Family History: Bedell

Sarah Ann Evans & Matthew G Bedell

8:39:00 PM

Pottsville, Pennsylvania c1850

When looking through the burial records for all Evans interments at the Homewood Cemetery in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, I noticed a Sarah Ann Evans Bedell 1851-1931.

The Homewood Cemetery is where Benjamin Evans and John P Evans are buried. As John P Evans' mother-in-law was named Elizabeth Bedell, I wanted to determine if Sarah Ann Evans Bedell was related to John P Evans and if there was any relationship with Sarah Ann Evans husband Matthew Bedell and the family of Amanda Beebe and Elizabeth Bedell.

Bedell

Bedell Lineage in Evans Family

Matthew Griffin Bedell

The entry at findagrave for Sarah Ann Evans records 29 August 1851 as her date of birth as and the date of her death as 2 May 1931. The death record for Sarah Ann Evans Bedell is noted at findagrave as Pennsylvania Death Certificate #48436.

1931 Pennsylvania Death Certificate Sarah Ann Evans Bedell

The Pennsylvania Death Certificate for Sarah Ann Bedell names Matthew G Bedell as as her husband and confirms the date of death and the date of birth as recorded at findagrave. The document also includes the information that Sarah Ann Evans was born in Pottsville, Pennsylvania to parents Enick Evins (Enoch Evans) and Sara Ashford both of whom were born in England.

Matthew G Bedell husband of Sarah Ann Evans

Matthew G Bedell is age 4 in the 1850 US Census, born c 1846, and is living in West Elizabeth, Allegheny, Pennsylvania. A.P. Bedell born c 1814 is listed as the head of household. Abner M Bedell enumerated as age nine is the brother of Matthew G Bedell.

1850 Census Abner Patterson Bedell Family - West Elizabeth

The A.P. Bedell family is also recorded in the 1860 US Census, They have moved to Birmingham, Allegheny, Pennsylvania and for some strange and unknown reason, most of the Bedell family was enumerated using their middle names. Fidelia and Mary Bedell are listed with their correct given names which was fortunate as this record was difficult to find.

It is useful to know the middle names of this family when looking for additional records and family surnames. We now know that Matthew Bedell is Matthew Griffin Bedell and his brother is Abner Milton Bedell. Abner Patterson Bedell is Matthew's father as other records show his first name is Abner, so his full name is Abner Patterson Bedell.

1860 Census Abner Patterson Bedell Family - Birmingham

Of note, the 1860 US Census records Matthew Griffin Bedell's place of birth as Ohio which is consistent with Mathew G Bedell's enumeration in the 1870, 1900, 1910, and 1920 US Census records. The 1880 US Census has M.G. Bedell born in Pennsylvania. Sarah Ann Evans Bedell is listed in the 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, and the 1920 US Census records with Mathew G Bedell.

Abner M Bedell, brother of Matthew G Bedell knew John P Evans

Abner M Bedell served with John P Evans in the Pennsylvania 13th Regiment Infantry Company B. Abner M Bedell is listed in muster rolls of the Pennsylvania 13th Regiment Infantry Company B with John P Evans as recorded in The History of the Pennsylvania Volunteers 1861-1865 by Samuel Bates, Volume 1, Page 128.

Abner M Bedell is the author a detailed affidavit on behalf of John P Evans in his pension record. (page 51 of John P Evans Civil War Pension Record).

Abner M Bedell states his age as 43 at the time of his 1882 affidavit which would place his year of birth at c 1841, which matches the estimated year of birth for Abner M Bedell, brother of Matthew Griffin Bedell in the 1850 US Census record for the Bedell family in West Elizabeth, Allegheny, Pennsylvania. Additionally Abner M Bedell states in his affidavit that he has known John P Evans for 4 years before they enlisted in the PA 13th Regiment Infantry Volunteers in 1861 which would be a couple of years after the marriage of John P Evans and Amanda Beebe. They were married in 1855 per John P Evans Civil War Pension Record, Page 89.

Bedell Lineage in Evans Family

Elizabeth Bedell born 1812

John P Evan's mother-in-law, Elizabeth Bedell, was born c 1812 in West Elizabeth, Allegheny, Pennsylvania as shown on the death record of her daughter Amanda Beebe. Amanda Beebe is the wife of John P Evans. (West Elizabeth is a small borough in Allegheny County and is where the family of Matthew G Bedell was living in 1850)

Amanda Fitzellen Beebe Certificate of Death

Elizabeth Bedell is the daughter of Daniel Bedell (1785-1861) and the granddaughter of Abner Bedell. These relationships are established in the will of Elizabeth Bedell's grandfather Abner Bedell 1761-1842. The family relationships stated in the will of Abner Bedell 1761-1841 are detailed the "The Will of Abner Bedell Proved circa 1842"

It seemed highly likely that Matthew Griffin Bedell was related to Elizabeth Bedell since they lived in the same town in the same time frame, the only other known Bedells in West Elizabeth are descendants of Abner Bedell 1761-1842, and the somewhat unusual given names Abner, Amanda, and Daniel appear in both families. Additionally Matthew G Bedell's brother, Abner Milton Bedell, personally knows Elizabeth Bedell's son-in-law John P Evans.

Abner Patterson Bedell (1814-1878)

I thought it was likely that Matthew Griffin Bedell's father, Abner Patterson Bedell, could be Elizabeth Bedell's brother and the son of Daniel Bedell (1784-1861).

Abner Bedell 1761-1842 had three sons Daniel, Andrew, and William Bedell. William Bedell never married. Andrew Bedell had a son named Abner Washington Bedell, so Abner Patterson Bedell could not be the son of Andrew Bedell.

If Abner Patterson Bedell and Elizabeth Bedell were siblings, that would make Matthew Griffin Bedell and Amanda Beebe first cousins. To determine if Elizabeth Bedell and Abner Patterson Bedell are brother and sister, I began to research the parentage of Abner Patterson Bedell.

A P Bedell and Fidelia Griffin were married in Trumbull County, Ohio on 9 August 1838. Abner Patterson Bedell was 21 years old at the time of his marriage and Fidelia was only fourteen. The record of the marriage licence and recorded marriage are available, but do not name the parents of the principals.

Abner Patterson Bedell died in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on 14 September 1878. The death record found in the "Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh City Deaths" database does not name his parents.

I have been unable to determine the parentage of Abner Patterson Bedell from his marriage record and or death records since unfortunately neither name his parents. There is no available birth record for Abner Patterson Bedell.

I reviewed the John J Evans Jr collection of family history documents and found a synopsis of correspondence from Agnes Bedell Sheplar from 1930. This document states that Abner Patterson Bedell is the son of Daniel Bedell.

I was also able to find a reference of Abner Patterson Bedell as the grandson of Abner Bedell (1761-1842). In Abner Bedell's (1761-1842) Revolutionary War Pension Application file there is a letter written in 1904 from Amy Davis Schaum. Amy Schaum is writing to the War Department to confirm that Abner Bedell "my grandfather's grandfather who was also named Abner Bedell", was a soldier in the Revolutionary War.

I was able to determine that Amy Schaum was the daughter of Minerva Bedell and Minerva is the daughter of Abner Patterson Bedell and Fidelia Griffin (see 1860 US Census above).

Biographical Review, Containing Life Sketches of Leading Citizens of Pittsburgh and the Vicinity. page 457 contained the following information about Amy Schaum. This sketch is incorrect regarding the middle initial of Minerva Bedell's father. All other records show that the husband of Fidelia Griffin and the father of Minerva Bedell was Abner Patterson Bedell, also often known as A P Bedell.

Daniel Bedell Lineage including Abner Patterson Bedell

Evans

Sarah Ann Evans 1851-1931

The Pennsylvania Death Certificate for Sarah Ann Evans, shown above, provided the following information; Sarah Ann Evans was born in Pottsville, Pennsylvania on 29 August 1857 to Enoch Evans and Sara Ashford, Sarah Ann Evans was married to Matthew G Bedell, and that she died in Pittsburgh on 2 May 1931. It is possible that Sarah and her father Enoch are related to John P Evans since it has been established that Sarah Ann Evans husband, Matthew Griffin Bedell, is the first cousin of Amanda Beebe, wife of John P Evans.

Sarah Evans is listed in the 1860 US Census in East Birmingham, age nine so born c 1851. Enoch Evans, enumerated as age 45, born in England is listed as a coal miner and as the head of household with Sarah Evans in the 1860 US Census record. (The 1860 US Census does not enumerate family relationships). The woman listed in this household is named Elizabeth and is 34 years old and so is possibly Enoch's second wife as Sarah's mother in her death record is named Sara Ashford. There is an older child, Mary Evans, who was born in England and several children younger than Sarah all born in Pennsylvania. Thirty year old Thomas Rack living with the Evans family in 1860 may be a relation as he is also born in England.

1860 US Census - Enoch Evans East Birmingham, Pennsylvania

When researching the other members of the Enoch Evans household from 1860, I found a Pennsylvania death certificate for a Maria Taylor who was born in 1857. According to the death record, Maria Taylor was born in Philadelphia in 1857 to Enoch Evans and Elizabeth Ashton and died 1 August 1928 in Allegheny County. The death record contains the information that maria Evans Taylor's parents were both born in England. Maria Taylor is most likely the same person as Maria Evans shown as age three in the 1860 US Census living with Enoch & Elizabeth Evans.

It is possible, perhaps probable that the maiden name of the mother of Sarah Ann Evans (Sara Ashford) or Maria Evans (Elizabeth Ashton) could have been incorrectly recorded in the Pennsylvania Death Certificates. The information in these records is usually provided by family members and there are often errors. Ashford and Ashton are similar surnames.

Evans Family living in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania in 1860

Sarah Ann Evans was born in Pottsville according to her death record, but is enumerated as age nine and living in East Birmingham, Allegheny County in 1860. Fourteen year old future husband, Matthew G Bedell is living in adjacent Birmingham, Allegheny County in 1860.

John P Evans and Amanda Beebe are not yet located in the 1860 US Census, but John P Evans brother Benjamin Evans is living in East Birmingham in 1860 as are Amanda Beebe's parents William Beebe and Elizabeth Bedell who are living with Amanda'a sister Mary Beebe and grandfather Daniel Bedell.

John and Benjamin's sister Emma Evans and her husband John Hanson are also in Allegheny County according to the 1860 US Census, living next door to Mary Thomas, mother of John P Evans, Benjamin Evans, and Emma Evans.

Additional Research Possibilities

Enoch Evans

I was looking for Enoch Evans and Sara Ashford in the 1850 US Census in Pottsville, Pennsylvania as that is where Sarah Ann Evans 1851 birth is recorded in her death certificate. I found an Enoch Evans in Minersville Borough, PA which is located a few miles from Pottsville, Pennsylvania in the 1850 US Census enumerated as age working as a coal miner with his place of birth noted as England.

Enoch Evans with possible father Thomas in Minersville Borough, PA

1850 US Census Minersville Borough, Schuylkill, Pennsylvania

Enoch Evans could be a relative of John P Evans and Benjamin Evans. There is a fifteen year old Enoch Evans living in the same company housing as John P Evans and Benjamin Evans in Scotland in the 1841 Scotland Census. Enoch Evans is living with parents Thomas and Margaret Evans and siblings Joseph and Mary in 1841.

There is an Enoch Evans and a John Evans on the ship the Helen McGaw arriving in Philadelphia on 11 August 1848. This date is consistent with the time of arrival in the United States noted for John P Evans by his son Harry Sylvester Evans in his family history survey for Wilkenburg Township, Pennsylvania. Harry had it that John P Evans, born 1831, arrived in the United States at age 17.

Ship Helen McGaw arrival 11 August 1848 (possibly through Matanzas, Cuba) would have John P Evans as age 17 at the time of arrival.

The following names are also on this voyage of the Helen McGaw.

Enoch Evans no age (appears in index cards, doesn't show in Ancestry)
Thomas Evans no age accompanied by family (maybe father of Enoch)
John Evans no age
John Evans no age
Richard Thomas (possibly second husband of Mary Evans, mother of John P Evans) no age
+ about 10 other Evans on the Helen McGaw

no Benjamin Evans, Margaret, Joseph, Eben, Mary found in index cards on the Helen McGaw

West Elizabeth Map showing Abner Bedell warrant dated 1923

Bedell

Sarah Bedell Lapsley Percival

4:30:00 PM

The will of of Abner Bedell, named several previously unknown family members. In his will, Abner Bedell specifically named his son Daniel Bedell and Daniel Bedell's three daughters by his unnamed first wife.

Sarah Bedell born circa 1810

Sarah Lapsley is named as a beneficiary in the will and a codicil of the will of Abner Bedell. In these documents, Abner Bedell names Sarah Lapsley as his granddaughter and specifies that Sarah is the daughter of his son Daniel Bedell.

A description of the will and the full document can be found at Will of Abner Bedell Proved Circa 1842.

The first known record mentioning Sarah Bedell Lapsley is the will of her grandfather Abner Bedell which was proved circa 1842. The given name of Sarah Bedell's husband is not mentioned in Abner Bedell's will. However, Lapsley is one of the surnames of the founding families of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania and the surrounding area as detailed in the historical volume about Thomas Lapsley.

Extract from Abner Bedell's Will naming grand-daughters, including Sarah Lapsley

Abner Bedell added a codicil to his will which also named Sarah Lapsley as his granddaughter. The codicil cuts son William Bedell out of the will and gives half of the legacy originally intended for son William Bedell to granddaughters Mary Bedell and Sarah Lapsley

Extract from Codicil of Abner Bedell's Will

Sarah Bedell next appears in the records in the 1850 US Census. There is a thirty nine year old Sarah Lapsley living in West Elizabeth, Pennsylvania with a ten year old child named Mary Lapsley. It is probable that Sarah Lapsley is a widow as she and the child Mary are the only members of the household. An estimated year of birth for Sarah Bedell based on the 1850 US Census would be circa 1811.

Sarah Lapsley is briefly mentioned in the historical volume "Thomas Lapsley, a 1772 Settler in Southwestern Pennsylvania" page 141. A Sarah Lapsley is referenced as widow on a 1852 deed for property in West Elizabeth. Erastus Percival is recorded as the seller of the property.

Erastus Percival

Sarah Bedell Lapsley and Erastus Percival were likely married around the time she purchased property from him in August 1852 as their son Charles Percival was born nine months later on 7 May 1853.

The Pennsylvania, Death Certificates, 1906-1963 database contains the death certificate of Charles Percival which includes his date of birth and states his parentage as Erastus Percival and Sarah Bedell. According to the death record, Charles Percival was born 7 May 1853 in Allegheny County Pennsylvania and died in West Elizabeth, Pennsylvania in 1919.

Erastus Percival's will and codicil to his will were written in 1854 and 1855 respectively. The entire document can be viewed at Pennsylvania Probate Records 1683-1994, Allegheny Wills 1855-1860 Volume 8 number 219.

The section of Erastus Percival's 1854 will that relates to Sarah Lapsley, refers to her as Sarah Lapsley, not Sarah Percival or his wife. Sarah is left a substantial legacy in the will as is her daughter Mary Lapsley. Additionally Erastus Percival refers to Charles Percival as "a male infant, I call my son Charles". The language used in the will allows for the possibility that Sarah Bedell and Erastus Percival were not yet married at the time the will was written.

Erastus Percival added a codicil to his will in May 1855. The purpose of the codicil was to disinherit his daughter Roxey Leany Percival. The fact that Roxey Leany was married a couple of weeks before this codicil was written likely has some bearing on the changes to the will.

Roxey's legacy was one thousand dollars in the original will and the codicil states that he 'bequeaths the sum of five dollars only to said Roxey Leany and that the residue of the said legacy, one thousand dollars, be given and bequeathed to my sons John Orin and Charles to share equally". In the May 1855 codicil, Erastus Percival references son Charles on an equal basis with his son John.

Erastus Percival committed suicide on 27 May 1856. The Daily Pittsburgh Gazette reported the details in the 28 May 1856 edition on page 4.

Sarah Bedell, widowed for the second time, is living with daughter Mary Lapsley and son Charles Percival as recorded in the 1860 US Census. Sarah is enumerated as Sarah Percival in the census and her daughter Mary Lapsley is enumerated as Mary Ralph. Mary Lapsley has married John Ralph and the young couple are living with Sarah Percival and her six year old son Charles Percival.

Sarah Percival and her son Charles are still living in West Elizabeth in 1870. The household is just the two of them in the 1870 US Census.

Sarah Percival is living alone in 1880. She is still in West Elizabeth, according to the 1880 US Census, and the enumerator recorded that Sarah's father was born in New Jersey and her mother was born in Delaware. Daniel Bedell is documented as being born in New Jersey in several records, but the information that Sarah's mother was born in Delaware is new information.

Charles Percival , the great grandson of Abner Bedell, stayed in West Elizabeth his entire life. There is a brief biography of Charles in the historical volume entailed "History of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, page 585.

The Charles Percival biography states that Sarah Bedell's parents were from New Jersey and that his mother (Sarah Bedell) was born in Washington County, Pennsylvania. We have several documents noting the place of birth for Daniel Bedell as New Jersey which is consistent with the Charles Percival biography. The only other known reference to Sarah Bedell's mother, which was likely reported by Sarah Bedell herself to the 1880 US Census enumerator, is that she was reportedly born in Delaware. All known records for Sarah Bedell state only that she was born in Pennsylvania. It is possible that Sarah Bedell was born in Washington County, Pennsylvania. Her grandfather Abner Bedell originally settled there and eventually moved to Allegheny County circa 1822.

Abner

Will of Abner Bedell (1761-1842) - proved circa 1842

6:10:00 PM

Will of Abner Bedell (1761-1842) - Will proved circa 1842 (9 pages starting from image 155) First pages are a later codicil to the main will. Allegheny County Will Book Vol 5 page 339 no 275 image 155.

The directions for probate search in Allegheny County, PA are an invaluable tool for finding probate documents in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.

The Proceeding Index Page for Abner Bedell's probate documents also shows other Bedell family members proceeding index on the same page.

Abner Bedell's original will basically provides for his wife Marey, then details provisions for his sons Daniel Bedell, Andrew Bedell, and William Bedell.

Abner Bedell leaves Daniel Bedell the sum of $10 which is to be paid to Daniel one year after the death of Abner's wife Marey. If Daniel is not living at that time the $10 is to be shared between Daniel Bedell's three daughters from his first wife. Daniel Bedell's daughters from his first wife are named in the will as Elizabeth Beebe, Sarah Lapsley, and Marey Bedell. Daniel may have been given land/assets in his father's lifetime, which was a common practice in this time, but is unlikely as Daniel is listed as a shoemaker in the 1850 US Census.

The remainder of the estate is to be divided into two halves with one half to son Andrew Bedell and the other half to his son William Bedell and to his (Abner Bedell's) daughter Elizabeth Byington.

The will of Abner Bedell names several Bedell family members previously unknown and confirms Bedell family relationships known from family accounts and historical volumes. Specifically, the existence of Abner Bedell's daughter Elizabeth Bedell Byington was unknown and the name of Abner Bedell's wife at the time of his death is new information. Abner Bedell's will also names the daughters of his son Daniel Bedell by his first wife as Elizabeth Beebe, Sarah Lapsley, and Mary Bedell. The only daughter of Daniel Bedell previously known was Elizabeth Bedell Beebe and Abner Bedell's will confirmed Elizabeth Beebe as his grand-daughter and daughter of his son Daniel Bedell.

Extract from Abner Bedell's Will naming grand-daughters

The wording in the will doesn't preclude the possibility that Daniel Bedell also had sons from his first marriage. Additionally the fact that Daniel was married twice is also new information.

Extract from Codicil of Abner Bedell's Will

William Bedell is essentially being cut out of his father's estate in the codicil. The codicil revokes the share to his son William and instead leaves William "the sum of five dollars only". Abner then names his grand daughters Sarah Lapsley and Marey Bedell, who were mentioned in the main will as daughters of Daniel Bedell, the new recipients of the legacy formerly bestowed on son William Bedell. (However the other daughter of Daniel Bedell named in the main will, Elizabeth Beebe, is not named as a recipient in this codicil)

Will and Codicil of Abner Bedell