Elisha Bedsaul Sr. (1770 - abt. 1845)

Born 1770 in Grayson, Carroll, Colony of Virginia [uncertain]

Ancestors

Descendants

Died about 1845 at about age 75 in Chestnut Creek area of Virginia

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Elisha was a Friend (Quaker)

Biography

Spouse

• Mary Margaret Edwards m. 5 AUG 1794 Grayson County, Virginia

Children

1. John Bedsaul 1797 - 13 JAN 1872 Carroll County, Virginia
2. Mary "Polly" Bedsaul 1801 Grayson County, VA 1885 Grayson Co.VA
3. Sarah "Sally" Bedsaul 23 MAY 1802 Grayson Co., VA. 23 JAN 1879
4. Elisha Bedsaul Jr. 1804 Grayson County, Virginia 1875
5. David Bedsaul 1807 - 1894
6. Mary Bedsaul 1808
7. Isaac . Bedsaul 6 JUL 1810 Grayson Co. VA. 25 SEP 1881 Elkhorn, VA
8. Nancy Bedsaul ABT 1812 - 1845
9. Martha Bedsaul 1815 - 1888
10. Katherine Bedsaul ABT 1816 Grayson County, Virginia
11. Houston "Hugh" Bedsaul 18 FEB 1821- 3 AUG 1898
12. Braselton Bedsaul 30 OCT 1824 - 3 FEB 1907

He came to Chestnut Creek in 1771 and settled on a tract which later was the homeplace for Flower Swift. It was in the Iron Ridge/Hebron area of Carroll, and apparently he lived there for some years before moving to another tract which today is in East Galax. His first tract he assigned to Flower Swift (who may have been his son-in-law), and the second one he acquired from John Price (Kegley, Adventurers,II, pp.106, 113). The Price settlement was on both sides of Chestnut Creek, partly adjoined and partly was inside the old Buchanan grant; it had been settled by Price in 1771, and Bedsaul had 172 acres of it surveyed in 1774 (Fincastle, Survey A-135).

Elisha was taxed in 1773, was in Flower Swift's militia company, and in 1782 had paid tax on a slave, four horses and twelve cattle, indicating considerable prosperity. The 1782 record is the only one found of his slaveholding days; the later tax lists only charge him with horses and cattle.

He was connected with the Quaker Church, but apparently some of his church records are missing. There is a record in the Cane Creek minutes of the marriage of John "Bedsalt" of Fincastle County, Virginia and and one Sara Brown; the record plainly indicates that John's parents were Elisha and Mary (1 Hinshaw 374). The tidbits of evidence that remain make it clear that Elisha had come to Virginia from some of the Quaker settlements in North Carolina. He was not active in Quaker affairs on Chestnut Creek.

He acquired a considerable amount of land, but it is difficult now to ascertain its precise boundaries. Part of it was on the west side of Chestnut, but most of it was on the east side of that stream and probably nearly all of it is now inside the boundaries of the City of Galax. There were three grants, and in addition he bought 100 acres from Jacob Cummins (Grayson, D.B. 1-304). Much of it he lost when it was discovered that it lay inside the Buchanan grant, but he deeded his grandson and namesake a tract of it (Grayson, D.B. 1-530) and died owning the rest.

There are a few records of old Elisha in the Grayson minutes. He was designated in 1793 to view the road from Moses Foley's to the Carolina line; he was summoned as a grand juror in March 1794, did not attend and had to appear in May to make the proper excuse in order to have his eight dollar fine remitted; and finally in 1794 he registered his stock mark in 1794:a crop off the right ear and two slips cut in the same (Grayson,orders 1793-1794).

It is not clear when he died. He was living in March 1803 when he deeded the 150 acres to his grandson, and he was dead by 1805 when George Martin sold Amey Martin's interest In his land (Grayson, D.B. 1-530; D.B. 2-116). Except for the Quaker record, which gives her name as Mary, nothing is known of his wife.

Sources

• https://www.werelate.org/wiki/Family:Elisha_Bedsaul_and_Mary_Edwards_(1)
• book written by John Perry Alderman on Carroll County Settlements
• His father's Find A Grave: Memorial #123733597

Acknowledgements

• WikiTree profile Bedsaul-2 created through the import of O'Bryan Family tree.ged on Sep 6, 2011 by Tim Tropeck.