Artist - Vivien Rhyan

History

 

BEDSWORTH

Where did the Bedsworths originally come from? Following are excerpts from two articles from the Bedsworth Family Newsletters of 1995 and 2004 written by Bobby D. Bedsworth, Hallsville, MO. 1995 The first Bedsworth that we have been able to connect to our line was Thomas, born in 1740. He lived in Maryland. His wife was Susannah. They had at least one son. William (Aug 15, 1764- ? ) William and his wife Nelly had the following children: 1. Thomas who married Sally Brown. Their children were: Tubman,William, Noah, and Zippora. 2. Tubman who married Anna Lowe. Their children were William, Eleanor, Tubman, Noah, Rachel, and James. 3. Mary or "Polly". 4. Noah who married Martha Patsy Baker. This is our family line 5. Zipporah or "Zippa". The Thomas (#1) and Tubman (#2) family lines (brothers of our Noah) have been traced to todays generations. Some of their decendants live in Missouri and others settled in Iowa where they spelled their name Betsworth. The name Bedsworth is most likely English in origin. There was a huge exodus from Scotland, England, and Ireland in the first half of the 18th century. Quite possibly the first Bedsworth arrived in America in the early 1600"s or before. Names with similar spellings have been found in shipping documents and tax lists as early as 1633. Our family tree has not been connected with any as of yet.   2004 We do not know precisely where the Bedsworths came from or when they came to America, but sources suggest they came from the Cheviot Hills of Scotland near the border of Southern England. Maryland records show: Richard Bedsworth was transported to America in 1662. Isaac and Richard Bedsworth came to Maryland in 1667-68. Records dated in 1863 show that richard Bedsworth's wife was named Sarah. William Bedsworth was listed on the tax list in Prince George County, Maryland in 1719. James Bedsworth received payment for services from the State of Maryland in 1753. Thomas Bedsworth purchased property on the south side of Renastroco Creek in Maryland in 1780. John Betsworth enlisted as a Private in the Maryland Line Regiment on Aug 11, 1781. Thomas Bedsworth bought Palmers Pleasure Plantation in 1782. Records show that Thomas Bedsworth died in 1785. William Bedsworth was listed as a member of Pen Holder Parish Church in Rehobeth in 1787. When Noah Bedsworth was born in 1799 the counrty was changing rapidly. The Revolutionary War ended in 1776. The Louisiana Purchase occurred in 1903. The War of 1812 ended in 1815. By the time Noah Bedsworth reached manhood westward expansion was in full swing. In 1821 or 1822 at the age of 22 or 23 Noah Bedsworth immigrated to Kentucky. He settled in Millersburg, Bourbon County, Kentucky. Millersburg, Kentucky was located on the Hinkson River between Maysville, Ohio on the Ohio River and Lexington, Kentucky. There he married Martha "Patsy" Baker on May 17, 1824. Martha Patsy was the daughter of Thomas and Racherl (Miller) Baker. Thomas's father William and Rachel's grandfather William Miller were members of Major John Miller's Company that settled Millersburg, Kentucky. Approximately 40 years later the Miller's Company now consisting of children of the original company continued on to Missouri to settle Millersburg, Missouri. Thomas and Rachel Baker came to Missouri in 1825. Noah and Martha Patsy Bedsworth followed after the birth of their first child born on Aug 27, 1825. Callaway County filled up rapidly with settlers of Scotch, Irish, and English descent from Kentucky, Virginia, and Tennessee. They brought with them the institution of slavery. They were hardy, vigorous, jack-of-all-trades people. They settled a land that had no roads. Creeks and rivers had no bridges. Major rivers had few ferries. There was ever present threat of starvation and disease.