Biography of Edwin J. Bidaman, St. Petersburg, Pinellas County, FL File contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Nancy Rayburn (naev@earthlink.net). USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or publication by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ****************************************************************************************** Transcribed from: The History of Florida: Past & Present, The Lewis Publishing Co., Vol. III, page 128, 1923. BIDAMAN, EDWIN J., chief of police of Saint Petersburg, was appointed to this office because of his long experience and unusual qualifications for such a post of duty. He has been connected with the police force of several northern cities, and has been in close touch with the public interests and affairs of Saint Petersburg since locating in Florida. Mr. BIDAMAN was born at Youngstown, Ohio, June 22, 1859, son of CHRISTIAN and MARY (LEONARD) BIDAMAN. His father was born at Harpers Ferry, Virginia, and his mother was a native of England, of Irish parentage, and was brought to America at the age of six years, in 1826. EDWIN J. BIDAMAN was the seventh son in a family of eight children. He was reared at Youngstown, attended the common schools and the business college there, and in 1876 moved to Terre Haute, Indiana. Mr. BIDAMAN was a prominent citizen of Terre Haute for many years, was engaged in the grocery business, and he also served on the police force there for a long period. He was elected mayor of the city in 1905 and in 1907. He also had an extensive experience of travel and residence in the far Northwest, spending considerable time in nearly all the prominent cities of Idaho, Montana and Washington. In 1914 he located at Saint Petersburg. He was made chief of the police force in January, 1921. In 1891 Mr. BIDAMAN married GERTRUDE M. BURGE, of Terre Haute, Indiana, where she was born and reared. Their three children are BENJAMIN L., ROBERT EMMET and MARTHA CHIVERICK. Mr. BIDAMAN is affiliated with the Masonic Lodge, the Elks, Knights of Pythias, Foresters, the Knights and Ladies of Honor and the Woodmen of the World. In politics he is a republican.