Burrage Downes Bridgham (1836 - 1919)

Born 9 May 1836 in Hebron, Cumberland, Maine, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Adelia Ellen (Crawford) Bridgham — married 25 Aug 1870 in Brunswick, Cumberland, Maine, United States

Descendants

Died 30 Apr 1919 at age 82 in Beltrami Co., Minnesota, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Joel Bridgham [send private message]

Biography

Burrage Downes Bridgham was born in Hebron, Maine in May of 1836, the eighth of ten children, and the youngest boy. He often went by the nickname “Burr.”

About 1860, he married his first wife, 18-year-old Louisa B. Palmer in Machias, Maine. She was born January 24, 1842, in Machias. She was his first cousin, once removed.

In 1860, Burges [sic] Bridgham of Whitneyville, Maine was a millman with real estate worth $600, and a personal estate worth $100. Included in his household were his wife, Louisa (who was still attending school), and their daughter Lucy.

In 1863, he registered for the Civil War draft. He was a millman, married, and born in East Machias.

On June 17, 1869, his first wife, Louiza [sic] B. Bridgham died of consumption in Whitneyville after only nine years of marriage.

In 1870, Burrage of Whitneyville worked in a sawmill and owned real estate worth $700 and had a personal estate worth $300. Included in his household were his children Linnie (attending school), and Edwin. His wife Louisa had died the previous year. Also living with them was 55-year-old housekeeper, Martha H. Perry.

Burrage Bridgham married his second wife, Adelia “Delia” E. Crawford in Brunswick, Maine on August 25, 1870. She also went by Adelia, Delia, or Ellen. She was born April 5, 1845, in Bath, Maine, daughter of James Grace and Rebecca Chandler (Mereen) Crawford.

In 1880, Burrage lived in Whitneyville where he was a lumberman. His family included his wife, Delia; daughter, Linnie and sons Edwin, and Barton. The two older children attended school.

In 1881, he moved with his family to Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he used his experience to work as a millwright. By 1883 he was a saw filer and lived at 521 8th Ave. SE.

By 1885 he had moved to 415 E. 18th St., where he stayed for five years and worked as an oiler and a filer. In 1886, he was a partner in “Bridgham B D with J W Day & Co.” In 1888, he worked as a filer for the Bassett Mill in Minneapolis. By 1890, he had moved to 1110 E. 18th, then to 2022 6 ½ Ave for three years, then to 1412 Portland Ave. for two or three years. By 1897, he had moved to 200 SE 4th, and the next year was at 1112 Hawthorn Ave. By 1900, he lived in Crookston, Polk, Minnesota. Between 1903 and 1905, he lived in Port Hope, and in 1910, Turtle, River, both in Beltrami Co., Minnesota.

Burrage made the front pages of the local paper in 1896 when he accused the local police department of corruption.

VENAL!

Dreadful Disclosures of Corruption in the Police Department.

Laid Before the Grand Jury in Voluminous and Sworn Reports.

Blackmail Levied on Abandoned Women and Panel.

The Significant Story of Foreman Bridgham and What It Means.

Criticisms of the Mayor for Refusing to Admit That Things Are Wrong.

...

Outside of the evidence contained in this report a number of men who have fared baddly at the hands of the police department will appear before the grand jury and testify as to their experiences. Among them will be B. D. Bridgham of 200 Fourth Street SE, who has a particularly hard luck story to tell - one which indicates the grossest carelessness on the part of the police with a strong suggestion that their carelessness was the natural sequence of a profitable understanding with a pickpocket.

Last summer Mr. Bridgham was running McMullen’s lathe and shingle mill in Southeast Minneapolis and had quite a number of men in his employment. On Saturday, Dec. 5, he received from his employers a check for $290 to use in paying off his men. He cashed the check at the Swedish-American bank, taking the money in fives and tens and silver, so as to be able to pay the individual accounts.

At about 10:45 he was standing in front of the union depot waiting for a car to take him to the east side of the river. There he was accosted by a man who had probably followed him from the bank. The man wanted to know what car to take to go to the university. Bridgham told him to take the University car, and added that he was going to take the same car himself. All this time Bridgham had his coin in his front trousers pocket and the bills to an amount of about $130 in a roll in his left hip pocket. He took the precaution to keep his hand on it all the time. The man got on the car first and stood at Bridgham’s left on the car platform. When the conductor collected his fare, Bridgham momentarily took his hand off the roll and in that moment the man picked his pocket. At this time the car was passing Main street and Officer Sullivan and another policeman were standing on the corner. Bridgham relied to them that he had been robbed and watched the pickpocket until Second street was reached. There he turned around for a moment to see if the officers were coming.

At that moment the thief made a break for liberty and pulled Bridgham off the car and got away. The officers and others gave chase and, after running him around a block, caught him on Main street. Bridgham then accompanied them with their prisoner to the East Side station, where Captain Bosworth and two officers took the thief into a private room to examine him. Bridgham demanded to be admitted while the search was going on, but was refused, and when the officers came out they told him that his money was not to be found, kidding that they had even searched the thief’s shoes. Bridgham asked how a man running that way could have time to put money in his shoes. Inquiring further as to whether or not any money was found on the man, Officer Sullivan said that he had a five-dollar bill and a silver dollar, while Captain Bosworth said later that he had three five-dollar bills. Bridgham was informed that as the next day was Sunday he could do nothing then, but was advised to call on Monday and swear out a warrant.

He was very much groused over the matter, and called on Bosworth twice on Saturday, and again on Sunday, to make sure that the thief did not escape. In the meantime the man was taken to the central station and registered as a vagrant. Being still anxious, Bridgham called on the chief of police on Sunday and told him that he wanted to bring the man to trial. He was then told that he couldn’t do anything till Tuesday, as Monday was a holiday. But the chief called up the lockup to see if the man was there. Great was Bridgham’s surprise when the chief informed him that the jailer said that the thief was out on $25 bail.

Bridgham was mad all the way through, and informed the chief then and there that there was no doubt that the police had assisted this thief of robbing him, and had abetted his escape under bail. Subsequently Bridgham merely charged both Sullivan and Captain Bosworth with dividing up his money when they searched the thief, but they made a very lame defence of themselves.^[1]

The police captain responded two days later.

Capt. Bosworth’s Version

His Side of the Bridgham Case

Bridgham Wasn’t Sure That the Prisoner Had His Money When Arrested.

Captain W. W. Bosworth of the East Side station and Officers Sullivan and Ring feel that they were done a great injustice in the story of B. D. Bridgham, published in Thursday’s Journal. The captain has been on the force for twenty-two years, having been placed there by the pioneer settler, Captain O. C. Merriman, and the latter says that the police captain is a man of spotless character. This, it may be added, is the opinion of all who know the captain.

Together with Officer Ring the captain this afternoon made a statement to The Journal which seems to refute the charges and inferences contained in Bridgham’s story.

According to this statement, Bridgham was present when the alleged thief was searched, instead of being barred out as he alleges; he saw the officers find $6.60 all told on the person of the prisoner, and he admitted that another man who might have been the real thief or a confederate, had jumped off the car while it was on the stone arch bridge.

The officers, moreover, say that Bridgham had had “a drink or two,” and so far from accusing them of any offences at the time, put in several hours looking for the money along the path the thief took when he ran away. The idea that they divided the money among themselves was an afterthought. No complaint of robbery was lodged against the prisoner, because the county attorney’s office held that nothing could be done without witnesses, and with Bridgham himself refusing to testify that the arrested man was the one who took his money.^[2]

In 1900, Burrage and Adelia rented their home on 703 Spendley in Crookston, Minnesota, where he worked as a millwright in a lumber mill. They had been married about 30 years. Her only child was still living in 1900, but not with them. That same year, Adelia was elected president of the W. C. T. U. (Woman’s Christian Temperance Union).

In 1905, Bur [sic] D. Bridgham lived in Port Hope, Minnesota, where he was a millwright. Living with him was his wife, Adelia. They had lived in Minnesota for 24 years. By 1909, Burrage was the president of the village council of Turtle River, Minnesota.

In 1910, they rented their home in Turtle River, where he was a millwright. Also living in this household was his 20-year-old nephew, Harrold Wiley, born in Nebraska like his parents.

His friends and family hosted a surprise seventy-sixth birthday party for Burrage in Bemidji, Minnesota on May 10, 1912, so his birthday must be around May 10.

Burr D. Bridgham died of stomach cancer on April 30, 1919, in Beltrami Co., Minnesota at the age of 82.

Bridgham Funeral held

Rev. L. P. Warford conducted the funeral services of Burrage Downs [sic] Bridgham last evening at 8 o’clock at Turtle River. Miss Ida Virginia Brown accompanied Rev. Warford and sang two solos at the service. The deceased was born in town of Marion, Washington county, Maine, in 1936 [sic], and was a sawmill worker for 54 years. He leaves to mourn his death, his wife, one son, five grandchildren and three great grandchildren. Death occurred Wednesday, at the home. The body was taken to Minneapolis for burial.^[3]

Adelia (Crawford) Bridgham died fifteen months later on July 29, 1920, in Hennepin Co., Minnesota at the age of 75. They are buried side by side Lakewood Cemetery in Minneapolis.

Facts

NAME
Burrage Downes Bridgham ^[4]
Burrage "Burr" D. Bridgham ^{[5] [6]}
B. D. Bridgham ^{[7] [8]}
Birrage Bridgham ^[9]
Bur D. Bridgham ^[10]
Burges Bridgham ^[11]
Burrage Bridgham ^[12]
Burrage D. Bridgham ^{[13] [14]}
Barton Bridgham ^[15]
Berridge Bridgham ^[16]

SEX
Male

BIRTH
ABT 1834 ^[12]
ABT 1836; Maine, United States ^{[10] [16]}
1836; Marion, Washington, Maine, United States ^[4]
1836 ^[14]
MAY 1836; Hebron, Oxford, Maine, United States ^{[5] [17] [18] [11] [19] [20] [21]}
MAY 1836; Washington Co., Maine, United States ^[22]
9 MAY 1836 ^[8]
ABT 1838; Maine, United States ^[9]

DEATH
1919; Turtle River, Beltrami, Minnesota, United States ^[12]
1919 ^[14]
30 APR 1919; Beltrami Co., Minnesota, United States ^[23]
30 APR 1919; Minnesota, United States ^[22]

BURIAL
Lakewood Cemetery, Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota, United States ^[22]

OCCUPATION
1860; Millman ^[11]
1870; Sawmill ^[9]
1880; Lumberman ^[20]
1900; Millwright, lumber ^[24]
1905; Millwright ^[10]
1910; Millwright ^[5]

RESIDENCE
1840; Marion, Washington, Maine, United States ^[25]
1850; Twp. 14, Washington, Maine, United States ^[17]
1860; Whitneyville, Washington, Maine, United States ^[11]
1870; Whitneyville, Washington, Maine, United States ^{[9] [13]}
1880; Whitneyville, Washington, Maine, United States ^[20]
BET 1881 AND 1905; Minnesota, United States ^[10]
1885; Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota, United States ^[16]
1886; 415 E. 18th, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States ^[7]
1900; Crookston, Polk, Minnesota, United States ^[18]
BET 1903 AND 1905; Port Hope Townhip, Beltrami, Minnesota, United States ^[10]
1910; Turtle River, Beltrami, Minnesota, United States ^[5]

FIRST FAMILY
Husband
Burrage Downes Bridgham
Wife
Louisa B. Palmer
Marriage
ABT 1860 ^[6]
ABT 1863 ^[12]

SECOND FAMILY
Husband
Burrage Downes Bridgham
Wife
Adelia E. Crawford
Marriage
25 AUG 1870; Brunswick, Cumberland, Maine, United States ^{[5] [6] [24] [26] [13]}

Research Notes

Maine Business Directory (ancestry.com),

Burrage D. B 1871, Whitneyville, p. 71.

Minneaplis, Minnesota, City Directory, www.footnote.com:

Burrage B. 1883, saw filer, r 521 8th av SE., p. 142.(footnote)

B D B. 1884, emp J B Bassett & Co., p. 143. (ancestry)

Burrage D B. 1885, miller r 415 E 18th., p. 168.(footnote)

B D B. 1886, with J W Day & Co r 415 E 18th., p. 176.(footnote)

Burrage B. 1887, filer r 415 E 18th., p. 201.(footnote)

Burrage D B. 1888, oiler, r 415 E 18th., p. 318.(footnote)

Burrage D B. 1889, filer, J B Bassett & Co, r 415 e 18th, p. 280.(footnote)

Burrage D B. 1890, millwright, r 1110 E 18th., p. 252.(footnote)

Burrage D B. 1891, millwright, r 2022 6 1/2 av s., p. 279.(footnote)

Burrage D B. 1892, lab, r 2022 Portland av., p. 247.(footnote)

Burrage D B. 1893, millwright, J B Bassett & Co, r 2022 Oakland av., p. 266.(footnote)

Burrage D B. 1894, foreman McMullen & Co, r 1412 Portland av, p. 189.(footnote)

Burrage D B. 1895, millwright, r 1412 Portland av., p. 194.(footnote)

Burrage D B. 1897, millwright, r 200 s e 4th, p. 219.(footnote)

Burrage D B. 1898, millwright, r 1112 Hawthorn av., p. 225.(footnote)

Burrage B. 1901, millwright F S Stevens, r 1416 n 5th., p. 249.(footnote)

Burrage B. 1902, filer, r 1210 Harmon pl., p. 281.(footnote)

From the "Maine Farmer," Augusta, ME, Sep. 3, 1870, p. 3

Married.

...

In Brunswick, Aug. 25, by Rev. Geo. C. Crawford, Burrage D. Bridgham of Whitneyville to Miss Ellen A. Crawford of Batn.

From "The Mississippi Valley Lumberman," Minneapolis, MN, May 11, 1888,

The Minneapolis Mills.

...

Bassett mill -- ...; filer, B. D. Bridgham.

From "The Mississippi Valley Lumberman," Minneapolis, MN, June 19, 1896,

The Minneapolis Mill Crews.

...

McMullen & Co.; ...; Shingle and lath mill, P. [sic] D. Bridgham

From the "Polk County Journal," Crookston, MN, Aug. 9, 1900,

Barton Bridgham, engineer on the Wisconsin Central, arrived in the city Tuesday morning for a visit with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. B. D. Bridgham, on Cowing street.

From the "Polk County Journal," Crookston, MN, Nov. 29, 1900,

Mr. and Mrs. B. D. Bridgham went to Minneapolis Monday, where they will remain during the winter.

From "The Bemidji Daily Pioneer," MN, April 6, 1909,

B. D. Bridgham earned $1.08 from Beltrami County, MN, for "Carrying general election returns Town of Turtle River."

From "The Bemidji Daily Pioneer," MN, May 12, 1909,

Mayor B. D. Bridgham was pleasantly surprised last Saturday evening, it being his birthday. A large crowd attended and a good time was reported. [May 12 was a Wednesday. From this, we can deduce that his birthday was May 9.]

From "The Bemidji Pioneer, Bemidji, Minnesota, Sept. 20, 1909, p. 1,

... R. B. Bridgham, president of the village council of Turtle River. ...

[Is this B. D. Bridgham?]

From "The Bemidji Pioneer," Bemidji, Minnesota, Friday, May 10, 1912, p. 5,

A pleasant little surprise was given Mr. Burr Bridgham last Wednesday evening, when a number of his friends fathered at his home to celebrate his seventy-sixth birthday. Those present were Mr. and Mrs. A. W. Baldwin, Mrs. E. I. Porter, Mrs. Ethel Wiley and son, Rev. S. E. P. White of Bemidji, Mrs. A. O. Johnson, Mr. and Mrs. Ed. Williams, Messrs Oscar and Reuben Johnson, Martin and Carl Otterstad, Misses J. Benson, R. Pendergast, Oline Porter, Josie Sadek, Ella Otterstad, and Masters Sidney Johnson and Robbie Porter. Uncle Burr received a number of presents.

...

B. D. Bridgham spent Thursday with friends in Bemidji.

From the "Duluth Evening Herald," March 1914,

Miss Vera Walker, who has spent the winter visiting at the home of her uncle, B. D. Bridgham at Turtle River, passed through the city en route her home at Seattle, Wash., Monday.

From "The Bemidgi Pioneer," MN, April 30, 1919,

Death Takes Turtle River Old Settler

Burr D. Bridgham, 82 years old, one of Beltrami county's poineer residents, and who has lived at Turtle River for sixteen years, died at his home early this morning from cancer of the stomach, following a long illness. He is survived by his wife.

Before taking up farm work Mr. Bridgham was a sawmill filer. The body was prepared for burial by H. N. McKee of the Huffman and O'Leary undertaking parlors, will be taken to Minneapolis where interment will be made.

Sources

1. ↑ "The Minneapolis Journal," (Minnesota), Dec. 17, 1896.
2. ↑ "The Minneapolis Journal," (Minneapolis, Minnesota), Dec. 19, 1896.
3. ↑ "The Bemidji Pioneer," (Bemidji, Minnesota), Aug. 3, 1920, p. 5.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Source: Title: "The Bemidji Pioneer," Bemidji, Minnesota , Page: May 2, 1919, p. 1. , Repository name: www.chroniclingamerica.loc.gov
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4} Source: Title: "1910 Census" , Page: Minnesota, Turtle Rvr, Beltrami Co., Roll 690, book 1, p. 240a , Repository name: www.ancestry.com
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2} Source: Title: "Narrative of the Town of Machias" , Page: p. 365 , Author: George W. Drisko , Publication: Name: Name: Press of the Republic, Machias, Maine. 1904;; , Repository name: www.ancestry.com
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} Source: Title: "Minneapolis city directory for 1886-7" , Page: p. 176 , Repository name: www.ancestry.com
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} Source: Title: "The Bemidji Pioneer," Bemidji, Minnesota , Page: May 12, 1909, p. 4 , Repository name: www.chroniclingamerica.loc.gov
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3} Source: Title: "1870 Census" , Page: Maine, Whitneyville, Washington Co., Roll M593_563, p. 564 , Repository name: www.ancestry.com
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4} Source: Title: "1905 Census" , Page: Minnesota, Port Hope, Baltrami Co., Roll MNSC_108, p. 479 , Repository name: www.ancestry.com
11. ↑ ^{11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3} Source: Title: "1860 Census" , Page: Maine, Whitneyville, Washington Co., Series M653, Roll 455, p. 822 , Repository name: www.ancestry.com
12. ↑ ^{12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3} Source: Title: "Sons of the American Revolution Application" , Page: for Raymond Bridgham Walker, June 25, 1943 , Repository name: www.ancestry.com
13. ↑ ^{13.0 13.1 13.2} Source: Title: "Maine Farmer," Augusta, Maine , Page: Sept. 3, 1870, p. 3. , Repository name: www.ancestry.com
14. ↑ ^{14.0 14.1 14.2} Source: Title: Gravestone , Note: Find A Grave: Memorial #84946181
15. ↑ Source: Title: death certificate , Page: for Barton Crawford Bridgham.
16. ↑ ^{16.0 16.1 16.2} Source: Title: "1885 Census" , Page: Minnesota, Hennepin, Part 3 - City of Minneapolis, Wards 5 (part) - 8 , Repository name: www.ancestry.com
17. ↑ ^{17.0 17.1} Source: Title: "1850 Census" , Page: p. 104 , Repository name: www.ancestry.com
18. ↑ ^{18.0 18.1} Source: Title: "1900 Census" , Page: Minnesota, Crookston, Polk Co., Roll T623_781, p. 12B , Repository name: www.ancestry.com
19. ↑ Source: Title: "1870 Census" , Repository name: www.ancestry.com
20. ↑ ^{20.0 20.1 20.2} Source: Title: "1880 Census" , Page: Maine, Whitneyville, Washington Co. , Repository name: www.ancestry.com
21. ↑ Source: Title: www.familysearch.org , Page: IGI Film# 2034565
22. ↑ ^{22.0 22.1 22.2} Source: Title: internet , Note: Find A Grave: Memorial #84946181
23. ↑ Source: Title: "Minnesota Death Index 1908-2002" , Page: State File Number 000727 , Repository name: www.ancestry.com
24. ↑ ^{24.0 24.1} Source: Title: "1900 Census" , Page: p. 105 , Repository name: www.ancestry.com
25. ↑ Source: Title: "1840 Census" , Page: p. 175 , Repository name: www.ancestry.com
26. ↑ Source: Title: www.familysearch.org , Page: IGI Batch# M502962