John Bidwell (1614 - abt. 1687)

Born 1614 in England

Husband of Sarah (Wilcox) Bidwell — married about 1641 in Hartford, Connecticut

Descendants

Died about 4 Jun 1687 at about age 73 in Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut

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John Bidwell migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). (See The Directory, by R. C. Anderson, p. 29) Join: Puritan Great Migration Project Discuss: pgm

Disputed Origin

According to The Great Migration Directory: Immigrants to New England, 1620–1640 the parents and origins of this person are not known.^[1] Anderson cites Hale, House: Families, Mainly of the Connecticut River Valley (Hartford 1952; rpt. Baltimore 1978) 459. Jacobus writes: "Edwin M. Bidwell, compiler of the Genealogy published in 1884, supposed him to be the son of Richard Bidwell of Windsor; and brother of a younger Richard of Windsor, of Anna [Hanna] wife of James Eno of Windsor, and of the early Bidwell who settled at Marshfield, Mass. These are assumptions and the present compiler finds little to sustain them." To be fair, Edwin Bidwell in his book states "I have found no evidence as yet that John, Joseph and Samuel were sons of Richard but shall think so until records prove the contrary". While this falls into the "prove me wrong by proving a negative" trap, Edwin at least honestly admitted that he could not prove his theory.

Biography

Birth

Born in England around 1614^[2], and no later than 1619 as he would have to be "of age" and a freeman to participate in the land distribution in Hartford in 1640. Bidwell family tradition holds that John Bidwell arrived in 1630 aboard the Mary and John, with his father, Richard, though reconstructed lists do not include him or his probable parents. He established a tannery on an island in the Little River

Spelling variations as found in old English records: Beadle, Beddele, Beddell, Bedel, Bedell, Bedle, Bedwel, Bedwell, Beedell, Beedle, Biddell, Biddle, Biddoll, Biddwell, Bidle, Bidwell, Byddell.

Emigration

John Bidwell was an early settler at Hartford and had four acres of land allotted him in the division of lands there in 1639.^[1] He and his wife Sarah were original members of the Second or Center Church, February 1672.^[2]

This profile asserts that "according to family tradition" John arrived on May 30, 1630 at Massachusetts reportedly aboard the Mary and John. While the Bidwell Family Genealogy cited here^[2] does describe that ship, it does not specifically assert that John or his likely father Richard traveled on it, only that Richard was an early settler of Hartford. No original passenger lists exist and reconstructed lists do not include John Bidwell, see Mary & John Category Page for more information.

Colonial Life

John was "a proprietor by courtesy of the town" in 1640. He owned a tan yard and before 1669 had built a saw mill. He was chosen chimney viewer 1655-1661; was freed from watching, warding and training in 1670. Both he and his wife Sarah, the daughter of John WILCOX, were original members of the Second or South Church. ^[3].

John Bidwell was sole executor for his mother-in-law, Mary Wilcox, whose will was dated 4 Mar 1668/9, & proved in Hartford.{citation needed}   An early settler in Hartford, his [John Bidwell's] lands were entered at the first recording in February 1639/40^[4]. His dwelling then stood on two acres which he had bought of Thomas Bunce. He had two roods given him for a tan-yard; two roods bought from Seth Grant; four acres on the east side of the Great river given to John Hall and sold by Hall to William Spencer and by Spencer to Bidwell; three acres of upland bought of Thomas Bunce; two acres on the east side bought of William Hyde; two acres of swamp on the east side; fifty perches bought of John Skinner; five acres on the east side bought of Richard Seymour; four acres of woodland bought of William Blomfield; two parcels acquired by purchase, originally John Sable's; and recorded 18 Oct 1655, three acres bought of Thomas Woodford, and three more parcels on the east side; and, 20 Feb 1666, upland and swamp estimated at 210 acres, bought from several; and 41 acres purchased 26 Apr 1666 from John Wilcox.

In 1668 Winthrop mentioned John Bidwell's wife, "of Hartford other side of river," as aged 50. In 1660, he named some of the Bidwell children: John, aged 12; Sarah, 7; Dan., 4; Hannah, 1½. In 1665 he mentioned "John Meakins his wife daughter of G[oodman] Bidwell of hartford. With his wife Sarah, he was an original member of the Hartford Second Church, 12 Feb. 1669/70; and their children, John, Joseph, and Sarah, as "children of the church," owned the Covenant.

Marriage

Per Torrey in "New England Marriages to 1700" John Bidwell married Sarah Wilcox by 1641, first appearing in documentation as a married couple at Hartford, Connecticut.^[5]

Sarah died June 15, 1690.^[2] Her father, John, died before OCT 1666; his wife survived him and her will is dated MAR 4, 1668-69, Hartford CT.

Children

These children were listed in John Bidwell, Sr’s will dated FEB 10, 1680 (along with wife Sarah):^[2] and in the probate of his estate.^[6] Their exact birth years are not always known and are estimated based on data such as first known marriage.

1. John Bidwell, b. 1648, d. July 3, 1692, Hartford, Conn. m. Sarah Welles November 7, 1678, Hartford, Conn. 8 Children
2. Joseph Bidwell, b. 1650, d. Jun I692, Wethersfield, Conn., m. Mary Colefax, May 18, I675, Wethersfield, Conn., 7 Children
3. Daniel Bidwell, b. 1656, d. November 29, 1719, age 64, Hartford, m. l) Elizabeth UNKNOWN, about l68l, 2 children m. 2) Dorothy Benton, about 1691, 7 children.
4. Samuel Bidwell, b. 1651 d. April 5, 1715, Middletown, Conn. age 65, m. 1) Elizabeth Stowe, November 14, Middletown, 7 children; m. 2) Sarah Harris by 1695, 1 child; m. 3) Abigail Unknown, 1698, 1 child.
5. Sarah Bidwell, b 1653, d. before 1703/4, m. William House, 1670, 8 Children.
6. Hannah Bidwell, b. 1658, d. June 17, 1696, Wethersfield, m. John Waddams, December 20, 1677, 8 children.
7. Mary Bidwell, b. about 1647, d. May 15, 1725, age 78, E. Hartford, Conn. m. John Meakins, by 1665, 7 Children

Death & Estate

John died by 4 June 1687 at Hartford, Connecticut when the inventory of his estate was taken.^[6]

Complete Will

[From Bidwell Family History, 1587-1982, by Joan Bidwell] Probate Records of Hartford, vol. 4, page 133: 1 Sep 1687, an inventory of the estate of John Bidwell, Sr., together with his last will and testament was exhibited in court, and oath made there unto by his relict and widow Pitkin and the court accepted the same and ordered it to be recorded. - - - - - - - - - - John Bidwell Last Will and Testament In the name of God Amen. I, John Bidwell of Hartford, in New England, being under some infirmity of body but of good memory and understanding considering my own fraylty and mortality, doe make this my last Will & Testament, hereby revoking and uterly nuling all other & former Wills & Testaments whatsoever.

Imp' I doe committ my spirit into the hands of God as my faythful creator hoping for salvation through the grace and merits of Christ Jesus my redeemer, and my body to comely christian Buriall at the discression of my Executors hereafter named, when the Lord shall pledge to put an end to my naturall life & as for that portion of worldly goods which the Lord have been pleased to bestow on me. I doe dispose thereof in manner following: First my will is that all my just debts & funerall charges be duely payd & discharged, allso my will is & I doe hereby bequeath unto my son John Biddoll & his heirs forever, my lott in the swamp on the east side Connecticutt River, being about two acres & a halfe lyeing between Thomas Bunce his land & the land of Goodman Easton, as allso I doe give & confirme unto him & his heires forever all my lands & buildings & appurtenances of them whatsoever which liye or are in the Township of Hartford on the west side of Connecticutt River.

Also I give unto my son Joseph Bidwell the sume of Thirty pounds in currant pay of this Colony, Twenty pounds thereof to be payd within two years after my decease & Ten poyunds to be payd him for the use of his children after my wives decease.

Allso I give unto my son Samuel Bidwell Twenty pounds, Ten pounds in Currant country pay to be payd him within two years after my decease & Ten pounds in like pay to be payd him for the use of his children after my wives decease.

Allso I give to each of my Two daughters Sarah House & Hannah Waddams Twenty pounds a piece to be payd Ten pounds to each of them within Two years after my decease, & the other Ten pounds apiece to be payd to them for the use of their children after the decease of my wife, all to be payd in currant pay of this country.

Allso I give unto my daughter Mary Meekins the one halfe of my upper lott in the swamp, lyeing south of Ozias Goodwins land there by & the other halfe of it I give to my Grand son John Meekins to be them & their heires forever. Onely my will is that my wife* shall not have the halfe of that lot unless he lives with me or my wife, untill he be Twenty years of age if myself or wife doe live soe long. [* should be grandson]

Allso my will is that my beloved wife Sarah Bidwell shall have all my household goods & stuff whatsoever to be at her dispose forevr & I doe moreover give her the one halfe part of all my Estate whatsoever that is not before disposed of both lands, houseing chattels, cattell or any other thing whatever it be, to be for her proper use during her natural life & no longer & if it shall seem good to my sayd wife at any time to leave that part of the houseing & lands & Cattell which I have given her dureing her Life as before unto my son Daniel Bidwell,

Then I doe give her eight pounds by the year out of the lands, houseing & cattell to be payd her in current pay of the colony by my son Daniel Bidwell or whosoever enjoyeth the sayd lands, houses, lhattells & cattell. Also I doe give & bequeath the other halfe of my whole estate not before disposed of, both lands, houseing, chattells, cattell, & every other thing not before disposed of unto my sayd son Daniel Bidwell & his heires forever. Also I doe in like maner give unto him, his heirs & assigns forever after the decease of my beloved wife, the other halfe of my Estate which was before given my wife for & during her natural life.

Allso I doe hereby make my beloved wife Sarah Bidwell and my son Daniel Bidwell to be the Executors of this my last will and Testament, and I do desire my loving friend Mr. John Crow to be Overseer of the same for confirmation & establishment, of all which I have hereunto put my hand & seal this tenth day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred and Eighty.

John X Bidwell. Ls.

Witness: William Pitkin, Joseph Olmsted.

A Codicill, dated 22 August, 1683: I give to my wife Sarah Bidwell, in addition, 2 cowes; to my son John Bidwell 4 acres of Land adjoyning Bartholomew Barnards Land. Son John Bidwell is to pay to Rev. John Whiting 20s, and £20 to my son Joseph Bidwell. And whereas Sarah House & Hannah Waddams were to receive £20 to each, my will is that my daughter House shall have £30, my daughter Waddams £10.

JOHN X BIDWELL. Ls.

Witness: William Pitkin, John Makins. Court Record, Page 133-1 September, 1687: Will Proven.^[6] Bidwell, John sen., Hartford. Invt. £419-10-06. Taken 4 June, 1687, by William Pitkin. Joseph Olmstead. Will dated 10 February, 1680.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Robert Charles Anderson, The Great Migration Directory: Immigrants to New England, 1620–1640 (Boston, Massachusetts. New England Historic and Genealogical Society. 2015) page 29: John Bidwell: Unknown; 1639, Hartford [HaBOP 116; HaTR 24; Manwaring 1:274-74; Hale, House 459-65; Bidwell Family Association, The Bidwell Family, 2 volumes (Baltimore 2011)].
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4} Genealogy of the first seven generations of the Bidwell family in America by Bidwell, Edwin M Publication date 1884 Publisher Albany, N.Y., J. Munsell's Sons p. 25
3. ↑ Families of early Hartford, Connecticut by Barbour, Lucius Barnes; Barbour, Lucius Barnes, 1878-1934, author, compiler Publication date 1977 Publisher Baltimore, Maryland : Genealogical Publishing Co. p. 58
4. ↑ Hale, House, and related families : mainly of the Connecticut River Valley by Jacobus, Donald Lines, 1887-1970 Publication date 1952 Publisher Hartford, Conn. Connecticut Historical Society p. 461
5. ↑ New England Marriages to 1700. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2008.) Originally published as: New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Boston, Mass.: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015. Vol. 1 p. 141
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2} A digest of the early Connecticut probate records by Manwaring, Charles William, 1829-1905 Publication date 1904 Publisher Hartford, Conn., R. S. Peck & Co. p. 274

See Also:

• Cooke, Raeola Ford, 1988, John Wilcox and some descendants of Hartford and Middletown, Conn., Unpublished MSS, Twin Falls, Idaho
• http://www.geni.com/people/John-Bidwell/6000000003086973082
• Stevens, Harriet Weeks.Wadhams genealogy, proceded by a sketch of the Wadham family in England (Frank Allaben genealogical company, 1913) Page 23
• Bidwell Family History, 1587-1982, vol. 1 (Joan J. Bidwell--1984)
• Find A Grave: Memorial #40756738 memorial with information from the "Genealogy of the Bidwell Family" cited here