|
THE DESCENDANTS OF
HENRY BEDFORD AND MARY HUNSINGER
This material was contributed by Linda Crawford. Please send any corrections, suggestions
or other remarks to Bob Sweeney at Bob Sweeney. We are
grateful to Linda for her assistance in preparing the information for this page.
MARY HUNSINGER (Samuel, George, Bernard, George Hunsinger) born in 1831; died 1912.
Married HENRY BEDFORD, the widow of Martha Ann Vough. Henry was the son of Henry and Mary (Secker) Bedford and the grandson of
John and Mary (Beaumont) Bedford. He died February 11, 1900. Here is a
biography of Henry written in 1899:
HENRY BEDFORD, a prominent and highly respected citizen of Elkland township,
Sullivan County, Pa., was born in Yorkshire, England, September 22, 1822, and is
a son of Henry and Sarah (Seeker) * Bedford. Mr. Bedford has already passed beyond
his three-score years and ten, the length of life allotted man; and, although he
has had two strokes of paralysis, he and his friends still hope he may live at
least to see the dawn of a new century and, if it be God's will, much longer.
*Editor's Note: Also seen as "Secker" in many sources.
Our subject's father came to America in 1822 and landed in New York City. Soon
after he found employment in a starch factory at Bull's Head, New Jersey. He
worked there for several years and then sent for his wife and children, who had
remained in England. About this time he moved to Sullivan County, where he
purchased a tract of land, now occupied by Thomas King. He built a suitable
house and barns and busied himself clearing the land and cultivating the soil.
In those primitive days the women were very strong, able-bodied and accustomed
to working out-of-doors. It was so with our subject's mother. She was as handy
with the axe as her husband and assisted him in clearing and tilling the land,
besides rearing a family of children; thus she accompanied him in a befitting
manner through all trials and tribulations to prosperity. They had both attained
the age of about seventy when the final summons came for them to lay down their
earthly burdens and enter into rest. Their children were all born before coming
to America. They were: John, Ann, Richard, James, Harriet, Jonas and Henry. Our
subject's father was a strong believer in the principles taught in the old
English Church. He was a sturdy, hard-working man, and was well liked by all who
knew him.
Henry Bedford, our subject, lived the ordinary life of a boy on a farm in
those pioneer days, and when grown to manhood, purchased 100 acres of the
Thomas B. Merritt tract and laid the foundation of a fine farm. Later he added another
100 acres to it, this last purchase being off the Bishop White tract. All this
was heavy timberland and in those days there was very little market for wood.
Our subject had before him the gigantic task of clearing this land before he
could cultivate the rich soil. This he accomplished, little by little, as by
perseverance and patient effort he expects to accomplish all he sets out to do.
He built a log house, like other pioneers of his day, and in time had the lower
100 acres cleared into fine fields, surrounded by windbreaks. These fields he
cultivated and they soon yielded him handsome returns; thus, by inheritance and
by his own exertions, he became the owner of a fine farm of large dimensions,
the greater part of which he cleared in the subsequent years of his occupancy.
With the exception of the few years in which he dealt in horse-rakes he has
followed general farming. He has been a hard worker and of sterling worth to
all. On September 10, 1846, our subject was united in marriage to Martha Ann
Vaugh *, who was born in 1825 and died in 1856, leaving four sons as a legacy to
her husband. Three of these sons are now Methodist ministers. Her children were:
Rev. Sylvester, who married Elizabeth Rathbone and now has a family of four
children, Harry C., Dean, Anna, and Edna, located at Houghton, N. Y.; Rev. John
N., who is a teacher in theology at Houghton, N. Y., where he lives with his
wife, who was a Nellie Rudduck, and has a bright little child named Alpha; Rev.
Oliver, whose wife's name was Bertha Wing,—their home is blessed with two little
ones, Clayton and Dena; and Sumner, who now has charge of the homestead farm, —
he married Carrie Fields, and has the following children, Bruce, Lynn, Grace,
Nellie and George, who died at the age of four. After the death of his first
wife our subject contracted a second marriage, being united to Mary, daughter of
Samuel and Sarah (Brobst) Hunsinger, in 1859. She was born June 2, 1831, and has
been a cheerful help-mate and companion for more than forty years, and is still
a solace to Mr. Bedford in his old age. This second union was blessed with three
children, namely: Cordelia, who died aged four years; Ulysses, who married Sarah
Brackman, and was the father of twins, Edna and Edgar, now-deceased; Clara, wife
of Frank Black, who now reside in Delaware and have four children, Floyd, Mabel,
Delia, and Lulu Edna.
* Editor's Note: More commonly spelled "Vough".
Mr. Bedford was for many years a strong adherent to the principles of the
Republican party, but, believing that intemperance does more to ruin our nation
than anything else, he became an ardent Prohibitionist. He never sought office
but was persuaded by his friends to serve as supervisor for a short time. Mr.
Bedford was so firm in his belief in the doctrines of the Wesleyan Methodist
Church that his three oldest sons became Wesleyan Methodist ministers as
before-mentioned. This church grew out of a separation from the Methodist
Church, the result of its connection with slavery. Wesleyan Methodists oppose
all kinds of oppression, believing God to be the governor of nations and that
the supreme authority of His revealed will should be acknowledged by the
constitutions of states and nations.
Source:
Book of Biographies of the Seventeenth Congressional District
Biographical Publishing Company of Chicago, Ill. and Buffalo, NY (1899)
A more complete history of this Bedford family was published in 1975 by Bernice Conley Bedford:
Descendants of Henry Bedford, 1784-1863,: Of Briestfield, West Riding, Yorkshire, England,
late of Sullivan County, Pennsylvania. While out of print, this publication is hosted on the LDS
website and can possibly be purchased from out-of-stock book publishers online. The LDS link is at Bedford History.
Children of Mary & Henry Bedford:
- Cordelia Bedford 1861-1865
- U. Grant Bedford 1864-1918
- Clara Bedford 1870-
CORDELIA BEDFORD (Mary, Samuel, George, Bernard, George Hunsinger) born December 18, 1861; died August 20, 1865.
U. GRANT BEDFORD (Mary, Samuel, George, Bernard, George Hunsinger) Born August 7, 1864; died May 21, 1918.
Married Sara A. Brackman on June 30, 1892. She was born June 6, 1866; died August 25, 1963.
Children of U. Grant & Sara Brackman Bedford:
- Bessie Bedford (twin) February 2, 1895; died February 14, 1895
- Jesse Bedford (twin) February 2, 1895; died February 2, 1895
- Charles H. Bedford 1896-1984
- Mark R. Bedford 1900-1987
- Fred L. Bedford 1903-2001
The Sullivan Review
May 29, 1918
U. Grant Bedford, a highly respected citizen of Elkland Township died Tuesday of muscular rheumatism at his home near Millview.
Mr. Bedford, who was 54 years of age, was a son of Henry and Mary Bedford. He is survived by his wife, who prior to her marriage was Miss Sarah Brackman, also three sons at home.
Funeral services were held Friday morning at the Millville church. Interment in the friends Cemetery in Fox Township.
The Sullivan Review
August 30, 1963
Mrs. Sara Ann Brackman Bedford, 97, of Millview, Sullivan County, died at Niagara Falls, N.Y. on Sunday, Aug. 25, 1963.
She was the widow of Ulysses Grant Bedford.
Born at Piatte, Fox Township Sullivan County, on June 6 1866, the daughter of Henry and Chloe Brackman, pioneer residents of the area, she was one of the oldest residents of Sullivan County.
Her early education was obtained from the Friends School near her home, and later, from Westtown in Chester County near Philadelphia. On her return she taught for nine years at Old Union and Sonestown schools.
On June 30, 1892, she was married to Ulysses Grant Bedford and moved to their new home near Millview. This was her home for the remainder of her life.
During her lifetime, Mrs. Bedford participated in many church and community activities. She joined the Friends in her youth and was active in the nearby Wesleyan Methodist church. May friends will remember her as a devoted Christian. worker and Sunday school teacher. She was a member of the C. C. Club and the Missionary society.
She is survived by three sons, Charles of Canton, Mark of Niagara Falls, N.Y. and Fred of Phoenix, Ariz; six grandchildren ten great-grandchildren several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were held at 3 p.m. Wednesday Aug. 28 at the Wesleyan Methodist Church Millview , with the Rev. Leon J. Jeliff and Rev. Edward VanWicklin officiating. Interment was in Friends cemetery, Elkland Township.
CHARLES H. BEDFORD (U. Grant, Mary, Samuel, George, Bernard, George Hunsinger) born December 7, 1896; died August 23, 1984; buried in East Canton Cemetery.
Married Hazel Rogers on June 22, 1926. She was born November 26, 1899; died March 21, 1988.
Children of Charles & Hazel Rogers Bedford:
- Daughter
- Daughter
- Dean Bedford
- John Bedford
The Sullivan Review
August 30, 1984
Charles H. Bedford, 85, of Canton RD 1 died August 23, 1984, at DarWay Nursing Home, Estella.
Born Dec. 7, 1896, at Forksville, he was a son of U. Grant and Sara Brackman Bedford. He retired as a dairy farmer in 1956 and as a teacher at the Powell Elementary School, for the Towanda School District, in 1963, after 40 years of service.
He was a 4-H leader for 35 years, a former treasurer and member of the Rural Brotherhood, and raised funds for needy individuals.
Mr. Bedford was a member of the East Canton United Methodist Church, and taught Sunday school for many years.
He and his wife, the former Hazel Rogers, observed their 58th wedding anniversary June 22.
Surviving, bedsides his wife, are two daughters, Mrs. Frank Herman, Jr., of Canton RD 2 and Mrs. Morris Brown, of Towanda RD 4, two sons Dean and John, both of Canton RD 1; two brothers, Mark Bedford, of DarWay Nursing Home, Estella, and Fred Bedford, of Sun City, AZ; 12 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
The funeral was held August 26 at Morse and Kleese's, Canton. Burial was in East Canton Cemetery.
The Rev. Mercy Kasambira, his pastor, officiated.
MARK R. BEDFORD (U. Grant, Mary, Samuel, George, Bernard, George Hunsinger) born July 29, 1900; died October 15, 1987.
The Towanda Daily Review
October 16, 1987
Mark R. Bedford, 87, a resident of the Dar-Way Nursing Home, Estella formerly of Niagara Falls N.Y. and Rochester, N.Y. passed away Thursday Oct.15, 1987 at he nursing home.
Mr. Bedford was born July 29, 1900 at Forksville, the son of Ulysses and Sara Brackman Bedford.
He was a former schoolteacher in Niagara Falls and also was a counselor of the youth. After retirement he was a substitute teacher in Rochester for many years
He was a member of the Millview Wesleyan Church.
Survivors include a brother Fred Bedford of Sun City, Ariz, a sister-in-law Mrs. Hazel Bedford a resident of Dar-Way three nieces three nephews and cousins.
Funeral and committal services will be held Saturday Oct 17, at 11 a.m. at the Morse Kleese Funeral Home 40 N. Center St. Canton with Rev. Jasper Smith, a retired Methodist minister, officiating.
Interment will be in the Friend Meeting Cemetery, Elkland Twp, Sullivan County.
Friends may call at the funeral home Saturday from 10 a.m. to the time of the service.
Postscript on Mark Bedford
August 27, 2005
E-mail message from Robert DeFazio to Tina Pastusic:
I don’t have a photo of Mark Bedford, but I can describe him. He was tall, about six feet, bald, and a very handsome man. He was a physics teacher at Niagara Falls High School, and the leader of the College Club, which was an after school organization that prepared students for the SAT examinations for college admission. He was also the faculty advisor to the Forensic Club (a debating society).
I would characterize him as a gentleman’s gentleman. He was a stickler for being responsible and accountable at a time when none of those virtues were really encouraged.
He had a long courtship with one of the high school teachers that ended sadly for him when he and she felt that they would not be a good married couple. Neither married nor dated after their courtship ended.
A truly unfortunate event occurred in 1965. He had a student in his physics class who was a typical “jock” in that he drank too much and too often and who expected to be slid through all his course work by virtue of his contributions on the athletics field. Mark failed him. The student needed the course to graduate, and out of anger he accused Mark of making a sexual advance toward him. News of the accusation came to the Superintendent of Schools, who in my opinion was a world class jerk in his own right. Without any hearing or any due process, Mark was fired immediately. Mark was not seen or heard of again in Niagara Falls.
The student who made the accusation found himself in a bar (where else) about five years later. He began to brag about his high school accomplishments, and then he told how he contrived the story to get Mark fired. The people he told the account to at the bar were former students of Mark, and after beating him they dragged him to the home of the Superintendent of Schools and dumped him at his doorstep where the former athlete acknowledged that he had fabricated the entire story. It was, however, too late for Mark.
His removal from his teaching position at Niagara Falls was a tragic embarrassment to a kind and gentle man who deserved far better than he got. He was a reliable friend to me and my family while I was a student at the school as he was to literally hundreds of other students and their families. You should regard yourself very fortunate to be related to him.
FRED L BEDFORD (U. Grant, Mary, Samuel, George, Bernard, George Hunsinger) born June 3, 1903; died January 30, 2001.
CLARA BEDFORD (Mary, Samuel, George, Bernard, George Hunsinger) born 1870
Married FRANK BLACK on April 30, 1890.
|