Bucks County PA Archives Biographies.....Widdifield, John L.
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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
Warwick Township


   JOHN L. WIDDIFIELD farmer, P.O. Hartsville, was born in 
Philadelphia, September 2, 1826, his parents being John and 
Christiana (Singer) Widdifield.  His maternal ancestors were 
German, and were settlers of Lancaster county.  The 
Widdifields were among the early Friend settlers of 
Pennsylvania, their first location being probably at 
Philadelphia.  John Widdifield, the father of our subject, 
was reared in Philadelphia, and was there engaged in 
mercantile business.  After the panic of 1839 he removed to 
Bucks county, and located in Doylestown township, along the 
Neshaminy, and was engaged in farming.  He was presiding 
elder of the Presbyterian church at Doylestown for many 
years, and up to the time of his death.  He died and was 
buried at Doylestown.  His widow, who removed to Hartsville, 
survived her husband many years.  She is also buried at 
Doylestown.  They were the parents of seven children, of 
whom five are living:  Anna, John L., our subject; Mary, 
wife of Charles W. Hare, son of Dr. Hare, of Philadelphia; 
William, lives in Cincinnati; Harry, resides in 
Philadelphia.  When John L. was 14 years old, he removed 
with his parents to Bucks county.  He received his education 
in Philadelphia.  He remained on the farm until the age of 
34, when he went to Illinois and remained two years.  He 
then returned to Hartsville, where he has resided ever 
since, with the exception of his term of service in the 
army.  He was married in January, 1860, to Miss Frances 
Hart, of Bucks county, daughter of Joseph and Mary (Carr) 
Hart.  The Hart family were of Scotch descent.  Her father 
died in 1870, and her mother November 10, 1866.  Mrs. 
Widdifield had two sisters, one of whom, Mary, died at the 
age of 14 years, and the other, Eliza, wife of Thomas H. 
Buckman, resides in Solebury township.  She had one brother, 
Byron.  Mr. and Mrs. Widdifield are members of the Warwick 
Neshaminy church.  Mr. Widdifield entered the service of the 
Union in the nine months' call for volunteers in company C., 
one hundred and twenty-eighth regiment, in 1862.  He 
participated in the engagements at South Mountain and 
Antietam, in the latter of which he was so disabled that he 
was discharged in December, 1862, at Washington.  He had 
returned home in September, and had gone back to his 
regiment, but his unfitness for service in consequence of 
his wound brought him his discharge at the time mentioned.  
Mr. Widdifield had three brothers in the service, his 
brother Harry being the only one of the three who came out 
alive.  He entered the one hundred and fourth when a boy, 
and served throughout the war.  Caspar, who was assistant 
surgeon in the eighty-first, died in the service, of fever 
contracted in South Carolina.  He is buried in the 
Doylestown cemetery.  Thomas B., who was in the one hundred 
and fourth, was wounded at Fair Oaks, and died in Harrisburg 
in 1863.  He is buried at Doylestown in the churchyard.