Joseph Bridgham (1789 - 1857)

Born 25 Dec 1789 in Minot, Androscoggin, (district of Maine), Massachusetts, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Margaret (Bradley) Bridgham — married 19 Feb 1817 in Brewer, Penobscot, Maine, United States

Descendants

Died 17 May 1857 at age 67 in Charleston, Penobscot, Maine, United States

Biography

Joseph H. Bridgham was born on Christmas Day, 1789 in Minot, Massachusetts (later Maine), the oldest of thirteen children. He used the suffix “Jr.” even though he had a middle initial of “H” to distinguish him from his father. Could his father also have had the same middle name?

In 1810, Joseph Bridgham lived with his parents in Township 2 Range 5, Hancock Co., Maine.

He was a Captain in the War of 1812. His gravestone says that he was a Colonel.

Joseph H. Bridgham and Margaret Campbell Bradley were married in Brewer, Maine on February 19, 1817. She was born March 2, 1793 in Brewer, the daughter of Levi and Mary (Campbell) Bradley.

Later that year,

On Monday last, the Captains and Subalterns of the 4th Regt. 1st Brig. 10th Division, convened at the house of Moses Hodson, Esq. in Levant, for the purpose of choosing Colonel, &c. made choice of Lieut. Col. Isaac Hodson, of Corrinth, for Colonel, Major Solomon Blake, of Brewer, for Lieut. Colonel, and Capt. Josiah Barker, of Exeter, for Major, who declined serving, and Capt. Joseph Bridgham, jr. of New-Charlestown, was elected Major; --- The votes were unanimous in every ballot.^[1]

In 1820, Joseph Bridgham, Jr., of Charleston, Maine, was head of a household that consisted of 2 males under 10 (Albert was 1, Wilmot was 3), 1 male 26 to 44 (Joseph was 31), and 1 female 16 to 25 (Margaret was 27). One person was employed in agriculture.

In 1821, he was an “officer ex officio” at the first meeting of the Penobscot Agricultural Society

It appears that he was a member of the Republican party in 1829.

Celebration at Charlestown, (Me.)

The 4th of March instant, was celebrated by the Republicans of Charlestown and vicinity. Salutes were fired during the day; at noon an eloquent and highly interesting Address was delivered by Gorham Parks, Esq. of Bangor. Rev. N. Robinson, of Dover, officiated as Chaplain. The company afterwards sat down to an excellent dinner, prepared by Col. J. Bridgham, Jr. ...^[2]

In 1830, Joseph Bridgham, Jr., of Charleston, was head of a household consisting of 1 male under 5 (Joseph was 3), 2 males 10 to 14 (Albert was 11, Wilmot was 13), 1 male 15 to 19 (____), 1 male 40 to 49 (Joseph was 41), 1 female under 5 (Margaret was 7 !), and 1 female 30 to 39 (Margaret was 37). He was living next door to his parents. Who was the teenage male?

Joseph Bridgham was a Representative to the state congress in 1834.

In 1840, he was head of a household that consisted of 1 male 5 to 9 (Zebulon was 9), 1 male 10 to 14 (Joseph was 13), 2 males 20 to 29 (Albert was 20, Wilmot was 22), 1 male 40 to 49 (Joseph was 51), 1 female under 5 (Maria was 3), 1 female 5 to 9 (Mary was 6), 1 female 15 to 19 (Margaret was 17), and 1 female 40 to 49 (Margaret was 47). Two people were employed in agriculture and one in manufacturing and trade.

In 1850, Joseph Bridgam [sic], still living in Charleston, was a millman. His household included his wife Margaret, daughter Margaret, son Joseph, daughters Mary and Maria, his married son, Albert and wife Martha. Mary and Maria were attending school.

Joseph Bridgham died on May 17, 1857 in Minot at the age of 67.

After his death on May 17, 1857, in Charleston, Joseph’s widow continued to collect his Civil War pension.

No. of certificate. 13,934

Name of pensioner. Bridgham, Margaret C.

Post-office address. Bangor

Cause for which pensioned. widow 1812

Monthly rate. 8.00

Date of original allowance. Jan. 3, 1879^[3]

In 1880, Margaret Bridgham lived at 56 Lime St. (now Forest Ave.) in Bangor in the household of her unmarried daughter, Mariah Bridgham. Also living in this household were Benj. and Eunice Butterfield.

Margaret (Bradley) Bridgham died on March 19, 1883 in Bangor, two weeks after her 90th birthday.

George Thomas Little wrote a short biography of Joseph Bridgham.

Joseph, eldest son of Joseph and Betsey (Lane) Bridgham, was born December 25, 1789, at Minot, Maine, and died May 17, 1857, at Charleston, Maine. He was captain in the war of 1812, and as all his friends and neighbors called him colonel, it is probable he had that rank in the Maine Militia; in 1834 he was a member of the state legislature, and was for many years postmaster at West Charleston, Maine. He was prominent in all the affairs of this town, and when he died his funeral was attended by nearly all its residents, many in carriages, but the majority of the men walking by twos, and the procession reached nearly half a mile. February 19, 1817, he was married, by Rev. Henry Hale, to Margaret, daughter of Levi and Mary Bradley, of Bangor, born March 2, 1793, at Brewer, Maine, died at Bangor, March 19, 1883. Levi Bradley was for several years sheriff of Penobscot county, Maine.^[4]

Both Joseph and Margaret Bridgham are buried at the West Charleston Cemetery, Charleston.

They had seven children. The three daughters never married. All four sons married and together, they gave their parents fifteen grandchildren.

Facts

NAME
Joseph H. Bridgham ^{[5] [6]}
Joseph Bridgham ^{[7] [8]}

SEX
Male

BIRTH
25 DEC 1789; Minot, Androscoggin, Maine, United States ^{[9] [10] [11]}
25 DEC 1789; Hebron, Oxford, Maine, United States ^[7]

DEATH
17 MAY 1857; Charleston, Penobscot, Maine, United States ^[9]
17 MAY 1857 ^[8]

BURIAL
West Charleston Cemetery, Charleston, Penobscot, Maine, United States ^[12]

OCCUPATION
1850; Millman ^[10]

RESIDENCE
1800; Cumberland Co., Maine, United States ^[13]
1820; New Charleston, Penobscot, Maine, United States ^{[14] [15]}
1830; Charleston, Penobscot, Maine, United States ^{[16] [17]}
1840; Charleston, Penobscot, Maine, United States ^{[18] [19]}
1850; Charleston, Penobscot, Maine, United States ^[10]

FAMILY
Husband
Joseph H. Bridgham
Wife
Margaret Campbell Bradley
Marriage
19 FEB 1817; Brewer, Penobscot, Maine, United States ^{[5] [9] [20]}

Notes

Joseph Bridgham is incorrectly listed as "Joseph Bridgam" in the Maine 1850 census.

From "Genealogical and Family History of the State of Maine" by George Thomas Little, p. 1590:

Joseph, eldest son of Joseph and Betsey (Lane) Bridgham, was born December 25, 1789, at Minot, Maine, and died May 17, 1857, at Charleston, Maine. He was captain in the war of 1812, and as all his friends and neighbors called him colonel, it is probable he had that rank in the Maine Militia; in 1834 he was a member of the state legislature, and was for many years postmaster at West Charleston, Maine. He was prominent in all the affairs of this town, and when he died his funeral was attended by nearly all its residents, many in carriages, but the majority of the men walking by twos, and the procession reached nearly half a mile. February 19, 1817, he was married, by Rev. Henry Hale, to Margaret, daughter of Levi and Mary Bradley, of Bangor, born March 2, 1793, at Brewer, Maine, died at Bangor, March 19, 1883. Levi Bradley was for several years sheriff of Penobscot county, Maine. Children of Joseph and Margaret (Bradley) Bridgham: 1. Wilmot, born November 12, 1817; had wife Hannah, and lived in Beddington, Maine; he died April 17, 1882. 2 Albert. 3. Margaret, born January 25, 1823, died August 21, 1870, at Bangor, never married. 4 Joseph, born July 18, 1827, married Mary J. Scribner, and died in Vassar, Michigan. 5. Zebulon, born August 2, 1831; married Hannah E. Walker; lived and died in Ashland. 6. Mary, born December 1, 1834, died June 8, 1863 at Brewer, Maine; never married. 7. Hannah Maria, born March 5, 1837; never married, and died in Bangor.

From "Early Narraguagus River Families of Washington County, Maine, Vol. 1," p. 56,.

Joseph H. Bridgham, b at Shepardsville {Hebron} 25 Dec 1789; d at Charleston 17 May 1857; served in War of 1812, probably a colonel in Me State militia; member Me state legislature 1843; postmaster at W. Charleston; m 19 Feb 1817 Margaret Campbell Bradley, b at Brewer 2 March 1793; d at Bangor 19 March 1883; dau of Levi and Mary (Campbell) Bradley; 7 children b at Charleston.

From the "Bangor Weekly Register," (Bangor, ME), May 31, 1821, p. 3,.

The Penobscot Agricultural Society held its first meeting under the Act of Incorporation, on the 17th inst. ...

Trustees.

The above officers ex officio --- ... Joseph Bridgham, jr. ...

Col. Joseph Bridgham is buried at the West Charleston Cemetery, Charleston, Penobscot, Maine.

Sources

1. ↑ "Bangor Weekly Register," Bangor, Maine, July 5, 1817, p. 3
2. ↑ "Eastern Argus Semi Weekly," Maine, March 20, 1829.
3. ↑ "List of pensioners on the roll January 1, 1883; giving the name of each pensioner, the cause for which pensioned, the post office address, the rate of pension per month, and the date of original allowance, as called for by Senate resolution of December 8, 1882. Volume I," Dec. 8, 1882, p. 99.
4. ↑ George Thomas Little, Genealogical and Family History of the State of Maine, p. 1590.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} Source: Title: "Early Narraguagus River Families of Washington County, Maine" , Page: p. 56 , Author: Darryl B. Lamson and Leonard F. Tibbetts , Publication: Name: Name: Picton Press, Rockport, Maine, 2002;;
6. ↑ Source: Title: FindaGrave , Page: www.my-ged.com
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} Source: Title: FindaGrave , Page: "Copy of an Old Record of a Birth," for Joseph Bridgham
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} Source: Title: Gravestone , Page: Find A Grave: Memorial #42431003
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1 9.2} Source: Title: "Genealogical and Family History of the State of Maine, Vol 3" , Page: p. 1590 , Author: George Thomas Little , Publication: Name: Name: Lewis Historical Publishing Co., New York, 1909;;
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1 10.2} Source: Title: "1850 Census" , Page: p. 174 , Repository name: www.ancestry.com
11. ↑ Source: Title: www.familysearch.org , Page: IGI Film# 1985676
12. ↑ Source: Title: FindaGrave , Page: Find A Grave: Memorial #42431003
13. ↑ Source: Title: "1800 Census Index" , Repository name: familytreemaker.genealogy.com
14. ↑ Source: Title: "1820 Census Index" , Repository name: familytreemaker.genealogy.com
15. ↑ Source: Title: "1820 Census" , Page: p. 32 , Repository name: www.ancestry.com
16. ↑ Source: Title: "1830 Census Index" , Repository name: familytreemaker.genealogy.com
17. ↑ Source: Title: "1830 Census" , Page: p. 443 , Repository name: www.ancestry.com
18. ↑ Source: Title: "1840 Census Index" , Repository name: familytreemaker.genealogy.com
19. ↑ Source: Title: "1840 Census" , Page: p. 66 , Repository name: www.ancestry.com
20. ↑ Source: Title: www.familysearch.org , Page: IGI Film# 2034524