Bucks County PA Archives Biographies.....Brudon, James Madison ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joe Patterson, Patricia Bastik & Susan Walters Dec 2009 Source: History of Bucks County, Pennsylvania; edited by J.H. Battle; A. Warner & Co.; 1887 Bristol Township JAMES MADISON BRUDON retired merchant, P.O. Bristol, was born in the borough of Bristol, March 4, 1805. His grandfather, Captain Joseph Brudon, was a native of Ireland, where he was married. He came to Philadelphia prior to the revolution, and was one of the first to volunteer his services on the side of the patriots. He was one of the twenty picked volunteers who formed the advance of the forlorn hope as it was called. Of these twenty, seventeen were either killed or wounded. Mr. Brudon was wounded in the jaw by a bullet. He was elected captain and crossed the Delaware with Washington on the memorable night of the 25th of December, 1776. He lost an eye at Trenton, and was shot in the leg at Princeton. He drew a pension until his death, and also received a land grant in Ohio. He was a very large man and stood six feet two inches in his stockings. He died in Bristol at a ripe old age. He and his wife, Bridget, were members of the Episcopal church. They had five sons and two daughters: Mary, who married Enos Wright; William, who married Elizabeth Van Hart, and was a farmer in Falls township, and died at the age of 95; John, who married a Miss Latt, and was a farmer of Bristol; Joseph; Thomas, who was a cooper and died unmarried; James, also a cooper, married a widow Winner; and Richard, a tailor and a bachelor. Joseph Brudon was born in Bristol, August 15, 1776, and died July 29, 1854. He was married to Hannah Gosline, born in Bristol, March 24, 1782, and died April 7, 1868. He learned the cooper's trade, which he followed a number of years. He was in the war of 1812, was a great temperance man, and a member of the Methodist Episcopal church over fifty years. His wife was also a member of this church. She was a daughter of Richard and Rachel (Greene) Gosline, the latter a nieve of General Greene, of the revolutionary war. Richard Gosline was a property owner in Bristol. He was imprisoned at Philadelphia while the English were in possession of the city. Richard and Hannah Brudon had six sons and four daughters: Mary, married Euclidus Stackhouse, November 20, 1827; James, married Sarah Osmond, November 20, 1828; Ann, married John Saudy, March 1, 1832; Joanna Painter, married Jonathan Milnor, February 14, 1839; Charles Tompkins, married Mary Ann Cook, December 26, 1841; Elizabeth, married John Fisher; and John, who married Henrietta Appleton. James Brudon, the second child and oldest son of Joseph, was educated in Bristol, learned the cooper's trade with his father, and was in partnership with him. He married twice. His first wife was Sarah Osborne, to whom he was married November 20, 1828. She was born in Bristol, April 14, 1808, and was a daughter of Joseph and Hannah (Lott) Osborne. She died December 26, 1860. She was the mother of six sons and four daughters: Mary A., wife of John Adams; Edward C. married Caroline Patterson; Joseph married Susannah Gordon; James Madison died unmarried; John Wesley died in infancy; William and Sarah, twins (William married twice, Rebecca Hibbs and Lydia Newton; Sarah married Charles Wollard); Lizzie L. married T. Watson Bewley, April 7, 1869. They had three children: Mattie T., James and Eddie B. Charles F. married Mary E. Jones, March 22, 1871. They have two children: Tillie and May Belle; Hannah O. married John Force. James M. Brudon married for his second wife, Maria T. Bewley, February 11, 1863. She was bon near Newtown, Bucks county, and was a daughter of Charles and Rebecca (Hellings) Bewley. The result of this marriage was two children who died in infancy. Mrs Brudon died April 16, 1884. James Brudon engaged in the mercantile business in 1836, and retired in 1854, since which time he has been engaged in erecting buildings and looking after his property. He has been chief burgess of Bristol two terms, and has been a member of the council thirty years. He has the confidence and respect of all who know him. He is now in his 82nd year, and enjoys good health. In politics he is a democrat. He has twenty grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren.