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My Bridgman ancestors originated in England. Surnames became common practice in the 1200's. English surnames were derived from such sources as occupation, place or residence, or physical features. The name Bridgman is a place name indicating the man who lived near a bridge, or an occupational name indicating the keeper of the bridge. Dictionaries of surnames indicate some probable spelling variations of the Bridgman surname to be Bridgeman, Briggeman, Briggman, Brigman and Bridgmon. Possibly the first Bridgman to settle in America was James Bridgman, who was born in Winchester, England, and settled in Springfield in the Colony of Massachusetts in 1640. He was a member of the exclusive organization The Order of the Founders and Patriots of America. This was a very distinguished family who had membership in the above mentioned organization down to the year 1894. Joseph Bridgman, Jr., great-great grandson of James Bridgman, served as a "minute man" during the Revolutionary War. Not all Bridgmans' were Englishmen, however. The Directory of Scottish Settlers in North America 1625-1825, Vol. V, compiled by David Dobson, shows that Robert Bridgman, a merchant, emigrated from Scotland to east New Jersey during February 1685. He was one of a number of Scottish born Bridgmans' to emigrate between the mid 1600's and the early 1800's. Volumes of The History of the Early Settlers indicate that in 15th and 16th century England, a transportation sentence was often imposed on would-be prisoners. Some of these "prisoners" were nothing more than poor people unable to pay their debts. Instead of locking the prisoners away in over-crowded dungeons, they were sent on a ship to the Colonies. They were called "bonded passengers" and were required to serve anyone who would pay their bond and passage. The amount of time required to serve was determined by the amount of the bond and passage. We found that a Thomas Bridgman, who was a merchant from Virginia, in 1655, took several bonded persons to serve him for six years. It is possible that this Thomas Bridgman was a direct relation of our Bridgman line. The book Emigrants to Pennsylvania lists a Richard Bridgman as commander of the ship "Francis-Dorothy", which sailed from London, England, arriving in Philadelphia, on August 16, 1685. The 1787 Virginia census shows a Franklin Bridgman who paid personal property taxes in Northumberland County, Virginia, in 1787. Appearing on the same census in Henrico County, Virginia, were Molley Bridgman and Thomas Bridgman. The 1790 Virginia census shows a Thomas Bridgman living in St. Stephen's Parish in Northumberland County, Virginia, with six members in the family. A Thomas Bridgman migrated to Tennessee before 1810. Around the year 1800, a Franklin Bridgman settled in Wythe County, Virginia. He was born before 1765. He appears on the 1810 Wythe County census with his wife and eleven children. This Franklin may have been our direct line ancestor. My great-great-great grandfather, William Bridgman, was born about 1782, in Henrico County, Virginia. Prior to 1805, William moved to Wythe County, Virginia. William married my great-great-great grandmother, Mariam Brown, in 1805, in Wythe County. The marriage was not recorded, however, until May 11, 1807, at which time the preacher turned in licenses for about 20 marriages he had performed. Mariam Brown was born about 1782, in Tennessee, the daughter of Isaac Brown. William and Mariam appear on the 1810 Wythe County, Virginia, census with three daughters under the age of ten years. Between 1813 and 1815, William and Mariam moved their family to Campbell County, Tennessee. William's name appears in Campbell County court records in 1816 when William's brother-in-law, Sampson David died and an inventory was conducted of his property. William was listed in that inventory. The 1830 Campbell County, Tennessee, census shows William's family as one male 40-50 years; one female 40-50 years; one female 20-30 years; two males 15-20 years; one female 15-20; three males 10-15; two females 10-15; one male 5-10; one female 5-10; two males under 5; and one female under 5 years. William's name appears often in the Campbell County court records. He served several appointed terms as juror in the Circuit Court of the county. In 1838, William was appointed inspector of elections in the 4th District of Campbell County. William was first and foremost, however, a farmer. The 1840 Campbell County census shows William's family as one male 60-70; one female 50-60; two males 15-20; two males 10-15; and two females 10-15 years. William died in Campbell County in August 1840, leaving no will. A personal property inventory was made after his death and an estate sale was held in October 1840. The 1850 Campbell County census shows Mariam, 68, widowed; Emily J., 24; Ann E., 21; Oliver P., 20; and Nancy, 18. Living next door to Mariam is her daughter and son-in-law, John and Martha D. Archer and their family. Mariam died in Campbell County about 1860. Census records indicate that as many as 18 children may have been born to William and Mariam. Our records include the following children. It should be noted that some of the children used the Bridgeman spelling and one used the Bridgmon spelling variation.
Children of
William Bridgman and Mariam Brown 1. Charlotte S. Bridgman, b. Sept 23, 1807, Wythe Co, VA 2. Mary Brown Bridgman, b. Nov 3, 1808, Wythe Co, VA 3. Martha D. Bridgmon, b. April 14, 1810, Wythe Co, VA 4. Isaac Bridgman, b. 1811, Wythe Co, VA (my line) 5. John Washington Bridgman, b. Aug 1, 1812, Wythe Co, VA 6. Benjamin Franklin Bridgman, b. abt 1813, Wythe Co, VA 7. William Calvin Bridgeman, b. abt 1815/16, Campbell Co, TN 8. James Bridgman, b. 1817, Campbell Co, TN 9. Sampson David Bridgman, b. Feb 1819, Campbell Co, TN 10. Emily J. Bridgman, b. abt 1825, Campbell Co, TN; m. James Vowell on July 8, 1855, in Campbell Co, TN 11. Andrew Jackson Bridgman, b. June 18, 1828, Campbell Co, TN 12. Ann E. Bridgman, b. abt 1829, Campbell Co, TN 13. Oliver P. Bridgman, b. abt 1829/30, Campbell Co, TN 14. Nancy Bridgman, b. abt 1832, Campbell Co, TN
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