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Benjamin Franklin Bridgman was born about 1813, in Wythe County, Virginia, the son of William Bridgman and Mariam Brown.
Benjamin's father, William Bridgman, moved his family to Campbell County, Tennessee between 1813 and 1815. Benjamin grew up in Campbell County.
Benjamin appears on the 1830 Campbell County census as a male age 15-19 years.
Benjamin settled in Marion County, Tennessee, just prior to 1840. He may have married in Marion County.
Benjamin married Martha A. (last name unknown) (some researchers say possibly Lacroix), about 1839-1840, in Tennessee. Martha was born about 1820, in Tennessee according to census.
The 1840 Marion County, Tennessee census shows Benjamin's family as one male and one female both age 20-29 years (born 1811-1820). The couple had been married only a short time.
In 1849, Benjamin's brother Isaac Bridgman moved his family from Campbell County, Tennessee to Walker County, Georgia. We believe Isaac's family visited with Benjamin's family for a short time on their way to Walker County.
The 1850 Marion County, Tennessee census, shows B.F. Bridgman, 38, farmer, real estate valued at $600; Martha, 27; Marian, 4 and Josephine, 1 year old. In 1851, their first son was born, but he died in 1858.
The 1860 Marion County census shows the family living in the town of Jasper, where Benjamin ran a dry goods store. The census shows Benjamin F. Bridgman, 48, retail store, $1000 real property, $10,000 personal property; Martha, 42; Mary Ann L., 13; Josephine, 12; Eliza J., 6; Elizabeth, 4 and John D., 1 year old.
Benjamin continued to operate his dry goods store in Jasper. The 1870 Marion County census shows Benjamin Bridgman, 57, dry goods merchant, $1000 real property, $4000 personal property; Martha A., 50; Elizabeth, 13; John D., 12 and Benjamin F., 9 years old.
Benjamin died April 23, 1875, in Marion County.
Martha continued to live in Marion County. The 1880 Marion County census, Jasper Township, shows M. A. Bridgeman, 63, widowed and Benjamin F., son, 19, laborer. Listed next to Martha was her daughter, Marian her family and living near-by was Martha's son, John D. and his family.
We are unsure how many children were born to Benjamin and Martha. We have record of seven.
Children of Benjamin F. Bridgman and Martha
1. Marian Luvisa Bridgman, b. 1846, Marion Co, TN; d. bef 1900, Marion Co; m. Richard Stone Pryor on Apr 30, 1868, Marion Co. Richard Pryor, b. Dec 1840, Marion Co, TN; d. Aug 1919, Marion Co; son of Matthew Pryor and Mary Williams. Family lived in Marion Co,TN. Children included: (1) Saletie A. Pryor, b. Apr 1869, TN; (2) Mary Belle Pryor, b. Nov 1871, TN; m. John Wylie Brown; (3) Roscoe Leslie Pryor, b. Aug 1877, TN and (4) Bonnie Pryor, b. 1800, TN
2. Josephine Bridgman, b. Jan 30, 1847, Marion Co, TN; d. Dec 2, 1917, Marion Co; m. Samuel B. Deakins on Oct 28, 1869, Marion Co. Samuel Deakins, b. Nov 1841, TN; d. Oct 1908, Marion Co. Family lived in Marion Co, TN. Children included: (1) Charles Arthur Deakins, b. 1871, TN; (2) Ettie Stewart Deakins, d. 1873, TN; d. 1876, TN; (3) Ellen Deakins, b. Oct 1875, TN; (4) Cora Lee Deakins, b. Oct 1877, TN; (5) Maude Bridgman Deakins, b. Aug 1881, TN and (6) Samuel Grover Deakins, b. Mar 1884, TN
3. Willliam G. Bridgman, b. Oct 19, 1851, Marion Co, TN; d. Oct 7, 1858, Marion Co.
4. Eliza J. Bridgman, b. Nov 14, 1852, Marion Co, TN; d. June 22, 1927, Hamilton Co, TN; m. James Denton Payne on July 21, 1869, Marion Co. James Payne, b. July 1832, Bedford Co, TN; d. Sept 1902, Marion Co; son of Moses Payne and Polly Ann Brittain. Children included: (1) Anna L. "Bess" Payne, b. 1870, TN; m. Bud Willhait; (2) Stella M. Payne, b. Oct 1872, TN; m. James Carroll B. Bain; (3) Walter Scott Payne, b. Jan 1873, TN; (4) James Franklin Payne, b. July 1874, TN; (5) Martha "Mattie" Payne, b. Mar 1875, TN; m. Thomas Chambers; (6) Mary C. Payne, b. June 1877, TN; m. Luke L. Deering; (7) Moses Payne, b. Nov 1878, TN; (8) Ruth Payne, b. Aug 1880, TN; (9) Samuel Houston Payne, b. Jan 1882, TN; (10) Louise Irene Payne, b. May 1884, TN; m. John Wesley Hammock; (11) Charles Denton Payne, b. Jan 1886, TN; (12) Glenn A. Payne, b. Aug 1887; (13) Ava Stewart Payne, b. Apr 1891, TN; m. Charles Oliver Boyer; (14) Melvin Turner Payne, b. Dec 1892, TN and (15) Ellen Donaldson Payne, b. Aug 1895, TN; m. Richard Thomas Williams
5. Elizabeth Bridgman, b. abt 1856, Marion Co, TN
6. John Donaldson Bridgman, b. abt 1858, Marion Co, TN
7. Benjamin Franklin Bridgman, Jr., b. Feb 1861, Marion Co, TN; m. Clara B. ___. Clara, b. Feb 1867, GA; d. bef 1920, Jackson Co, AL. Family lived in Marion Co, TN in 1900 and Jackson Co, AL in 1910. Children included: (1) Mamie E. Bridgman, b. July 1887, TN and (2) Benjamin Franklin Bridgman, III, b. Mar 1889, TN. Benjamin married Mrs. Lula M. Phelps after Clara died.