Bladen County NcArchives Biographies.....Family History, Bedsole 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
J. D. Bedsole jdbedsole@gmail.com October 8, 2010, 8:31 pm

Source: J. D. Bedsole
Author: J. D. Bedsole

                Washing Clothes; A Big Job

Carrying water for washing clothes was a long and tedious job added to 
the copious firewood requirement for this task. On washday, the work 
usually began at 3 o’clock in the morning, with the filling of the 
washpot, which was a big, 3-legged iron pot always sitting in the 
backyard. It held about 30 gallons of water, which meant 20 to 30 trips 
carrying water to the pot, then the same to get more for rinsing. When 
the spring or stream was a thousand feet away, that meant 60,000 feet, 
or about eleven miles of walking just to wash clothes. 

The fire was started with a huge pile of wood around and under the pot. 
This would allow the water to start heating up, while breakfast was 
prepared and the mules, oxen and cows were fed and watered. The washing 
of clothes would begin about five o’clock in the morning and would last 
until six o’clock in the evening. Days before this, soap had to be made 
by boiling fat meat and lye to produce a greasy type of "soap". If no 
fat meat was available, clothes had to be washed in plain water. So on 
wash day, this blob of "Soap" was cut into bar shapes and used to wash 
the dirtiest of the clothes.The job of making soap and washing clothes 
always fell on the women and older daughters, if any were available. 

The clothes were boiled in the soapy water and each piece carried by a 
short, narrow board from the pot to the "battling block" (Batting 
Block)which was a block of hickory or oak wood mounted on 3 legs so 
that the flat end of this block was available like a cutting board upon 
which the clothes were placed one piece at a time and beaten and put 
back into the pot for more boiling, until clean. This beating acted 
sort of like an agitator does in present-day washing machines to clean 
the clothes. Of course, beating them wore them out a whole lot sooner 
too. When all the clothes were thus washed, boiled, beaten and then 
rinsed, they were hung out to dry on bushes, a fence, or whatever was 
available. 

The lye soap used for this, was so caustic, at the end of wash day, the 
small hands of the women and girls had big, very painful, raw places on 
them where large pieces of skin had been eaten and torn away by the 
caustic lye, blisters and hard work with the board. These raw places 
usually took about two weeks to heal, just in time for the next 
washday. This work was a nightmare in the summer, also due to the heat 
of the fire around the pot. But during winters it was much worse. 
Imagine how cold one would get wearing thin, ragged clothes, standing 
outside in the ten degree-wind all day and staying wet most of that 
time.

             Mules And Oxen; True Beasts Of Labor

These beasts of burden however, were well known for being mean, 
hateful, stubborn, stupid and almost always murderous, and people were 
very wisely cautious around them. Weighing around twelve hundred 
pounds, maybe more, they would bite, kick, trample, hook and stomp 
whoever was ignorant or absent-minded enough to get within range, 
including their owners, and many adults and children were frequently 
seriously injured, disabled, or killed by them. Catching and harnessing 
or hitching these animals to plows, wagons, stumps and other things 
always required extreme caution on the part of their handlers who were 
frequently relatively young children. 

These animals were the backbone of just about every hard job the 
farmers did and labored constantly from dawn to dusk for endless days, 
weeks, months and years They were little-appreciated and seldom given 
any credit or recognition for all their labors and accomplishments. In 
fact, most early settlers usually beat their animals mercilessly all 
the time with long switches to make them pull harder to pull up stumps, 
pull plows, pull heavily loaded wagons, to work faster, and endless 
other such tasks. 

They were never given anything more than food and water, but were 
always kept penned or tied up when not working. They were never allowed 
to roam free because of the inability of their owners to control and 
recover them. Sometimes they broke out of their pens during the night, 
causing a major uproar when they were found to be missing. If they 
wandered off and were captured by someone else, the rightful owner had 
the problem of proving ownership and resulting arguments over this, 
frequently erupted into fights, killings and feuds between, by, and 
among, the parties involved, because the livelihood and very survival 
of the owner and his family depended to a very great extent, if not 
totally, on these animals. 

I remember one case in my own life, back in the 1930’s, when a fifteen 
year old neighbor of our’s was riding their mule from the field to the 
barn one late afternoon, when the mule suddenly went into a fit of 
rage, bucking and kicking and threw the boy head over heels up in the 
air. He landed on his back on top of a stump about thirty inches high. 
It broke his back in several places and there was nothing at all the 
doctors could do for that kind of injury in the 1930's. He was 
bedridden and his parents had the difficult job of turning him every 
few hours, all day and all night, until he finaly died, almost two 
weeks later. I can still hear him screaming every time they tried to 
move him. I cannot imagine the suffering and torture he and his parents 
had to live through, during that time.

                   Planting Time

In early spring, the cleared land had to be plowed under with a plow 
pulled by two mules, or oxen which were more plentiful than mules. 
These plows had a kind of steel "wing" on them, which turned a strip of 
dirt about 6 inches wide, upside down and when a field was finished, it 
was ready for planting. Imagine plowing a field of 200 acres, 6 inches 
at a time, taking about 20 minutes for one pass, or from one end of the 
field to the other. The amount of time and the walking and handling of 
the plow and team was very demanding, difficult and time-consuming. 

Once the field was prepared for planting, if not already on hand, the 
corn, cotton or other seeds had to be somehow acquired, either through 
purchase or some kind of trade. Corn was planted with two kernels every 
30 inches. An extra kernel, in case the first didn’t sprout. We now 
know that corn planters in modern day Nebraska and Kansas, successfully 
plant 90 or more seeds in the same 30 inch strip, producing 30 to 50 
times as much corn on the same piece of land. Nevertheless, the old way 
of planting persisted until about 1950. 

So the harvest back then was pitifully small for all crops, due to the 
ignorance of the settlers, further worsening their already pathetically 
deprived lives, due to small crop yields. Low production also meant 
they had less to eat and to trade, for things they desperately needed 
all year long. The reason they planted so few seeds was the belief that 
they would "overplant" and "Burn out" the land. At a time when their 
very survival depended upon their ability to produce, their actual 
knowledge, beliefs and actions in such production was vastly inadequate 
and contrary to their needs for production, survival consumption, and 
prosperity.

                   Bedding Cane 

This was a long, hard job done in the fall, when everybody cut down the 
stalks of cane, dug a hole about four feet deep and sixty feet long, 
piled the stalks in it and covered them with about three feet of dirt. 
This was to preserve the cane through the winter and keep it from 
freezing and bursting, thereby becoming useless. However, during the 
coldest part of winter, some cane would be uncovered and the leaves 
stripped from each stalk, the stalks chopped into one-foot lengths and 
each piece planted in the field in preparation for growing and 
harvesting it and making syrup. This was a hated and dreaded job, 
because the cane was covered with ice in the winter and without gloves, 
the hands would freeze and become numb and then, over and over, had to 
be thawed out so they would work again. This meant frequent periods of 
excruciating pain when they were thawing out. Nobody had gloves back 
then and even if some had been available, the Bedsoles could not have 
afforded them, as they were considered an unnecessary "luxury".

                   Making Syrup 
 
This was another back-breaking job, always performed in the worst of 
winter, usually January and February, because this was a period of 
relative "down time" in the fields and farming. The cane, which had 
been cut and stripped of leaves and tops was now hauled to the cane 
mill, usually located in the pasture. The mill consisted of two barrel-
like iron rollers, mounted on 3 spraddled legs. 

The rollers turned against each other and crushed the cane between 
them. They were turned by a mule, which pulled a long pole round and 
round, turning the rollers through a set of steel gears.The juice 
poured from the rollers into a collector vat, or barrel, then strained 
through a piece of cloth, poured into a cooking vat about five inches 
deep, four feet wide and six feet long, tilted slightly, but with 
baffles in it to slow down the flow of the juice towards the spout at 
the opposite end of the vat, thus allowing it more time to cook. With a 
roaring fire, (which means someone had to cut, split, haul, and stack 
wood, for days) under the vat, the juice slowly cooked, evaporating the 
water in it, as it oozed to the other end of the pan where it poured 
out in a small, steady stream of syrup, into cans, jugs, or even into 
55 gallon barrels. If this juice was undercooked, it had an awful, 
"flat" taste and if it was cooked too long, it was burnt and the taste, 
although different, was nevertheless just as awful. So, proper cooking 
time and temperature, were absolutely necessary. Great knowledge and 
skill were needed to avoid wasting this very important food and trade 
item.

                 Acquiring Firewood 

Cold weather was a real problem back then and a never-ending source of 
suffering and sickness. But the constant shortage of adequate food, was 
the absolute worst of all problems they had to deal with every day. 
Mountains of firewood were needed all the time. In the summer, it was 
used for cooking. In the fall, cooking, smoking meat. In the winter, it 
was needed to heat the house. It was needed all the time for washing 
clothes, making soap and the cane mill. 

So, for long full-time periods of labor and in any spare time, the 
Bedsoles sawed down trees, trimmed trees, sawed up logs, chopped limbs, 
split logs, toted wood, loaded wood, hauled wood, stacked wood and then 
repeated it all in the hunt for "Literd" (Lighter wood), which was old, 
dry pine stumps and the hunt for what was called knots, or literd knots 
which were rich in pitch and resin and which were used by everyone to 
start fires. Because of this, pine stumps were kept and dried out. The 
literd was cut into fine splinters which were easily lit and which, due 
to its high turpentine content, burned fiercely for a very short time, 
but hopefully long enough to dry out and set fire to the regular 
firewood stacked on top of it, usually consisting of split pine.oak or 
hickory wood was preferred because these burned slower and produced a 
hotter fire. 

But oak and hickory were hard, dense wood and required much 
backbreaking chopping and sawing to produce firewood. The problem was, 
with the unbelievably tiny fireplaces inside houses back then and with 
all the holes in the walls, floors and roof's, there was no way in the 
world to get warm in the winter time. Once they thought the settlers 
had enough mountains of wood, for the fireplace to last all winter, 
that work temporarily slacked off, but then it was discovered they had 
to do it all over again for the cane mill, washing clothes and for the 
making of soap.In the winter, they had to put so many covers and animal 
skins on the bed to keep from freezing, they could barely turn over 
with all that weight bearing down on them. 

After supper during winter, everyone always had to shell peanuts, shuck 
corn, work on leather, repair stuff, or do something for another three 
hours before going to bed. So they sat in the "living room", which 
always had two or three double beds in it anyway and sniffled and froze 
to death while they did that work too. They couldn't wait to get in bed 
and hopefully warm up some. Nobody had adequate winter clothes, so 
everybody froze equally. Most people wore 2 pair of breeches, two 
shirts and some kind of coat, if any or all of that was available, 
which was seldom the case. Some wore animal hides as overcoats. But no 
matter how tired people got, there was no such thing as a vacation or 
time off. Any time off meant someone else had to take up the slack and 
this was usually followed by a period of less to eat.

                 Seeds For Planting 
  
Producing, preparing and storing corn, peanuts, cotton and other seeds 
meant they had to be bagged and stored as they were prepared. The 
shelling of peanuts and corn was always done for days and usually 
lasted long into the nights, until the smaller kids couldn't stay awake 
any longer. 

With the passage of time and the time-consuming tediousness of the seed 
work, someone hit on the idea of holding a "Peanut Shelling" at his 
house one Saturday night and the word spread that single people were 
invited and there would be a "cake walk" for them. That meant everybody 
there would have to shell one "pan" of peanuts (about five gallons), 
more or less. With people usually living 3 miles or more apart, the 
single people were desperate for a chance to at least see a member of 
the opposite sex if nothing else and they were all excited and showed 
up in droves and any single women always had their parents, or older 
brothers, as escorts and guardians. 

Three men, who could make a reasonable attempt at music, played a 
guitar, fiddle and banjo. After the peanuts were shelled (the farmer 
tried to get all of them shelled he could) the cake walk was held. In 
this case, everybody moved out into the front yard, kerosene lamps were 
placed on the front porch, lighting the yard at least some. A circle 
with numbered squares was drawn in the dirt. The music started, the 
single people found themselves a partner, usually someone they had 
never seen before and holding hands (the greatest thrill), began 
walking around the circle as the music played. This was considered very 
romantic, especially by the girls. 

Being able to hold a girls hand was more than the single guys had even 
hoped for. The music stopped and everybody stopped. A number was drawn 
out of a hat and called out and the couple in that numbered spot, was 
the lucky couple and they could go off in a corner somewhere together, 
but not too far away and certainly not out of sight, and eat their 
cake. Cake's were brought by several of the females and were considered 
an expense incurred to get the daughters married off. Eventually, over 
a period of time, these affairs evolved into full-blown music and dance 
get-togethers, but was not popular at the same house twice in any given 
year as one could almost always count on such turning into a knock-
down, drag-out, free for all fight, before it was over, because someone 
would always bring moonshine (A big no-no) and start getting drunk 
and/or someone would do something or say something offensive to someone 
else. However, out of consideration for the homeowners and their wives, 
the party goers would stash their moonshine at the edge of the yard, or 
in the woods near the house and not actually bring it into the house, 
as the homeowner was certain to take offense. This homemade whiskey was 
called "Moonshine" because it was usually made by the light of the 
moon, deep in the woods, for privacy.

              Gathering Pine Tar And Pitch 

This is absolutely the nastiest, hottest, most exhausting and 
despicable job anyone could ever do. As it was done back in the 1700’s, 
it was still being done like this in my lifetime: The pine trees were 
scarred by cutting the bark 6 to 8 times in the shape of letter V’s, so 
that all the points of convergence of the cuts, caused the resulting 
"Bleeding" turpentine to flow down the cuts and drip ever so slowly 
into small oblong, metal cups, mounted and fastened to the trees with 
nails. 

Every 15 days or so, each cup had to be cleaned and scraped out and all 
the turpentine collected from them emptied into small, five gallon 
buckets, which were then carried by two people, to the waiting mule or 
ox-drawn carts or wagons where it was poured and scraped into 40 to 50 
gallon barrels. This was then carried to a "mill" where the turpentine 
was cooked until the majority of water in it had evaporated and what 
was left was a black, thick and sticky goo, which is true tar. This was 
sold not liquid and traded for other, more-needed goods. It was also 
shipped to England where it was used to soak tough hemp cords which 
were then used to pack into and seal cracks between the planks of the 
hulls of ships. Much tar was needed by England and as time went on, 
with more and more such ships being produced in this country, more and 
more tar was bought, sold and traded here too. The big problem was, the 
worker invariably got the sticky turpentine all over himself, his hair, 
clothes, hands, tools, barrels, boxes and everything else he touched or 
came into contact with. Then, unless he had quick access to kerosene, 
he had a makor cleanup problem.

                   Religion Back Then 

When without a church, and at the earliest opportunity, the people 
would gather and begin building a "Brush Arbor", which consisted of 
several sapling trees, cut down and trimmed and set into the ground as 
uprights. This was then crisscrossed on top with more small limbs and 
covered with small, leafy limbs and grass, to provide a kind of shelter 
to ward off the hot sun and the nightly dews. Crude benches were also 
crafted from half-logs with wooden pegs as legs, which served as seats. 
The Brush Arbor was usually built in the edge of someone’s pasture and 
was used as a temporary church. People then were very religious and 
faithfully attended their churches and practiced what they preached in 
terms of their personal conduct, speech, and daily practices. 

Almost all the early Bedsoles belonged to a church, usually of the 
Quaker faith. Those churches were very strict about their members and 
anyone living in the area who did not join, or who were "kicked out " 
would be shunned and ostracized by church members. Little or no credit 
was extended to them. Trade with such neighbors was almost non-
existent. The non-members could not count on help when it was needed 
from their neighbors. So, it greatly benefitted all to join the local 
church. Not to do so, was certain to end in numerous additional 
hardships for the family of the refuser. 

Any time a church found out one of its members was drinking alcohol, 
mistreating his wife or children, being unfaithful to his wife, or was 
otherwise derelict in the conduct of his personal life, the church 
pastor and elders would meet and discuss the situation and approve a 
plan of action to force the wayward member to mend his ways. Two or 
three elders together, would go visit the person and point out the 
problems and outline what was required for him or her, to get back 
within the good graces of the church. If they failed to mend their 
ways, they were visited again and warned that this was their last 
chance. If that failed, the wayward member was kicked out of the 
church. 

Not being a member of the church meant that person would not be able to 
trade their goods for things they and their family desperately needed. 
In addition, they could not count on the help and support of church 
members, and that fact alone was usually so devastating, it was enough 
to get the wayward member to mend his ways. Church members enjoyed many 
important benefits such as; When anyone got sick, or injured, everyone 
gathered there and did whatever they could to help care for the party 
in need, including caring for babies and children, the family, cooking, 
milking cows and doing all the farming, cultivating, planting, 
harvesting and other chores normally done by that family. Knowing that 
tomorrow, the person in need could very well be any one of them, this 
practice was looked on as a very valuable thing to have in ones life, 
together with the ability to trade among themselves. Caring for each 
other meant survival, living or dying, in many cases. 

When a member in good standing, moved to another location, they could 
request a letter of transfer from their local church to the church at 
their new location and stay in good graces with the church. However, 
they were only allowed 30 days to be accepted into the new church. 
Preachers and pastors were key people in everyone’s lives and were 
always treated with the utmost respect and courtesy and were especially 
cared for by all the families in the area. It was common practice to 
invite the Preacher and his family to ones house for Sunday dinner 
where the host family always prepared the best food they had for the 
meal and the guest(s).
 
                       Velvet Beans 

Picking Velvet Beans was pure torture. They were planted among the 
corn, so the vines would have something to grow and run up on and 
multiply. They were used primarily for cattle feed. Picking velvet 
beans was one of the most despicable jobs, next to cotton. The beans 
are all covered with a thick coating of small velvety hairs which all 
have reversed barbs all along the hair, so if the hair sticks in your 
skin which it will, the thing could not be pulled out and would break 
off instead, resulting in skin itching and infections.

The itching and stinging of the skin were horrendous and impossible to 
describe. The settlers all wore heavy, thick, guano sack shirts and the 
thickest pants they had, which were usually made of leather or hides. 
The legs were tied around the ankles really tight. The shirt collars 
were buttoned all the way up. The shirt sleeves were rolled all the way 
down and tied tight around the wrists. Still, the velvet got inside the 
shirts, up the sleeves, up the pants legs, and inside the clothes. With 
the weather around one hundred degrees in the summer and the humidity 
at about ninety-five percent and these beans being down among the corn 
where no breeze could get to the workers, picking them dressed as they 
were, was pure torture for days on end. The weaker workers frequently 
fainted from aggravation and heat exhaustion.

                      Gathering Corn 

The ears of corn had to be pulled from the stalks and put in a sack 
with a strap which was worn around the neck. The leaves on corn stalks 
are also lined on each side of the leaf with reversed needle-like 
stingers and a leaf will cut ones skin like a knife. Then the sweat 
would get in the cuts and burn like fire. By the time they had been 
carrying that fifty pound bag of corn around their necks and dumping it 
in the wagon for twelve hours, their shoulders and backs would be 
throbbing and hurting so badly, they could hardly keep from crying. 
Working among the stalks of corn meant no breeze could get to them and 
the heat was torture. Every time their sacks were full, it was carried 
and emptied into the mule-drawn wagon. When the wagon was full, the 
corn was hauled to the barn and unloaded and stored inside. With one 
hundred or more, acres of corn, this was no small job. Corn was used 
primarily for animal feed and for meal and human consumption in the 
form of cornbread. If the family had children age five or higher, they 
did much of this work. Its hard to imagine today’s children doing any 
such job, even for five minutes.

                      Picking Cotton 

This was one of the worst, hottest, time-consuming jobs that ever 
existed in any Bedsole’s life. With a 7-foot long canvas sack strapped 
around ones neck and shoulders, the cotton was picked and put into the 
sack, which dragged on the ground behind the worker, who was either 
bent over at the waist, or on their knees, down among the cotton 
stalks. The cotton bolls all had needle-sharp prongs surrounding the 
ball of cotton and when the picker tried to get the cotton, these 
prongs would inevitably stick into the finger tips and break off under 
the skin, causing the pricks to fester and become swollen, red, 
inflamed and extremely painful. Within the short span of one day, 
several of these sores would already be infected in all the fingers 
which only made the work more painful and being more careful when 
picking the cotton, only added to the amount of time to harvest it. 
When workers were paid for this work, even in the 1940’s, it was half a 
cent per pound picked. A normal cotton picker would usually pick 100-
125 pounds in a day. That would yield the mind-boggling sum of fifty to 
sixty five cents for the entire twelve-hour day. Of course, back in the 
1700-1800’s, it was a lot less. When picking in the early morning, the 
landowner would pay a lot less per pound due to the dew being on the 
cotton which he claimed, added false weight to the cotton. 

          Cultivating and Harvesting Tobacco Leaves 

With England demanding all the tobacco they could get, while paying 
cash for it and taking it in trade, our ancestors planted and harvested 
a lot of tobacco. When the tobacco plants were only about 2 feet tall, 
the leaves became covered with leaf-eating, long, ugly, green tobacco 
worms, which had to be picked off of each leaf by hand. Since these 
worms usually stayed on the bottom side of the leaves, that meant each 
leaf had to be turned upside down in order to see and remove these 
worms. Once removed, the worms had to be placed in a sack and destroyed 
when the sack was full. During the summer months, the tobacco crops had 
to be tilled to keep the grass from growing, because the grass reduced 
their leaf production and stunted the tobacco plants and resulting 
crop. In the fall, the tobacco leaves were picked and tied in bundles 
of perhaps twelves leaves. These were then hauled from the field in 
mule, or oxen-drawn wagons and the bundles were taken to a "Drying 
house", which was usually a large barn with large vent holes in the 
roof so that the hot summer air could flow through the building and dry 
out the leaves. When the leaves had thus cured "just right", meaning 
the leaves looked, felt and smelled right, meaning they were golden 
brown in color and felt leathery, they were removed from the drying 
building and were delivered to a collection point to be sold or traded 
and shipped to England to be used for smoking, dipping, or chewing 
tobacco.

                     Catching Fish

One could always count on getting stuck with a couple of long and very 
painful fins. A favorite way of getting fish was to put out "set 
hooks". This meant hunting, cutting and preparing small cane poles, 
lines, weights, hooks and bait and carrying them to the river and 
sticking them in the banks usually upstream from where the fishermen 
camped. Another way was called "Setting a trot line". It was called 
"trot" because everyone would trot to the end of the line which was 
usually one hundred to two hundred feet long, tied between two trees, 
just below the waters surface, with a line and hook tied to it every 18 
inches. Sometimes, the trot lines were tied on opposite sides of the 
river, or creek, but was usually tied across the mouth of a "slough" 
("slew"), which was a pond cut off from the stream. This sounds like 
fun, but when you have to set 200 to 300 of these and go around to them 
3 times during the night to take off the fish and re-bait the hooks, 
fun it is not. Everybody constantly slid or fell into the river and 
stayed wet all night. Another big job which went with this was spending 
two to three days hunting and collecting "Puppy dogs" (salamanders, or 
spring lizards), for bait. They hid under logs and stumps and piles of 
wet leaves in the swamps, but only in the swamps, which meant you had 
to slog through the muddy, nasty, swamp. This was the only bait which 
was free and which the big "Channel cat" catfish would bite. 

People couldn't afford to waste time and energy on anything fish would 
not bite. This exercise was to produce food for starving families. It 
was not a side dish, nor something they picked up at the supermarket, 
since there was no such thing then. They were fishing for their 
families to have food and for their very lives. The next day, it 
usually took several people an entire day to skin and clean the 
catfish, cut them up and fry them. At the table to eat, needless to 
say, was any neighbor crowd who had gotten the word. 

                  EARLY INDIAN PROBLEMS

A few indian attacks on white settlers and settlements, in Virginia are 
listed below, they are only examples. Indians were just as adversarial 
and warlike in North Carolina too. For those Bedsoles who were living 
here prior to 1800, indians were almost a constant problem and that was 
true for all states which were initially "Settled" by pioneers. On top 
of all the day to day hardships our ancestors were already suffering, 
they were frequently savagely attacked and murdered by indians. The 
examples listed further on, are also listed in the unpublished 
manuscript,  "Dunsmores Indian Massacres", in the Archives of the 
Virginia State Library. 

"The Indians are coming up the Sandy," was the first cry of many a 
Virginia border spy when he rushed into one of the frontier forts. The 
report would bring hurried preparations for defense, and fleet runners 
would rush off to warn the scattered pioneers to seek the security of 
the forts. Low gaps through the Cumberlands were ingresses into 
Virginia for the dreaded Shawnee from the Scioto and other Ohio points. 
When the heavy snows of their midcontinent climate melted and the first 
signs of spring appeared, the redskins stirred from their lethargy of 
long inaction and turned toward the Sandy Passes into Virginia. Beyond 
the gaps of the mountain wall were pioneer settlements and scattered 
cabin homes. To the indians, there was plunder and many scalps to be 
taken. Virginians called the gaps "the Sandy Passes" and kept scouts 
patrolling beyond them into a wilderness known as the Scouting Ground, 
in order to provide as much advance notice as possible for preparation, 
prior to an impending attack. Some indians came through the gap at the 
head of the  " Dry Fork of Tug River", others through the passes at the 
head of the Tug. 

For the frontier settlers, Scouts or spies as many called them, were 
selected from volunteers. They were rugged, self-reliant, courageous, 
and dreaded little the loneliness of days on the march deep down Big 
Sandy, Tug Fork or the Kentucky rivers. They went in two's or four's, 
carried food for the duration of their journeys. They were forbidden to 
use their guns except in the direst emergencies, were forbidden even to 
build a fire. Skulking Indians might hear or see and ambush them. Many 
a frontier settlements and cabins went up in flames and its inhabitants 
carried off or massacreed because its protecting scouts were killed, or 
did'nt detect an impending attack. Isolated cabins were the most 
vulnerable to attacks. Here are just a few examples of the savage 
atrocities commited against these settlers. Many more and much worse, 
widespread cases occurred to those who lived in the earlier 
"settlements" of 1605-1780, when and where there were no army post to 
help protect the "Frontiers", of these increasing and expanding early 
settlements.

Jessee Adams, Russell County, Virginia. Him, his wife and ten children 
were massacred by the Indians on Stock Creek in 1782. His two brothers 
are said to have also been killed by Indians near Fort Blackmore in 
1790.

Michael Auxier was scalped by the Indians while living on the Clinch 
River but lived, and was ever afterwards called "Bald-headed Mike". 

Fanny Scott, Husband Archibald Scott, and all their children were 
killed by the Indians and their cabin burned to the ground, August 8, 
1788.

Humphrey Dickenson. Killed by Indians on a rock in Clinch River in 
1778, following an attack at his cabin in which his wife and all their 
children were murdered, and a chase from there to the rock, where he 
was killed.

James Bush. Killed and both of his daughters Mary and Ann, were 
captured by the Indians, but were retaken in Floyd Co., Ky. by the 
Clinch Militia. Ann was tomahawked but survived. Her and others were 
attacked later, most were killed and scalped by the Indians but Ann 
still survived to rear a family. 

John Anderson and John Barksdale. Both were attacked and killed in 
their fields at Castlewood, Va. in 1778. 

John Blackmore, Jr. was attacked by indians in his cabin, but survived. 
He moved to Tennessee, but was attacked there by indians who killed 
him, in 1788.

John Carter, his brother Dale, Johns wife and 5 children, were all 
killed in their cabin just down the river from Fort Blakemore, and the 
cabin and everyone in it was burned to the ground, in 1785.

John and Vincent Bedsole. Two Brothers. They were attacked and killed 
by an indian hunting party, who came upon them in their field, and too 
far from their cabin to use it as defense.

Imagine yourself being such a family member and the horror of arriving 
at your cabin to find such things had happened to your own family, and 
the rage and helplessness you would feel.

 From The Unpublished Manuscript "INDIAN ATROCITIES" By Emory L. 
Hamilton

        Source : Virginia State Papers, Vol. II, page 72 

Along the Clinch, Powell and Holston Rivers, pages 91-92. Captain 
Abraham Bledsoe, (Jr. b.1730) who was with Col. Evan Shelby on the 
Chicamauga Campaign of 1779, had a son captured by the Indians whom 
many writers blandly say was the son of Anthony, or Isaac Bledsoe. That 
son was also named Abraham. Thomas Bledsoe, also a son of Captain 
Abraham, tells of the capture of his brother in his Revolutionary War 
pension claim, saying: " The family (Captain Abraham's) moved to about 
seven miles from the Long Island (now Kingsport, TN) on Holston River, 
on Reedy Creek, and at this place his father was living when he entered 
the service of the United States in 1778, as well as he can remember. 
He again volunteered under the same Captain to go in pursuit of a party 
of Indians, who had broken in on the frontiers, and had taken away with 
them, as prisoner, this applicant's brother; that after pursuing for 
some time, they came up with the rear guard of the Indians, who gave 
notice to the advance party and they escaped, taking with them their 
prisoner, and he was not heard of until he was exchanged at the Falls 
of the Ohio". Thomas Bledsoe, (The possibility does exist that he was 
our Thomas Bedsole, Sr., b. 1750, ancestor, but I could neither prove 
nor disprove it) was slightly in error as to the year in which his 
brother was captured, which is excusable, since making a statement from 
memory forty or fifty years after the event happened. He does not give 
the date when his brother was released at the Falls of the Ohio, which 
is today the site of Louisville, Kentucky. The actual date of the 
capture of the Bledsoe boy is given in a letter written by Col. Arthur 
Campbell to Governor Patrick Henry, dated 25th April, 1781, a few days 
after the actual happening, wherein he says: " The Northward (Shawnee) 
Indians have been troubling the people very much this spring, in small 
parties; killing and captivating and wounding. They come up Sandy River 
generally, and on the last occasion, penetrated as far as the 
settlement on Holston, carrying off a son of Captain Bledsoe's". 
(Abraham Bedsole, Jr.)

Abraham Bledsoe (Sr.) settled on the upper part of Reedy Creek in the 
year 1730, according to his land survey, but he was certainly in the 
area earlier than this date (In fact, he owned land there in 1726) , 
and on February 14th, 1728, he was appointed by the Court of Botetourt 
Co., VA, "Constable in the precinct he lived in upon Reed Creek." He 
later moved to Moccasin Creek of the North Fork of Holston River, where 
he died near Moccasin Gap in the summer of 1801. His wife was named 
Catherine, and among his children were: Thomas Bledsoe, born in North 
Carolina in 1760 (Actually 1750) and who married on 6 November 1769; 
(After all, he could not have married at 9 years old) Margaret Eakin; 
Abraham Bledsoe, III, and he was perhaps the one who was captured by 
the Indians; three daughters, Thely, who married James Eakin, brother 
of Margaret who married Thomas Bledsoe; Hetty Bittle and Polly Bledsoe. 
This is almost certainly our Thomas Bedsole, Sr., and accounts for the 
reason I could not locate him in NC from prior to his birth until he 
was about 27 years old (1777, when he was in the Revolutionary War).

      Sharecroppers And Their Annual, End-Of-Year "Settling Up": 
                      My Own Experience 

For those Bedsoles fortunate enough to own their own land, harvest-time 
meant they picked, hauled, traded, stored and sold their produce and 
crops, for cash and/or trade-goods. But the vast majority of them, like 
us, ended up being share-croppers.That means they would work all year 
for a landowner and when the crops were harvested and sold in the fall 
and the costs deducted, the landowner would theoretically share the 
difference with the sharecropper. However, since the landowner had made 
advance arrangements with a store owner to allow the farmer a specified 
amount of credit during the year for food, clothing, and farming tools, 
the cost of all that had to be deducted from the profits before any 
profit was divided between them. 

In sharecropping, the landowner would guarantee payment in the fall to 
the store owner and the farmer was always forced to almost starve his 
family because the landowner would set such a low credit limit, such as 
$300 for the entire year. Even back then, that was not a lot of money. 
The farmer simply could not adequately provide for his family on such a 
small pittance. Imagine, $25 a month for 12 people, which was to pay 
for any and all expenses. 

Therefore, hunting and fishing were meaningful activities, for 
acquiring meat. In addition, the landowner and storekeeper but not the 
farmer, kept "the record" all year, since the farmers could neither 
read nor write, this left the storekeeper and landowner free to 
overcharge the poor farmers, whatever they could get away with. But, 
that’s how share-cropping was done and had been done as far back as 
anyone could remember. My own parents also were typical share-croppers 
their whole lives and that’s how we lived. In late 1926, when his own 
father died, my dad, being the oldest son and responsible for his 
fathers estate, entered into verbal agreements with a store owner in 
Alabama, who eventually foreclosed on him and took all my grandfathers 
land, eleven houses and property and left us no choice but to become 
share-croppers. 

This did not mean a lot of difference in living for us, though. 
Although my dad could probably have prevailed in court in this case, he 
was very ignorant of the law and procedures and his word was his bond. 
Unfortunately, he assumed everyone else was like that too. Very big 
mistake.

That was and still is, a very big, very costly, and very sad mistake. 
One I still make myself, which gives you some indication of my level of 
stupidity and total lack of intelligence. Anyway, share-cropping meant 
the landowners made their living, fortunes as it were, and very 
existence easier by riding on the backs of the poor, 
ignorant,desperately starving sharecroppers. In their despicable 
ignorance, the Bedsole share-croppers were horribly mistreated in that 
regard from the beginning, until they quit being sharecroppers about 
1950, after this country became industrialized.. 
 
"Settling up" though, was something which was done about the end of 
December, every year. I was fourteen or fifteen when I was finally 
allowed to go to one with my oldest brother, Bill. We went to the 
landowner's house, went inside and sat down with him at the table. He 
got out a shirt-pocket sized notebook and started adding up the 
"costs". Since the way to settle up, was for the landowner and he 
alone, to determine how much the farmer owed, we just stood there as he 
read off the endless list. Once my brother said he didn't remember 
picking up four hundred pounds of fertilizer. Bill said it was three 
hundred pounds and the land owner immediately flew into a rage. How 
dare Bill question him. "There it was in black and white" in that 
notebook. 

In the end, as was the custom, the landowner told Bill he still owed 
three hundred fifty dollars, above what the "profits" were, and how we 
would have to stay and farm another year for him. As Bill and I were 
walking back home in the dark, although I was young, I was astounded 
and appalled at the obvious, total scalping we had just witnessed. I 
began to question Bill mercilessly about the total lack of evidence and 
how in the world did we know what the landowner said we owed was 
accurate. Why didn't we keep a list too and why didn't we have to sign 
for everything and how did we know the storekeeper didn't pad the bill 
to the landowner, together with the landowner's padding . I was furious 
at the total absence of any type of verification. 

Patiently, Bill told me that was just the way things had always been 
done. To question either the landowner or the storekeeper, was certain 
to result in their refusal to "provide for us for the coming year". We 
went home, but I never let up. I seethed and boiled over the "settling 
up" situation. I complained and whined about it, until Bill finally 
began to see things my way. 

Then one day, about two weeks later, he told the landowner we would not 
be staying there and that he would be paid off in monthly payments, 
over the coming year, for we were going to Florida to live.Then he and 
my sister's husband left and hitchhiked to Orlando, Florida, because 
they had heard you could work down there and get paid by the hour and 
be paid EVERY FRIDAY! That sounded like a total and unbelievable 
miracle. 

But they both got a job in the orange groves near Orlando as laborers, 
and eventually rented two little houses in the woods and a couple of 
months later, they showed up in an old Pontiac and it took 4 trips from 
Opp, Alabama to Orlando, but we moved, lock stock and barrel. That was 
the end of the share-cropping business for us and eventually it totally 
disappeared and died a long, slow, agonizing and well-deserved death. 

But the landowners fought it all the way because they didn't want to 
lose a good thing. Three of my sisters and a brother stayed in the Opp, 
Alabama area and lived there, but the rest of us never moved back, 
except for me. I just moved back to Opp to live permanently, but I am 
retired and do not have to worry about money any longer. But Thank God, 
that sharecroppers life is finally and permanently dead, for most 
Bedsoles. The majority of Bedsoles though, remained as farmers and 
sharecroppers until about 1950, when they began working more and more 
in jobs with regular paychecks.

   HOW BATH COUNTY, NC (ABRAHAM) IS RELATED TO BLADEN COUNTY, NC
            WHERE MOST OTHER BEDSOLES WERE FOUND

Keep in mind that, for years and years, almost all the Bedsoles, to our 
knowledge back then, were in the Bladen County, NC area. Also, I claim 
Abraham was the first Bedsole here, arriving at Bath County, NC alone, 
on Sept. 11,1700 and arriving again with his family on May 1, 1701. 
With that in mind, I set out to see if there was any way any type of 
physical connection somehow existed between Bath and Bladen, Sampson, 
Duplin, Dobbs, and Johnston Counties where Bedsoles later appeared. 
Well, it occurred like this, in the sequence listed; 1696 Bath County 
was an original county created from the expanse of land, which was NC. 
In 1712 Craven County was created from Archdale Precinct of Bath 
County. In 1729 New Hanover County, was created from a part of Craven 
County. In 1734. Bladen County was created from a part of New Hanover 
County. So, in effect, Bladen could have actually been part of Bath 
County !!. So there is the connection. And that, helps a lot to show 
that all the Bedsoles in Bladen County, were descendants of that 
Abraham, b.1673 in Germany. Now, don't say I never told told you 
anything. Just one more piece of the puzzle solved.

IN 1830 SOME BEDSOLES MOVED FROM NC TO ALABAMA, TENNESSEE AND GEORGIA. 

Thomas Jr., son of Thomas Bedsole, Sr. and Rebecca Jones, moved from 
North Carolina to Montgomery and Lowndes County, Ala. in 1830.. 
Apparently, these moves resulted from the death of Thomas Sr. about 
1830, which broke up the NC family. Those moving included; Thomas Sr's 
son, Travis Bedsole and his whole family from Beaverdam, NC to Haywood 
County, Tennessee. William Henry Bedsole,( III) ’s (Son of Thomas, Sr.) 
son Amos moved his whole family from North Carolina to Warren County, 
Georgia, while Thomas Bedsole, Jr., and wife Charlotte Ann (English) , 
with all their children, spouses and grandchildren, together with the 
William Davis family, Thomas Wise family and the Thomas English family 
moved from Bladen County, North Carolina initially to Crenshaw and 
Lowndes Counties in Alabama, with Thomas Jr. and wife Charlotte and 
family and \William Davis and wife, at some point, moving to Coffee 
County, Ino, Alabama, east of Opp, Alabama, and at a later date, moving 
to Butler County, Ala., Where Thomas Jr. died in 1865 or so. This move 
was lock, stock and barrel for all concerned and was made by mule-drawn 
wagons. Possibly as many as one hundred people and ten to twelve wagons 
were involved. When they arrived in Alabama, they apparently acquired 
government land there, in the form of "patents". Henry, a son of Thomas 
Jr. and Charlotte, appears to have wasted no time in acquiring such 
land and it appears that he and his brother Sessoms, had made earlier, 
initial "Scouting" trips to Alabama and back to NC the year prior to 
this larger movement of people. This was probably done to determine the 
type of land available, cost, location, housing and locations of any 
towns and army forts, indian problems and best routes, before moving 
the families and so many people at one time. 

As seen below, Henry acquired many tracts of land in several counties 
in Alabama, Louisiana and Florida, while the other Bedsoles initially 
settled primarily in Alabama, (unless otherwise noted below) on 
acquired land as follows. These land acquisitions were probably NOT the 
only ones made and others were probably purchased and acquired by deed, 
but these are the only ones available on the Alabama Land Patent 
internet site at this time, shown along with their respective counties: 
If any others were purchased, swapped, or traded, they would have been 
listed as Deeds, not Patents, and would not be listed below.

Name                   County                             Year

David Bedsole Baldwin 
(Mobile)......................................1895 Thomas Jr's son
Duncan Bedsole New Orleans, Louisiana...................... 1902 
                                                 PAGE THIRTY FOUR

Edward Bedsole Walton ( Mossy Head), Florida................1859 270 
Acres.
Edward Bedsole Coffee (Opp).................................1891 
Edward O. Bedsole Clarke (Grove Hill).......................1891 
Edward's son.
Edward Bedsole Crenshaw ....................................1840
Edward Bedsole Clarke ......................................1890
Henry Bedsole Lowndes ......................................1833 Thomas 
Jr.'s son
Henry Bedsole Crenshaw (Luverne) ...........................1833 The 
first land in Alabama in1830
Henry Bedsole Crenshaw......................................1834
Henry Bedsole Crenshaw......................................1896
Henry Bedsole Crenshaw......................................1837
Henry Bedsole Crenshaw......................................1837
Henry Bedsole Crenshaw .....................................1837
Henry Bedsole Crenshaw......................................1837
Henry Bedsole Crenshaw......................................1837
Henry Bedsole Crenshaw......................................1837
Henry Bedsole Crenshaw .....................................1837
Henry Bedsole Crenshaw .....................................1852
Henry Bedsole Crenshaw .....................................1852
Henry Bedsole Montgomery ...................................1837
Henry Bedsole Montgomery ...................................1837
Henry Bedsole Rapides Parish, Louisiana ....................1907
Henry Bedsole Leon County, Florida .........................1902
Henry Bedsole Leon County, Florida .........................1903
John Buford. Bedsole Geneva (Samson)........................1904
John D. Bedsole Geneva (Samson).............................1899
John W. Bedsole Geneva .....................................1895 
Son of John B 
Quincy F. Bedsole Clarke (Grove Hill) ......................1891
Rayford H. Bedsole Clarke ..................................1860
Sarah E. F. Bedsole Covington (Andalusia)...................1900
Sessoms Bedsole Montgomery (Sellers)........................1837
Sessoms Bedsole Montgomery .................................1837
Thomas Bedsole Crenshaw (Luverne) ..........................1834
Thomas Bedsole Houston (Dothan).............................1858
Thomas Bedsole Houston .....................................1858
Thomas Bedsole Coffee (Opp).................................1841
Thomas Bedsole Coffee ......................................1849
Thomas Bedsole Coffee ......................................1859
Thomas H. Bedsole Clarke (Grove Hill).......................1875 
Thomas Bedsole Dale (Ozark) ................................1837
Travis Bedsole Coffee.......................................1893
Travis Bedsole Coffee.......................................1860
Travis Bedsole Coffee ......................................1858
Travis F. Bedsole Rapides Parish, Louisiana.................1905
William B. Bedsole Geneva (Samson)..........................1898
William F. Bedsole Clarke ..................................1891
William H. Bedsole Coffee...................................1891
Thomas Jr. and son Henry, are on the 1830 Census for Lowndes County, 
Alabama. This proves that they and Sessoms did in fact, move from NC to 
Alabama at least by 1830.

                     IN FLORIDA

BEDSOLE SARAH E 26 6N 23W TALLAHASSEE 0 1900/11/12 
BEDSOLE SARAH E 26 6N 23W TALLAHASSEE 0 1900/11/12 
BEDSOLE SARAH E 23 6N 23W TALLAHASSEE 145.61 1900/11/12 
BEDSOLE SARAH E 23 6N 23W TALLAHASSEE 0 1900/11/12 
BEDSOLE, HENRY Leon County, 1860.
BEDSOLE, HENRY Leon County, 1860.

                  THEIR HOUSES BACK THEN

In 1798, they lived in log cabins. Here is the Direct Tax List from 
1798, for two Bedsole ancestors………..
...George.....Main house; 23 X 23 feet. Dirt Floor. Constructed of logs 
and planks. Kitchen 10 X 10 ft., Meat smoke House 8 X 10 ft., Corn 
House 8 X 12 feet, both constructed of logs. Dairy 8 X 8 Feet. Wooden 
shingles. ....Joseph....Main House, 16 X 38 feet. Plank floor. Of logs 
and Boards. Kitchen 8 X 10 of planks. Meat house 8 X 10 Hewed Logs 
covered with hewed planks. Corn house 8 X 10 constructed of Hewed Logs. 
Do you know how long it takes to "Hew" just one plank, not to mention 
hand hewn shingles ? About 8 hours. Its done with Axes, chisels, 
Adze's, and drawing knives.

                  EDWARD BEDSOLE'S STORY

Edward, listed as landowner several times, above, was born to Thomas 
Bedsole, Jr. and Charlotte English in 1819 in Beaverdam, NC. He died in 
1909 and is buried in Clarke County, Coffeeville, Alabama. You can see 
above, that others also moved to or were born in, Clarke County. He was 
about twelve years old when they moved from NC to Alabama. He was 
married to Susan Blackwell and they lived in Crenshaw County, Alabama 
initially, but he moved his family to Mossy Head, Florida about 1853, 
then to Clarke County. (Coffeeville). About 1891, Edward moved to Grove 
Hill (Coffeeville), Alabama where he, his son Quincy and Edwards sister 
Elizabeth’s son Rayford, built a log store at the crossroads between 
Coffeeville and Grove Hill, Alabama. Over the next couple of years, 
they developed a group of drinkers, smokers, snuff users, tobacco 
chewers, never-do-wells, hangers-on and trouble-makers, who frequently 
gathered at the store and discussed politics and how they were all 
being wronged by the local politicians. Eventually, Edward and Rayford 
began selling moonshine whiskey from the store and the gang which 
gathered there from time to time now numbered perhaps 50-60 men. Over 
time, they turned to stealing from politicians at first, but that 
practice grew until their victims included their own neighbors, who 
were just poor, ordinary farmers. 

Over time, Edwards gang developed a hatred for the merchants in Grove 
Hill and in the county, who charged outrageous prices and sometimes 
took any property the farmers owned in payment, and when they, 
especially the sharecroppers, could not pay their bills after harvest 
time, the gang began stealing from the merchants own stores and their 
harvested crops too. Big landowners also began to fall victim to the 
gang for the same reasons. If the gang decided they wanted someones 
corn, cotton, pigs, cattle, or other property, they simply showed up in 
the dead of night and took what they wanted. If the owner objected with 
violence, he was simply shot, for his trouble. The local sheriff was 
always "too busy", or "out of town", to do any law enforcement of this 
gang, after all the sheriff lived among them, and shortly, they began 
taking whatever they wanted from whoever had it. Their hatred spread to 
include local politicians. Finaly, five good men from the area sent a 
telegram to the Governor of Alabama, explaining the situation to him 
and asking him to send army troops to arrest the gang. Instead, the 
Governor, not being the brightest bulb in Montgomery, telegraphed the 
Sheriff asking for clarification and the sheriff replied he had 
everything under control and downplayed the problem to the Governor. 
When they saw the Governor was not going to do anything, the same five 
men went to adjoining counties and rounded up a group of 300 men, each 
one armed with the new Winchester repeating rifles. 

These 300 men converged on Edwards house.They found Edward and son 
Quincy, there and killed Quincy and a few others and ran the rest of 
Edwards gang out of the county. Ironically, although he was the 
ringleader, Edward also held a high degree in the local Masons, who are 
pledge to always take care of each other, and several of the three 
hundred men in the gang were also Masons. So Edward was allowed to go 
because of that, provided he "left this country and never returned". 
Edward stayed away for about twelve years, but moved back to 
Coffeeville, where he lived to the ripe old age of ninety-three. 
Proving the adage that the meaner you are, the longer you live. Edward 
died in 1909 and is buried in Clarke County, Alabama, in New Prospect 
Cemetary, along with Susan Blackwell, his wife and a few of their 
relatives. 

That story can be found more or less in its entirety in a booklet 
entitled "The Mitchum War Of Clarke County, Alabama", obtainable from 
The Clarke County Democrat newspaper, P.O. Box 39, Grove Hill, Alabama 
36451. I recently read in the newspaper that a writer, perhaps 
unrelated to the Bedsoles had rewritten the Edward Bedsole story, in a 
much more comprehensive manner, perhaps flowering it up quite a bit and 
in fact, downright making much of it up, and that it was becoming a 
best seller. I have since heard that the new version portrays Edward as 
a sort of hero, born in Ireland !. In addition, a movie based on that 
new book is being contemplated. The name of the new book is "Hell At 
The Breech", which was actually what Edward named his gang at Grove 
Hill. Wierd name for a gang of thieves and murderers.

            James Larkin Bedsoles Fight For Food 

This story is true. It shows how desperately people, and especially the 
Bedsoles, lived back then. Larkin Bedsole, b.1826, a son of Duncan 
Bedsole (Thomas Sr's son) and his wife, was a very poor farmer in North 
Carolina. After his first wife died, he married Atha Carter, a much-
younger woman. At age 63, Larkin came home one day from his field work, 
to eat lunch, only to find that Atha’s two grown sons had just finished 
off the last of the cornbread and grease. Enraged, Larkin attacked the 
two with his fists, but quickly realized he was in a losing battle and 
grabbed a long butchers knife from the kitchen counter.The two other 
men did likewise and a knife fight was launched in the tiny kitchen 
with butcher knives, but quickly spread to the back yard for lack of 
maneuvering room. 

In the backyard, near the woodpile, Atha grabbed an axe and planted it 
in the middle of Larkins head, from the back. A newspaper article on 
this incident related that "Old man Bedsole, was loaded onto a mule-
drawn wagon and hauled to the hospital at Fayetteville, where doctors 
said he was not expected to live". 

However, it appears that he did indeed live another 20 years!! They 
called him "Old Man Bedsole" at age 63. Today, we don't generally 
consider a man an Old Man until about age 80-85. Here is his marriage 
record to Atha Carter:.... Larkin Bedsole Cumberland Co 65/W To Atha H. 
Carter Cumberland Co 25/ May 17, 1890 J. McGeddie, Justice Of The 
Peace. 

                   Bedsole Peculiarities 

It has been a curious finding to me that there are certain ancestor and 
descendant Bedsole lines which have an inordinately high number of 
mean, hateful, vicious, drunks and trouble-makers in them and other 
lines which have a high number of lawyers and doctors and others which 
have a high number of carpenters, those with lots of mechanical skills 
and finaly, those with high numbers of school teachers in them.

A despicable peculiarity I have also noted among several of them, is 
that there are a few lines which contain Bedsole men who were habitual 
drunks and who were excessively mean, brutal, hateful and cruel 
especially to their wives and children. One of these illustrious 
people, I am ashamed to say, appears to have been my own GG-Grandfather 
and my Grandfather both. To those few, I claim no kin whatsoever, 
notwithstanding the obvious. You will read further along, that Thomas 
Jr., was just such a drunk, and mean man.

                     The Bedsole Curse 

But there is one thing I have found prevalent in all the Bedsole lines 
as far back as I could trace it and that is what I call "The Bedsole 
Curse". If you are a Bedsole by birth, you have more than likely been 
eaten up by this curse and are well aware of it already. "Murphy’s Law" 
states; "If anything can go wrong, it will". But in the Bedsole Curse, 
I found that " If there are several things that can go wrong at the 
same time, and there always is if a Bedsole is involved, the one thing 
which will cause the most damage, cost the most money and cause the 
most hardship and which will have the most detrimental effect on the 
Bedsole, will always go wrong FIRST.

            Examples Of Hardships They Endured

As detailed elsewhere in this History, here is a summary of the 
hardships heaped upon early settlers, including our own ancestors, 
during their coming to this country, trying to settle down here and 
their daily lives aftewrwards. About 1950, the majority of Bedsoles 
began getting into more industrialized employment and leaving 
agricultural living; Imagine leaving England, Germany, or any other 
relatively civilized country, boarding a ship with a spouse and 5 or 
more children, their spouse dying, leaving them alone, with no way to 
subsist even until tomorrow, or next week. They arrived in this 
country, only to learn that their children were to be taken away from 
them if they were an unaccompanied woman, and divided up among complete 
strangers, never to be seen again. Burning up in the summer and 
freezing to death in the winter, being plagued meanwhile by indians 
trying to kill them,mosquitoes eating them alive, living among hundreds 
of others forced to live the same way they were, trying to find food 
every single day, any way, somehow, somewhere, any kind they could come 
up with. Having to do all that while trying to build some type of 
structure to live in, with their bare hands, perhaps an axe, and saw, 
by themselves knowing if they did not produce it, they would not have 
it. No medical care of any kind, except whatever herbs or indian 
remedies they found or learned about, their family members, especially 
children getting sick and slowly dying, making an already desperate 
situation nothing short of disastrous. This is the way they lived day 
after day, week after week, month after month, for years and years, 
seemingly without end.

            CONCLUSION OF THE BEDSOLE HISTORY

Jack Bedsole, who lives in Illinois, is a descendant under (Thomas Jr.) 
William Jefferson Bedsole. Jack, my brother Cecil and myself, met 
yesterday at Highland Home, Alabama, for lunch and to discuss the 
Bedsoles. He asked this question; "JD, what single thing was it that 
caused you to conclude that the early Bedsoles originated in Prussia". 
My answer, although not definitive, was to the effect that there really 
was no single thing. It was a conglomeration of bits and pieces of 
information over the years, and especially in Germany, that pointed to 
the most likely possibility that the Bedsole/Betzold and 
Bledsoe/Bletsold surnames existed in Prussia prior to the creation of 
the German state as such, and that they surely existed in England in an 
english court case in the year 1061, together with the short article by 
Charles Bedsole, which is included above, and several other bits of 
fact and conclusive research, which pointed to Prussia and not just to 
Germany. Additionally, and just as relevant, was the absence of 
information which did point only to Germany, as the origin. In other 
words, there were reasons to conclude that Prussia was not, and no 
reason(s) to conclude that Germany was in fact, the end of the 
Betzolds/Bedsoles. I do know that Bledsoe, although in England in 1061 
and very likely many years prior to that, did not originate in England. 
The migration of people was from, not to Germany. I also know that 
Bledsoe and Bedsole, surely had the same ancestor at some point in the 
past, and that point was most likely Prussia. In the absence of a paper 
trail back in time past Germany, I cannot prove via a paper trail, they 
originated in Prussia, but, I did prove to my own satisfaction anyway, 
that they did originate in Prussia, and I invite anyone, one and all, 
to prove they did not.

That concludes the Bedsole History, as it were. Words, whether true 
fact, or conjecture, cannot adequately convey the suffering our 
ancestors endured, until about 1950, when the majority had quit share-
cropping, and began working in various factories and at much easier, 
more commercialized and industrialized occupations, thus making more 
money and greatly raising their standards of living. In my case, and 
for my own early and miserable life growing up,  I say with extreme 
appreciation: "Thank You God".
 
                   BEDSOLE DOCUMENTATION

There are numerous Bedsole marriages, births, deaths, and etc, in the 
counties and states which follow, but which I did not list, because it 
was too time-consuming. I am including a few just to show you the 
County and State where they can be found, and to record such for future 
reference. It is very time-consuming finding, copying and posting them 
to this record, but the real problem is I have no way of knowing where 
most of them fit on the Bedsole List Of Ancestors And Descendants, and 
that would take much more time. Also, some of the marriages listed 
below are duplicated because they were in various sites on the internet 
under different headings. There are many Bedsoles in Texas, having 
spread there from Walnut Hill, Mississippi (From Elizabeth, daughter of 
Thomas Jr. and from her brothers Edward, Henry, and others from 
Coffeeville, near Grove Hill, Alabama following the shootout there. 
Although there are many Bedsoles there. I did'nt find much on them in 
Texas prior to the 1900's, with the exception of numerous birth, death, 
marriage and divorce records.

The 1751 marriage of Elisha and the 1774 marriage of John and Sarah are 
the earliest marriages I have come across. They are documented in the 
Quaker Church's monthly meeting records: Elisha Bedsole married Mary 
Edwards at Cane Creek, NC on September 15, 1751. John Bedsole married 
Sarah Brown at Cane Creek, NC on June 9, 1774. So we can safely 
conclude that John was a son of that Elisha.

The following are not in sequence, or order of any kind. Sorry, but 
that took too much time too, when I was already too tired to do it. 

                    Marriage Bonds

When a couple were planning to marry, they had to post a Bond. Back 
then, it was for $500. So that if the husband, as father of any 
children, died, or ran off and left the family, there would be money 
for them to live on for a while at least. Usually, it was posted by the 
father of the Groom, but could be posted by anyone.The purpose of the 
Bond was to prevent the family from having to be supported by their 
neighbors. However, it also had an unexpected benefit in that, other 
men, learning of the wife becoming a widow, or abandoned and that she 
had the Bond money available, would also try to marry her. 

Here is a marriage Bond posted by John Bedsole (Not the same John 
above), in 1828; STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA Cumberland County.  KNOW ALL 
MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, That we, John Bedsole & Love McDaniel are held 
and firmly bound unto his Excellency James Indelio, Governor of the 
state aforesaid, or his successors in office, in the sum of Five 
Hundred Pounds, current money, to be paid to the said Governor, his 
successors or assigns, for which payment well and truly to be made and 
done, bind ourselves, our heirs, executors, and administrators, jointly 
and severally, firmly by these presents. Sealed with our seals and 
dated this 19th day of January, A.D. 1828. THE CONDITION OF THE ABOVE 
OBLIGATION IS SUCH, That whereas the above bounden John Bedsole hath 
made application for a license for a Marriage, to be celebrated between 
him and Catherine Horn of the county aforesaid; Now, in case it shall 
appear hereafter, that there is any lawful cause or impediment to 
obstruct the said Marriage, then the above obligation to be void, 
otherwise to remain in full force and virtue. JOHN BEDSOLE- Seal LOVE 
McDANIEL- Seal Signed, sealed and delivered in the presence of Dan 
McDermid. DAN MCDERMID 

                  Application For Pension 

John Parker (III). Married Rhoda Bedsole 1805. He was born 2/23/1753 
and Died 7/7/1838 Bladen County, NC. She applied on 5/2/1865 in Bladen, 
at age 76, proving her year of birth as 1789. He was in the Battle Of 
Moores Creek, in Revolutionary War. Served 13 months total. It is 
somewhat unusual that she was 15-16 and he was 52. However, that was 
not all that uncommon back then. It also suggests that he died however, 
a long time before she did.

          LAST WILL, John Parker (Jr.)/Rhoda Bedsoles Husband

In the name of God, amen. I, John Parker being of sound mind and 
perfect memory this 17th day of February, 1838, do make and publish 
this, my last will and testament, revoking all former wills by me. I 
leave everything to my beloved wife Rhoda Bedsole. In the event she 
dies, then I want everything to be sold and divided equally among our 
beloved children after all debts are paid, as follows; Simon Peter 
Parker, Easter Parker, Sarah Parker, Thomas R. Parker, Daniel Parker, 
Alfred Parker, and Patience Parker.
Witnesses:                        John Parker   X  his mark
Bluford Simmons 
Daniel McDuffie                    

              BLADEN COUNTY, NC MARRIAGES

BEDSOLE Calton (Real Name: James Calvin Bedsole) 5-22-1861, m. JACKSON, 
Fannie 
He went by Calton Bedsole and by Calton Bledsoe. His descendants are 
all Bledsoe now.
BEDSOLE Duncan 5-06-1825, m. HAIR, Catherine
BEDSOLE Duncan 3-24-1852, m. GUTTEY, Anna Jane
BEDSOLE John 1-19-1828, m. HORN, Catherine.
BEDSOLE Larkin 5-12-1847, m. BULLOCK, Charlotte
BEDSOLE Owen 7-14-1832, m. HAIR, Sarah
BEDSOLE Thomas 6-10-1854. m. BRYANT, Nancy Virginia.
BEDSOLE Travis 3-31-1858, m. BULLOCK, Martha
BEDSOLE Travis 5-11-1868, m. SMITH, Melissa V.
BEDSOLE Nancy 2-09-1853, m. HALL, Amos J.
BEDSOLE Sarah 7-19-1810, m. MUCCLE, Benjamin
Humphries, Samuel to Bedsole, Sarah Dec 15, 1831 1 036 Bird, David JP 
Daniel James Bedsole Cedar Creek, NC 21/W to Lucinda Fisher, Cedar 
Creek November 23, 1876
William S. Bedsole Cedar Creek, NC 21/W to Mary Autry Flea Hill January 
7, 1879
John B. Bedsole Cedar Creek 24/W to Elizabeth Cashwell Cedar Creek 
November 26, 1885
July 27, 1887 Daniel J. Bedsole Cedar Creek 32/W to Pricilla E. 
Faircloth Sampson County 21/ Rev. I.H. White, MG Witnesses: W.J. 
Faircloth, D.J. Faircloth, M.C. Horne 
John B. Bedsole Cedar Creek 26/W to Louvenia Jolly Cedar Creek 16/ 
January 18, 1888 Rev. T.H. Pritchard, MG Witnesses: J.L. Autry H.E. 
Fisher N.C. 
Amos Jessup Bedsole Cedar Creek 26/W to Sara Frances Averitt Cumberland 
Co 26/W January 29,1888 C.H. Cogdell, JP Witnesses: Willie A. Sewell 
W.H. Averitt Nannie L. Sewell 
Evander E. Bedsole Cumberland Co 21/W to Welthy Mariah Faircloth 
Cumberland Co. August 4, 1889 Rev. C.E. Beard, MG Witnesses: Isaac J. 
Hall, John R. Hall 
Alexander Mcrae Bedsole Bladen Co 24/W to Mary Jane Averitt Cumberland 
Co 21,Feb. 28, 1890 C.H. Cogdell, JP Witnesses: W.A. Chason J.R. Chason 
W.A. Sewell 
Larkin Bedsole Cumberland Co 65/W to Atha H. Carter Cumberland Co 25, 
May 17,1890 J. McP Geddie, JP Witnesses: J.H. Faircloth J.W. Faircloth 
John D. Bedsole Cumberland Co 21/W to Ella N. Guy Flea Hill 19,July 
17,1890 R.W. Hardie, JP Witnesses: Geo W. Rose John Roddick 
Alger Darden Bedsole Cumberland Co 21/W to Laura A. Carter BeaverDam 
17, November 6, 1890 C.P. Overby, JP Witnesses: N. Ingram R.H. 
Buckingham A.T. Strickland 
Charles H. Bedsole Robeson Co 25/W to Maggie Sealy Robeson Co 
20,December 15, 1894 John Smith, JP Witnesses: J.A. Chason Sarah Smith, 
Cora Smith 
Farley Bedsole Cross Creek 24/W to Mary E. Starling Cross Creek 
22,December 28, 1901 Rev. J.O. Tew, MG Witnesses: J.S. Bethea Farley 
Bedsole 
Gordon Nash Bedsole Beaver Dam 28/W to Alberta Starling Pearces Mill -- 
March 8, 1907 Rev. Jas J. Hall, MG Witnesses: Jas Jessup Bradley 
Wheeler Tom Parker 
Larkin J. Bedsole Fayetteville 18/W to Mary Catherine Howell 
Fayetteville 18,Feb. 13, 1909 D.N. McLean,JP Witnesses: D.W. Green 
Emily Howell J.H. Melvin 
Daniel J. Bedsole Parkersburg 21/W to Minnie Lee Peterson Hope Mills 
19,Sept. 21, 1913 Alex Simmons, JP Witnesses: Alex Simmons, Stephen 
Melvin, Alex Faircloth. 
Benjamin Bedsole, to Martha Goodman Cooper 21, J.W. Johnson, JP 
Witnesses: J.W. Pittman.
Alex E. Bedsole Autryville 19/W to Eula Grooms Autryville 18,July 15, 
1916 J.F. Faircloth, JP Witnesses: T.H. Faircloth C.L. Bedsole S. Smith
Thomas K. "Collie" Bedsole Autryville 21/W to Bessie Cashwell 
Autryville 14,May 8, 1920 W.D.Gaster,JP Witnesses: C.C. Howard 
John T. Bedsole 44/W to Lelia Marvis Hudson Stedman 30,March 31,1923 
Adolphus Cheek, JP Witnesses: S.H. Scarborough E.M. Yates 
Jonathan Sheldon Bedsole White Oak 24,W to Emma Gertrude Simmons Cedar 
Creek 18,July 8, 1923 Rev. G.Scott Turner, MG Witnesses: A.C. 
Hair,Letha Bedsole Clayton Simmons 
Ellen S. Bedsole Cedar Creek 20 to Gipson L. Parker Cedar Creek 20 Oct. 
27, 1874 J.C. Blocker, JP Witnesses: T.R. Parker L. Culbreth
Martha J Bedsole Cedar Creek 22 to Wm B. Hall Cedar Creek 24 Jan. 27, 
1875 Geo B. Downing Witnesses: J.A. Woodard J.J. Rogers T. Bedsole 
Martha Melissa Bedsole Cedar Creek 20 to Stephen Autry Flea Hill 17 
Feb, 25, 1879 Joshua Melvin, JP Witnesses: Alex Autry D.J. Bedsole 
Emily A. Bedsole Cedar Creek 19 to Wm B. Autry Flea Hill -- Oct. 29, 
1879 Joshua Melvin, JP Witnesses: W.A. Melvin M.E. Melvin
Mary M. Bedsole Cedar Creek 21 to Wm H. Averitt Cedar Creek 26 Dec. 25, 
1879 Joshua Melvin, JP 
Carrie Bedsole Cedar Creek 23 to Geo F. Hair Cedar Creek 24 Oct. 16, 
1882 T.J. Parker, JP 
Addie L Bedsole Cedar Creek 20 to Wm A. Jackson Cedar Creek -- Nov. 25, 
1887 Rev. W.R. Johnson, MG Witnesses: J.C. Jackson J.G. Jackson B.A. 
Jackson 
Ellen M. Bedsole Cedar Creek 23 to Wm. D. Hargrove Flea Hill 26 Jan. 3, 
1888 J.C. Poe, JP 
Sudie Bedsole 17 to D.M. Bundles Bladen Co 21 Sept.18, 1888 L.C. 
Straughn, JP 
Mary M. Bedsole Beaver Dam 22 to L.S. Willis Beaver Dam 27 Dec. 27,1897 
Geo A. Hall, JP 
Tishia Bedsole Cumberland Co 16 to F.H. Smith Cumberland Co 21 Dec. 28, 
1898 H.B. Downing 
Mattie Bedsole Beaver Dam 27 to A.W. Bedsole Sampson Co 24 July 8, 1900 
J.S. Horne, JP Jennie 
C. Bedsole Cedar Creek 16 to C.W. Nunnery Cedar Creek 24 Sept. 25, 1907 
Rev. W.A. Humphry, MG Witnesses: Geo B. Nunnery Mrs. D.P. Spell Mrs. 
G.B. Nunnery 
S.E. Bedsole Cedar Creek 40 to Wm Townsend Sampson Co 58 April 19, 1908 
Rev. G.A. Bain, MG Witnesses: N.E. Williams A.E. Matthews A.D. Bedsole
Lizzie Bedsole Beaver Dam 22 to D.M. Thomas Sampson Co 27 May 3, 1908 
R.L. Hall, JP Witnesses: G.C. Lockamy
Frances Bedsole Autryville 17 to Henry H. Hair Autryville 21 Jan. 22, 
1910 J.M. Faircloth, JP 
Ann Bedsole Fayetteville 30 to Charles Autry Fayetteville 28,Aug. 14, 
1910 D.H. McMillan, JP 
Mary J. Bedsole Cross Creek 22 to W.H. Hair Cross Creek 22 June 16, 
1904 D.N. McLean, JP 
Lee Bedsole Fayetteville 23 to William Autry Fayetteville 38 July 10, 
1915 F.H. Overby, JP 
Cora Bedsole Fayetteville 23 to Leslie Faircloth Fayetteville 21 Dec. 
24, 1916 
Louise Bedsole Cumberland Co 18 to Eugene Ballard Cumberland Co 21 
Sept. 15, 1917 Rev. W.D. Dean, MG 
Mittie Bedsole Fayetteville 23 to Clyde Autry Fayetteville 23 Nov. 6, 
1920 F.M. Wiggins Witnesses: C.S. Jones
Mary C. Bedsole White Oak 23 to Ava Lee Edge Cedar Creek 26 April 23, 
1921
Thelma Bedsole Fayetteville 18 to Jas Gibson Fayetteville 27 Dec. 22, 
1921 Rev. D.E. Deaton, MG Witnesses: J.R. Buie, Lizzie Bedsole. 

1862-1865 CIVIL WAR BEDSOLE VETERANS FROM HARNETT, BLADEN, CUMBERLAND, 
ROBESON AND SAMPSON COUNTIES IN NC. 

Bedsole Alexander Cumberland, Volume  II Page 130.
Bedsole John Bladen , Volume VI Page 486.
Bedsole Larkin Cumberland, Volume I Page 227.
Bedsole Thomas Cumberland, Volume IV Page 562.
Bedsole Travis Cumberland, Volume III Page 513.
            
               CUMBERLAND COUNTY, NC MARRIAGES

Bedsole, Calton (Real name; James Calvin) 5-22-1866 To Jackson, Fannie 
Bedsole, Duncan 5-06 1825 To Hair, Catherine 
Bedsole, Duncan 3-24-1852 To Guttey, Anna Jane 
Bedsole John 1-19-1828 To Horn, Catherine 
Bedsole, Larkins 5-12-1847 To Bullock, Charlotte 
Bedsole, Owen 7-14-1832 To Hair, Sarah 
Bedsole, Thomas 6-10-1854 To Bryant, Nancy V. 
Bedsole, Travis 3-31-1858 To Bullock, Martha 
Bedsole,Travis 5-11-1868 To Smith, Melissa V. 
Bedsole, Nancy 2-09-1853 To Hall, Amos J. 
Bedsole, Sarah 7-19-1810 To Muccle, Benjamin.  
Bedsole, Evander B. To 21 Mariah ___? 8/4/1889 

               LOWNDES COUNTY, ALABAMA

Brown, Uriah Owens To Bedsole, Elizabeth Aug 06, 1835 1 131 Hickman, 
Jesse JP. 
Simmons, Redding D. To Bedsole, Martha Nov 23, 1843 1 391 Findley, 
William MG 
NOTE: The above Elizabeth learned to hate Uriah Owens Brown so much 
after they married, when he died 
she changed the last name of their children, who were still minors, 
from Brown to Bedsole.

              JACKSON COUNTY, FLORIDA

BEDSOLE, John C 1935 Jun 09 to FAULK, Myrtle Lee 17 317 
BEDSOLE, Mackey R 1907 Jul 12 to BRAXTON, Alice L 7 40 

              Marriages, Shelby County, Texas 

Bagley,  DAVID L 25 TO Bedsole, Marilyn 21 30-Jul-1975 
Bedsole, Travis R 34 to Yarbrough, Belinda 22, 22-May-1987
BAGLEY, DAVID TO BEDSOLE, MARILYN 21 30-Jul-1975 

              Sampson County, NC Marriages

Henry Asbury Sessoms age 31 (white) married ELIZABETH S. BEDSOLE age 21 
(white) at the home of Norris Bedsole by Rev. J.A. Tew on Dec. 16, 1894 
witnessed by: P.M. Bullard, O.L. Owen, T.E. Rich.
Benjamin J. Bedsole age 19 (indian) married Jennette Goodman age 23 
(indian) at their home by: P.M. Hotcher - minister on Nov. 30, 1913 
witnessed by: J.H. Bedsole, C.A. Brewington, J.L. Warick. (Benjamins 
father was indian, but his mother was a daughter of Robert Bedsole, son 
of Thomas Sr.).
Charlie Bedsole age 23 (white) married Bonnie Belle Carter age 20 
(white) on July 26, 1914 at the brides home by: W.S. Vann -Justice of 
Peace witnessed by: W.M. Carter, A.R. Matthis, C.M. Carter.

              CRENSHAW COUNTY, ALA. MARRIAGES

H.C. Bedsole age 24 (white) married Lula May Green age 19 (white) on 
Dec. 10,1916 at my home by: Uriah Sessoms -Justice of Peace witnessed 
by: E.L. Mathews, Dora Sessoms.
Espie Bedsole to Bedsole, E. L. Sep 13, 1893 
Findley, W. E.or A. to Bedsole, Lena Feb 26, 1896
Anderson, Leon To Mansford Bedsole, Lois Elma Sep 23, 1914 
Bedsole, J. T. to Boyd, Lou Dec 13, 1900 E 
Bedsole, W. C. to Bennett Laura C. May 18, 1890 
Williamson W. J. W. to Bedsole, E. L. Sep 13, 1893 Dean L. 
Bedsole, G. H. to Findley, W. E.or A. Dec 07, 1882 
Bedsole, Lena to Anderson, Leon Mansford Feb. 26,1896
Bedsole, Lois Elma to Watkins M. G. Sep 23, 1914 
Bedsole, M. E. to Sloam Alexander Oct 07, 1884
Bedsole, Matilda to Findley Ellie Jan 03, 1878
Bedsole Mollie M. to Gill, Richard Nov 20, 1892
Bedsole, Willie Idell to Gill, Richard Jan 27, 1907 
Bedsole, Colvin 23 to Bernice Mae Johnson 15 Mar 01,1908 
Bedsole, E.L. to M.J. Dukes Mar 12,1882 
Bedsole, George H. to Sarah Jane Stringer Jan 01,1868 
Bedsole, J.T.to Lou Boyd Dec 13,1900 
Bedsole, W.C.to Laura C. Bennett May 18,1890 
Bedsole, W.E.to Cora Cook Mar 18 1880 
Bedsole, Wm.Ernest 24 to Nannie Royal 18 Aug 22,1917 
Bedsole, E.L. to Dukes M.J. Mar 12 1882 
Bedsole, W.C. to Bennett Laura C. May 18 1890 
Dean L. to Bedsole G.H. Dec 07 1882 
Watkins M.G. to Bedsole, M.E. Oct 07 1884 

              MOBILE, ALABAMA MARRIAGES

Wheeler, Clifton Mark To Bedsole, Martha Mary 06/18/1982
Wheeler, Clifton Mark 42 to Bedsole, Martha Mary 34 10/23/1998 

              NAVARRO COUNTY, TEXAS, Marriage

McConeght, Christopher J 20 to Bedsole, Ginger L 21 31-Aug-1996

              WALLER COUNTY TEXAS MARRIAGE

Welch Dwayne C 40 Bedsole, Ellen E 36 05-Nov-1971 

              CEMETERIES AND OBITUARIES

BEDSOLE, Annie J; 82; Norwood GA; Augusta Ch; 2004-8-10
BEDSOLE, BC; 80; Granbury TX; Fort Worth S-T; 2005-6-10
BEDSOLE, Beatrice; 90; Goldonna LA; Shreveport Times; 1999-12-9;
BEDSOLE, Bertis Melton; 79; Geneva AL>Tallahassee FL; Tallahassee D; 
1987-8-27; 
BEDSOLE, Billy Ray; 75; Campti LA; Shreveport Times; 2004-4-27
BEDSOLE, Daniel James III; ; Severna Park MD; Baltimore Sun; 2004-1-19
BEDSOLE, Daniel James III; 55; Annapolis MD; Annap MD Capital; 2004-1-
19
BEDSOLE, Daniel James III; 55; Annapolis MD; Annap MD Capital; 2004-1-
20
BEDSOLE, Dorothy Faye; 73; Warner Robins GA; Macon T; 2004-11-3
BEDSOLE, Dorothy Faye; 73; Warner Robins GA; Macon T; 2004-11-4
BEDSOLE, Evans M; 94; Clinton SC; Greenville News; 2005-5-10
BEDSOLE, Frank; 51; Desoto Parish LA; Shreveport Times; 2006-3-29
BEDSOLE, Gerald L; 67; CA; Contra Costa; 2005-7-29
BEDSOLE, Harold J; 79; ; Chicago T (IL); 1999-8-13
BEDSOLE, Henry T; ; Fayetteville NC,Tampa FL; Tampa Trib; 1998-8-30
BEDSOLE, Henry T; 84; Fayetteville NC,Tampa FL; Fayetteville O-T (NC); 
BEDSOLE, Henry T; 84; Fayetteville NC,Tampa FL; Fayetteville O-T (NC); 
1998-9-4
BEDSOLE, Herman; 63; Elba AL,Groveland FL; Daily Commercial; 2001-11-30
BEDSOLE, Holland G "Holly"; 69; Union Point GA; Augusta Ch; 1998-7-4
BEDSOLE, Holland Goodwin "Holly"; 69; GA; Augusta Ch; 1998-7-4
BEDSOLE, James Edward; 59; Lockhart ALWinter Haven FL; Ledger; 2002-7-
17
BEDSOLE, James Thetus Sr; 83; Hayne NCChesapeake VA; Norfolk V-P; 2002-
10-31
BEDSOLE, Jefferson C; 92; Concord CA; Contra Costa; 2005-6-12
BEDSOLE, Jerry N; 65; Boonville IN; Evansville Courier; 2001-8-7
BEDSOLE, Jessie Vance; 80; Fayetteville NC, Chesapeake VA; Norfolk V-P; 
2003-5-7
BEDSOLE, Jessie Vance; 80; Fayetteville NC, Chesapeake VA; Norfolk V-P; 
2003-5-8
BEDSOLE, John D "Doc"; 67; Tallahassee FL; Tallahassee D; 2002-6-24
BEDSOLE, Karolyne Elizabeth; 0; Eastman GA; Macon T; 2004-6-26; hzfc
BEDSOLE, Lillian A (ENGEL); 61; Chicago IL; Des Plaines DH; 2000-12-24
BEDSOLE, Lula Pauline; 79; NC to Tampa FL; Tampa Trib; 2003-2-18
BEDSOLE, Mack; 74; Eastman GA; Savannah MN; 2000-11-3
BEDSOLE, Margaret G (FINCH); 73; Warrenton GA; Augusta Ch; 2001-3-28
BEDSOLE, Marilyn Stewart; 47; DeSoto Parish LA; Shreveport Times; 2002-
2-16
BEDSOLE, Mary Ann ( ); 80; Raleigh NC; Fayetteville O; 2001-12-22
BEDSOLE, Mary Lee (McLEMORE); 77; Fayetteville NC; Fayetteville O-T; 
1999-12-25
BEDSOLE, Mary Wilder; 95; Tallahassee FL; Tallahassee D; 1990-3-21.
BEDSOLE, Miriam (SOMMER); 60; Glendale AZ; AZ Republic; 1998-10-27.
BEDSOLE, Patsy (GOODSON); 61; Havana FL; Tallahassee D; 2005-8-12.
BEDSOLE, Ray; 83; Collins MS; Hattiesburg American; 2000-2-17.
BEDSOLE, Roberta "Bobbie" (JONES); 79; Haverhill MA Meadeville PA; 
Annap MD Capital (MD); 1998-12-14.
BEDSOLE, Roberta L (JONES); 79; Haverhill MA Meadville PA; Meadville 
Trib; 1998-12-8.
BEDSOLE, Roberta L (JONES); 79; Haverhill MA Meadville PA; Meadville 
Trib; 1998-12-9.
BEDSOLE, Ruth (POWERS); 76; Fayetteville NC Chesapeake VA; Hampton 
Roads V-P; 1999-6-26.
BEDSOLE, Thomas Vance "Tommy"; 55; Chesapeake VA; Norfolk V-P; 2000-10-
4.
BEDSOLE, Vera (RAMSEY); 88; ; Charlotte Obs (NC); 2005-11-6.
BEDSOLE, Vera (RAMSEY); 88; Kings Mountain NC; Gaston G; 2005-11-6.
DAVIS, Dorothy (BEDSOLE) [EMMONS]; 80; Alexandria LA>Flower Mound TX; 
Tyler M-T; 2005-1-6.
DAVIS, Dorothy (BEDSOLE) [EMMONS]; 80; Alexandria LA>Flower Mound TX; 
Tyler M-T; 2005-1-7.
DAVIS, Elva Louise (BEDSOLE); 84; Bonifay FL; PC (TN); 2000-12-16.
DAVIS, Elva Louise (BEDSOLE); 84; Bonifay FL; PC (TN); 2000-12-17.
DUCKETT, Flora (BEDSOLE); 89; Decatur GA; Gainesville T; 1998-9-14.
GOGGANS, Geraldine Bedsole ( ); 78; Barnesville GA; Macon T; 1999-5-11.
GRESHAM, Adeane (BEDSOLE); 79; Dothan AL; Southern Star; 2003-2-5.
HUGHES, Sarah Alice (BEDSOLE); 81; Tallahassee FL; Tallahassee D; 2002-
1-22.
PIERCE, Gertrude Bedsole; 88; Mulberry FL; Ledger; 2003-3-13.
WOOLERY, Gladys (BEDSOLE); ; Charlotte NC; Florida T-U (FL); 2000-2-19.

           LAFAYETTE CEMETARY, Fayetteville, NC

Bedsole, Stacey G. Sept. 24, 1913 Dec.31, 1986.
Bedsole, Elsie H. May 23, 1917 Oct.22, 1984 

            OBIT IN THE FLORENCE, ALA DAILY TIMES

Bedsole, Cornelius Theodore (Ted), 1/17/95-1/18/95, Infant, Sheffield, 
AL, Oakwood Cemetary.

            WHITMIRE CEMETARY, ESCAMBIA COUNTY, FLORIDA

Bedsole, David 1859-1931 ..Husband 
Bedsole, Martha B. 1862-1937 ...Wife 

           Coffee County, Ala.  Bethlehem Cemetery.

Bedsole, H. no data
Bedsole, Houston Richard Jan 9, 1928 May 12, 2002 "Smokie" 
Bedsole, Ida Pearl (Barbaree) Jan 8, 1907 Sept 13, 1983 "Mother"
Bedsole, Jessie M. June 9, 1873 Oct 29, 1955
Bedsole, L. C. 4-9-1854 5-10-1933
Bedsole, Mary S. (Smith) Apr 17, 1873 Feb 21, 1966 (w/o Jessie)
Bedsold, Minnie Lee 1906 1909
Bedsole, Rebecca D. Aug 17, 1890 Mar 27, 1971 (w/o Willie J.)
Bedsole, William B. 6-5-1848 6-12-1932
Bedsole, William "Willie" J. Sept 25, 1892 no death date 

             Crenshaw County, Alabama, Black Marriage

Bedsole, Lee To Malinda Evans Dec 19,1889 

             Marriage In Genesee County, Michigan

BEDSOLE,MICHAEL THOMAS TO LISA LYNN EDICK GENESEE, 09 JAN 1982, FILE # 
198280493.

             LOWNDES COUNTY, ALA. MARRIAGE

Stringer, William to Bedsole, Elmina, Ms. Jan 18, 1866 Bond
Owens, Uriah to Bedsole, Elizabeth Aug 06, 1835 Hickman, Jesse JP 
Simmons, Redding D. to Bedsole Martha Nov 23, 1843 Findley, William MG
Bedsole, Franklin to Croxton, Dorcas L. Dec 02, 1858 3 279 Walker, 
Beverly A. JP

             DALE COUNTY, ALABAMA Marriage

Bedsole, M L TO Florence Beasley 11/18/1930 M-51 

             MOBILE, ALA. MARRIAGES

Black, Patsy to Bedsole, Thomas O'Neal 01/21/1964 
Adams , Gary Max to Bedsole , Martha Curry 02/13/1979
Williams, Curtis Joe to Bedsole , Sylvia Ann 09/05/1957 91 

             Marriage Waller County, Texas

WELCH DWAYNE C 40 TO BEDSOLE ELLEN E 36 05-Nov-1971. 

             Union Cemetary, Smith County, Texas 

Bedsole, Daisy Catherine - 14 Oct 1883 - 23 Feb 1955 
Bedsole , Quincy L. - Texas C.W.0. U.S.Army RES W.W.II Korea - Vietnam 
-12 Sep 1907 - 18 Jan 1972 .
Bedsole, Carlos C. - 23 Mar 1880 - 22 Aug 1938 

             Marriage Coreyell County, Texas 

Samuel E. Uwe, 21 To Debra O. Bedsole, 17, on June 24, 1974
Bedsole, Alexander 2nd Regiment, NC Calvary
Bedsole, Amos Garrisons Company, Ogeechee Minutemen
Bedsole, "Calton" James Calvin, 46th Regiment, NC Infantry
Bedsole, Duncan 46th NC InfantryBedsole, Franklin 2nd Regiment, Alabama 
Calvary
Bedsole, Isaiah 17th Regiment, Georgia Infantry
Bedsole, I. 17th Regiment, Georgia Infantry
Bedsole, John W. Kolbs Battery, Alabama Light Artillery
Bedsole, James Garrisons Company, Georgia Infantry
Bedsole, John 20th Regiment, NC Infantry
Bedsole, John R. 3rd NC Infantry
Bedsole, Larkin 2nd Regiment NC Light Artillery, and Wagon Master, 36th 
Regiment, Fort Fisher. (Thanks to George Dockery, NC).
Bedsole, Mathew 6th Regiment, Florida Infantry
Bedsole, R.H. 32nd Regiment, Alabama Infantry
Bedsole, Stephen.. Kolbs Battery, Ala. Light Artillery, Born in North 
Carolina. Enlisted 1862 at Eufaula, Alabama in Kolb's Battery. 
Continued until close of the war. Paroled at Augusta, Georgia in April 
1865.
Bedsole, Thomas 8th Regiment, NC Infantry
Bedsole, Thomas H. 32nd Alabama Infantry
Bedsole, Travis 3rd Regiment, NC Infantry
Bedsole, Travis 53rd Regiment, Alabama Partisan Rangers
Bedsole, William 6th Regiment, NC Infantry
Bedsole, William 46th Regiment, NC Infantry
Bedsole, William S. 20th Regiment, NC Infantry
Bedsole, William S. Kolbs Battery, Ala. light Artille
Samuel E. Uwe, 21 To Debra O. Bedsole, 17, on June 24, 1974.

                         Revolutionary War

Thomas Bedsole, Sr. father, 1777-1778., 
Travis Bedsole, son. 1777-1778

                          War Of 1812

Thomas Bedsole, Jr., and brother, Travis Bedsole (Both were Sons of 
Thomas Sr.).

                    Birth, Andrews County, Texas 

Bedsole, Frances Mcfarland 20-Apr-1992 F 

                  CIVIL WAR, 6TH INFANTRY, COMPANY H.

Bedsole, Mathew Pvt. 02 April 1862 

                 Marriage San Sabal County, Texas

Newberry, Dave L. 29 to Bedsole, Joy E 23 31-Oct-1987

             Henderson County, Texas

1947 jurors list..Quincy L. Bedsole, Athens High School graduate..
Quincy L. Bedsole, divorced Bedsole, Duke R, 19 and Sheila J 21 02 07-
Sep-1981 14-Feb-1985 

             HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS GRANDVIEW CEMETARY

Bedsole, Ellen L. Garden of Joseph May 12, 1915 March 8, 2004 

             Union Chapel Cemetary, Smith County, Texas

Bedsole, Carlos C. - 23 Mar 1880 - 22 Aug 1938 
Bedsole, Daisy Catherine - 14 Oct 1883 - 23 Feb 1955
Bedsole, Quincy L. - Texas C.W.0. U.S.Army RES W.W.II Korea - Vietnam -
12 Sep 1907 - 18 Jan 1972 

            EASTERN/ACORN CEMETARY, ROBERTSON COUNTY, TEXAS

Stephens, Ida Ansely, 09.22.1880 09.07.1908, b Tyler Co., TX, Dau of 
Charles Wesley Ansley Sr. & Mary Ann Bedsole Ansley, married to James 
H. Stephens, they had Lester, Alfred, Felton, Tillie, Mary 

            Births;Jefferson County, Texas

Bedsole, Clarence Oscar 5-26-1942 M mother: Lola Mattie Wright Father 
Clarence Oliver Bedsole 
Bedsole,  Lois Virginia Mother was: Lola Mattie Wright,  father was; 
Clarence Oliver Bedsole.

            Tarrant County, Texas, Births

Bedsole, Paul Lee 01-May-1960 m 
Bedsole, Catherine Louise 20-Nov-1960 f 

           Births, Travis County, Texas

Bedsole, John Christian 11-Apr-1968 m 
Bedsole, Sara Elizabeth 11-Apr-1968 f 

             Birth, Anderson County, Texas

Bedsole, Joseph Allen 1980 m 

              Bowie County, Texas, Death

Bedsole, Theodore H 6/11/1924-5/18/1994 M 

             Bastrop County, Texas, Divorce

Bedsole, James C.  43 and Vickie G. 42 1 18-Dec-1988 18-Aug-1999 

           Henderson County, Texas, Death

Bedsole, Quincy Lee, JR 09-Jun-1999

             10/04/1952, Juror List for Henderson County, Texas: 

Quincy Lee Bedsole Athens, Henderson County, Senior, 1947 year: 

                  Births Henderson County, Texas

Bedsole, Dillon Danial 11-Apr-1982 m 
Bedsole, Amber Renee' 29-Aug-1983 f 

                  Union Cemetary, Smith County, Texas 

Bedsole, Daisy Catherine - 14 Oct 1883 - 23 Feb 1955 
Bedsole , Quincy L. - Texas C.W.0. U.S.Army RES W.W.II Korea - Vietnam 
-12 Sep 1907 - 18 Jan 1972 .
Bedsole, Carlos C. - 23 Mar 1880 - 22 Aug 1938 

               Harris County Texas, Grandview Memorial Cemetary

BEDSOLE, Ellen L., Garden of Joseph May 12, 1915 March 8, 2004.

                Easterly-Acorn Cemetary, Robertson County, 

Stephens, Ida Ansley, 09.22.1880 09.07.1908, b Tyler Co., TX, dau of 
Charles Wesley Sr. & Mary Ann Bedsole Ansley.

                   BIRTHS, DALLAS COUNTY, TEXAS 

Bedsole, SALLY LEE 15-Mar-1960 f and BEDSOLE, RENEE' JANETTE 05-Sep-
1960 f . 
Bedsole, RICHARD GLENN 16-Apr-1963 m and BEDSOLE, JOSEPH MICHAEL 09-
Apr-1963 m
Richard Glenn married 11/13/1994, in Dallas, Texas  (Say what?)

                  BIRTH, GREGG COUNTY, TEXAS

Bedsole, Beverly Anne mom: of Mary Jane Knight, and Talmadge Frankin 
Bedsole 23 AUG 1940 

                   DEATHS HARRIS COUNTY TEXAS

Bedsole, Floree 13-Feb-1995 F and Bedsole, Samuel Curtis 09-Oct-1995 M 

                    DIVORCE HARRIS COUNTY TEXAS

BEDSOLE, DAVID R 23 and YVONNE H 22 2 21-Aug-1971 28-Jun-1977 27916 
BEDSOLE JERRY L 35 LYNDA M 37 3 03-Aug-1959 06-Apr-1977 34170 
BEDSOLE, DAVID R 23 YVONNE H 22 2 21-Aug-1971 28-Jun-1977 135917 
FLETCHER RUSSELL T JR 41 and BEDSOLE, MAVIS 33 18-Aug-1990, 61051 
FUNDERBURG BILLY G 53 BEDSOLE, CAROLYN 41 14-Apr-1990 


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