Michael Smith Bridgham (1804 - 1867)

Born 21 Aug 1804 in New Gloucester, Cumberland, Massachusetts, United States

Ancestors

Died 27 Dec 1867 at age 63 in Buckfield, Oxford, Maine, United States

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Biography

Michael Smith Bridgham was born on August 21, 1804, in New Gloucester, Massachusetts (later Maine), the ninth of thirteen children.

In 1830, Michael appears to have been living with his parents in New Gloucester.

In 1850, Michael lived in Hartland, Maine, where he was a laborer, living by himself.

In 1860, continued to live in Hartland, was a farmer with real estate worth $300, and a personal estate worth $55. He appeared to be living by himself. He ran a farm of 30 improved acres and 70 unimproved acres. The farm had a cash value of $300, and the implements and machinery were worth $25. He had 1 milch [sic] cow, valued at $30. His farm produced 10 bushels of Indian corn, 15 bushels of oats, and 3 bushels of peas and beans. He also produced 50 pounds of butter, and 5 tons of hay.

In Buckfield, Maine, on December 27, 1867, Michael was shot and killed by his uncle, Thomas S. Bridgham, who said he was acting in self defense. The following is one account of the incident. See Thomas S. Bridgham for another account.

The Shooting Affair at Buckfield.

---The following additional particulars of the fatal shooting affray at Buckfield Saturday evening are given by a citizen of that place:

Mr. Michael Bridgham, a half-brother of old Dr. Bridgham, who had lately lived in the old homestead of the Dr., had a violent quarrel with Thomas S. Bridgham, grandson of the Dr., who also lives in the same house, on Saturday evening, about six o’clock, which resulted in the death of the old gentleman by a pistol shot fired by the young man.

The facts are as follows: The young man, who had just returned from Portland, found that the ladies of the household, and especially his wife, had been abused by the old man, according to complaints made to him. On being accused of the matter he became very furious and attacked Thomas with a chair, following him across the room and striking him several times with it. Finally the young man backed into a bedroom where he bethought himself of a pistol, by which he says he hoped to frighten his assailant away. He got the pistol and warned the old man to keep away, but the attack was still kept up. Twice or three times the pistol was knocked out of his hand, but at last it was picked up and discharged, the shot taking effect in the body of the old man, above the hip, and inflicting a wound from which he died in about thirty minutes. Thomas says that he finally concluded to fire the pistol for the purpose of wounding his assailant in the hand or arm, if at all, and had no thought of anything serious from it, it being his only thought, at first, to frighten the old man away, as he saw he was in danger of his life if something was not done.

A coroner’s inquest was at once begun, but we have not learned the result. The deceased was about seventy years old, and had been considered partially insane at times. There is much excitement in the town, concerning the affair, and it is difficult to judge impartially until the facts are all out. The young man is well known and stands well in the community, and we judge that few persons attribute any criminal purpose to him.^[1]

Facts

NAME
Michael Smith Bridgham
Michael Bridgham ^{[2] [3]}
Michael S. Bridgham ^[4]

SEX
Male

BIRTH
ABT 1800; Maine, United States ^[2]
21 AUG 1804; New Gloucester, Cumberland, Maine, United States ^{[5] [6] [4]}
ABT 1805; Maine, United States ^[3]

DEATH
27 DEC 1867 ^[5]

BURIAL
Buckfield Cemetery, Buckfield, Oxford, Maine, United States

OCCUPATION
1850; Laborer ^[2]

RESIDENCE
1810; New Gloucester, Cumberland, Massachusetts, United States ^[7]
1850; Hartland, Somerset, Maine, United States ^[2]
1860; Hartland, Somerset, Maine, United States ^[3]

Research Notes

From the "Philadelphia Inquirer," Dec. 31, 1867,

"Shooting Affray

"Lawrence, Me., Dec. 30. -- Thomas S. Bridgham shot and killed his uncle, Michael Bridgham, in an affray at Buckfield, on Saturday evening. He claims to have acted in self-defense."

[It is not known if this is Thomas Sydenham Bridgham, Jr. or Sr.]

From the "Daily Eastern Argus" Portland, ME, Jan. 2, 1868, p. 2,

Upon the body of the old man Bridgham, who was shot in the Buckfield affray, was found some two hundred dollars in money wrapped up in bits of rags, paper, &c., in every conceivable shape--silver of a description from a fourpence to a dollar, greenbacks and quite an amount of State bills. Evidently he got what he could and kept what he got.

From "The Maine Farmer," Jan. 9, 1868, p. 2.

[The paper repeated the "Daily Eastern Argus" story, adding:]

A Correspondent of the Lewiston Journal says that the deceased was a man of some sixty years of age, who in his early years possessed something of an education--studied medicine---got mixed up in a love affair, and was to some extent insane afterwards, occasionally showing himself a dangerous man, or at least possessing a very bad temper, Some two hundred dollars in money was found on the body of the deceased, wrapped up in bits of rags, paper &c., in every conceivale shape---silver of a description from a four pence to a dollar, greenbacks, and quite an amount in State bills.

Sources

1. ↑ Daily Eastern Argus (Portland, ME), Jan. 1, 1868, p. 2.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3} Source: Title: "1850 Census" , Page: Maine, Hartland, Somerset Co., Roll M432_268, p. 34 , Repository name: www.ancestry.com
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} Source: Title: "1860 Census" , Page: Maine, Hartland, Somerset Co., Roll M653_452 , Repository name: www.ancestry.com
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Source: Title: www.ancestry.com , Page: "Copy of an Old Record of a Birth," for Michael S. Bridgham
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} Source: Title: Buckfield Cemetery
6. ↑ Source: Title: www.familysearch.org , Page: IGI Batch# C503441
7. ↑ Source: Title: "1810 Census" , Page: p. 266 , Repository name: www.ancestry.com