
6. ↑ Abstract of Wills, Surrogate's Office, City of New York, vol 4, p 196, Liber 16, p 352].
7. ↑ HTR vol 8, p 294].
8. ↑ [HTR
9. ↑ HTR vol 8, p. 496
10. ↑ Abstracts of Wills, Surrogate's Office, City of New York, vol 8, p 154, Liber 29, p 37
11. ↑ New York Historical Society Collections, 1899, p 154
12. ↑ Peters, Powells of the Hudson Valley sources and notes: 1) Harold Smith Papers, New York State Library, Albany.

• Albright Bedell Genealogy, Al Albright.

• Bedell Family Descendents List, Unknown, (List prefaced by Summary of Bedell Families in England, but not connected).

• "Robert Bedell of Hempstead, Long Island and His Descendants", Henry Alanson Tredwell, Jr., (New York Genealogical and Biographical Record), vol 71, p 144.

• Powells of the Hudson Valley, Alicia A. and George H. Peters, (Source card file, Vedder Memorial Library, Greene County Historical Society, Coxsackie, NY).

• ] Bedell Genealogy, (Queens Borough Public Library, Long Island Division, Jamaica, NY), vol 4, Jeremiah.

• Jamaica Library Bedell Manuscript, (From town, country, church and Bible records).
• ancestry.com,

Essex, England, Select Church of England Parish Registers, 1518-1960, New York, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1659-1999, U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995 https://mediasvc.ancestry.com/v2/image/namespaces/1093/media/75838be7-5d22-4cfb-ab2c-906647d5925f.jpg?client=trees-mediaservice&imageQuality=hq&maxWidth=1261.2000501155853&maxHeight=586.800023317337