Isaac Bedwell

BEDWELL, POOLE, PENNINGTON, KETTERING, KOSNER, MCCANN

Posted By: Donald Bedwell (email)
Date: 3/24/2006 at 10:36:33

Isaac Bedwell was the eleventh of twelve children born to the Reverend Elisha Bedwell and Mary Poole. He was born in Grayson County Virginia on October 23, 1804 and was educated by his father. As a young man he had moved with his parents to White County Tennessee. After the death of his parents, Isaac married Charity (surname unknown) about 1825 in Cherry Creek, White County, near Sparta. Charity was born December 10, 1804 in North or South Carolina. About two years after the birth of their first son William C. Bedwell in 1826, it is recorded in Deed Book H. on page 256 that on 3 March 1828 Isaac gave power of attorney for the sale of his tract of land: “Isaac Bedwell, who is leaving the state, appoints Jesse A. Bounds to convey unto John B. Bounds a tract on Falling Waters of Caney Fork, being 47 acres. Wit: William Clar, James Ward. Acknowledged before John Pennington, J.P. 2 May 1832.”

Isaac and brother’s William Bedwell, wife Catherine Kosner, Martin H. Bedwell and his wife Polly Pennington, moved to Bedford Lawrence County Indiana. Possibly other siblings and relatives of Issac may have moved to Bedford as well. In 1817 Isaacs’ brother Ira Theophlis Bedwell and wife Barbara Jane Kettering moved to Lafayette County Missouri. William and his family remained in Indiana, while the families of brothers Martin and Isaac moved from the state by 1840. Martin H. Bedwell and family homesteaded and remained in Clay Township of Washington County Iowa which is located near Rubio, until his death in 1862. Isaac and Charity had five children born in Lawrence County. They were: twins James R. Bedwell and John W. Bedwell born December 20, 1828, Elizabeth Bedwell born about 1828, Mary Jane Bedwell born about 1831 and Benjamin Franklin Bedwell born November 17, 1831. Isaac and his family moved again, this time to Lee County Illinois where they had three more children; Agnes "Agga" P. Bedwell b. 1838, Abigail Bedwell b. about 1841 and Eliza C. Bedwell b. December 26, 1841. About 1842 Isaac moves his family to the north half of the southeast quarter of section 22 of Monroe Township in Mahaska County Iowa where he homesteads. On January 4, 1844 Isaacs’ wife Charity dies and is buried on a small piece of the Bedwell homestead property that later became the Bedwell Cemetery. On December 16, 1847 in Sigourney, Keokuk County, Iowa Isaac married for the second time to Ellen (Ellenor), the widow of James McCann and she brings son Albert McCann into the Bedwell family. I have seen her maiden surname listed as Mollen, which is a misinterpretation. On her marriage register entry to Isaac Bedwell the handwriting of her first marriage surname of McCann, I believe was misinterpreted as Mollen.

Ellenor gave birth to Martin Edwin Bedwell April 1850 and (Harry) Alpheus F. Bedwell in 1851 before Isaac died on October 15, 1851. Isaac, a true pioneer, is buried next to his first wife Charity in the Bedwell Cemetery.