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Hezekiah Bridgman was born January 18, 1797, in Wythe County, Virginia. He was the son of Franklin Bridgman and his second wife, Rhoda May.
Hezekiah first appears on the Wythe County, Virginia personal property tax list in 1818, when his father was taxed for two white tithables.
Hezekiah was first listed in his own right on the 1820 Wythe County personal property tax list, dated March 22, 1820.
The 1820 Wythe County census shows Hezekiah still at home with his widowed mother and his siblings. The census shows Rodey Bridgeman, a male 16-25 years old.
Hezekiah married Jane Brown on August 4, 1820, in Wythe County, Virginia.
Jane Brown was born January 16, 1797, in Wythe County. She was the daughter of Isaac Brown and Mary "Polly" (last name unknown). Jane was a sister to Mariam Brown who married Hezekiah's older half-brother, William Bridgman.
Hezekiah appeared on the Wythe County, Virginia personal property tax list each year from 1820 through 1828. Jane's father died about July 1828. Jane was named in her father, Isaac Brown's will to receive a bed and furniture.
The following was filed in Campbell County, Tennessee Court of Pleas
and Quarter Sessions (pgs. 70-71):
Know all men by
these presents that we, John Brown and Nancy Bridgman
of the County of Wythe and State of Virginia have made authorized
etc. etc. and do by these presents etc. etc. Hezekiah Bridgman
of County, State aforesaid my true and lawful attorney for us and in
our names and for our use to ask, demand, sue for, recover and
receive of the Admr. or administrators of the estate of Martha David,
deceased all such sums of money and property as we may be entitled
to as heirs of the said Martha David, deceased and in
default of payment thereof to have use and take all lawful ways &
means for recovery of the same and on receipt thereof acquittences as
other sufficient discharges for the same for us in our name to seal
& deliver and do all lawful acts and things whatsoever concerning
the premises fully in every respect, as we might do if we were
personally present. In witness whereof we
have hereunto subscribed our names and affixed our seals, this 28th
day of January 1828.
John Brown (Seal)
her
Nancy
X Bridgman (Seal)
mark
Wythe County towit:
We, Robert
Crockett and John M. Crockett acting justices in the county aforesaid
in the state of Virginia, do hereby certify that John Brown
& Nancy Bridgman personally appeared before us and
acknowledged the above power of attorney to be their act and
Deed. Given under our hands and seals this
28th day of Jany. 1828.
Robert Crocket (Seal)
John Crockett (Seal)
In the summer or fall of 1828, Hezekiah placed all his belongings and his family in a covered wagon and headed for Tennessee. His son James was born in June 1829, in Tennessee.
Hezekiah's family appears on the 1830 Grainger County, Tennessee census. The census shows Hezekiah a male 30-39; one male 5-9; three males under 5; one female 30-39 and one female 5-9. Hezekiah was listed next to his mother Rhoda Bridgman.
In December 1830, Hezekiah moved his family to Morgan County, Illinois. His son Isaac was born in May 1831, in Illinois.
Jane's mother died in Wythe County, Virginia, about April 1835. Jane was named in her mother, Polly Brown's will to receive one dollar.
We did not locate the family on the 1840 census.
Jane died February 25, 1847, at Concord, in Morgan County, Illinois.
The 1850 Morgan County census shows Hezekiah Bridgeman, 56, farmer, $1800 real property, born in Virginia; John, 23, farmer, born in Virginia; James, 21, farmer, born in Tennessee; Isaac, 19, farmer, born in Illinois and Rhoda, 16, born in Illlinois.
Hezekiah married (2nd) Leah Deaton on November 1, 1850, in Morgan County. Leah Deaton was born in 1820, in Virginia.
Hezekiah and Leah had less than three years together, however. Leah died April 21, 1853, in Morgan County, just days after the birth of their second child.
Hezekiah married his third wife, Mrs. Nancy Brown, on July 20, 1854. Mrs. Nancy Brown was born March 10, 1802, in Wythe County, Virginia.
The 1860 Morgan County census shows Hescken Bridgan, 63, gentleman, $1700 real property, $3550 personal property; Nancy, 57, born in Virginia; Martha, 9, born in Illinois and Eliza, 7, born in Illinois. Boarding with the family was A. Brown, 26, M.D., born in Illinois.
Hezekiah died February 7, 1883, at Concord, in Morgan County, Illinois. Nancy died there on September 25, 1885.
Children of Hezekiah Bridgman and Jane Brown
1. Franklin B. Bridgman, b. Mar 23, 1820, Wythe Co, VA; d. 1908, Morgan Co, IL; m. Lucy Howell in 1845, Morgan Co, IL
2. Mary Bridgman, b. Aug 29, 1823, Wythe Co, VA; m. ____ Ratcliff
3. Martin Bridgman, b. Nov 6, 1825, Wythe Co, VA; m. Ruth B. Caywood in 1847, Morgan Co, IL
4. John Bridgman, b. Aug 27, 1827, Wythe Co, VA; d. Oct 31, 1864, Arenzville, Cass Co, IL
5. James Bridgman, b. June 3, 1829, TN; d. 1864
6. Isaac Bridgman, b. May 20, 1831, IL; d. Feb 16, 1877, Morgan Co, IL
7. Rhoda A. Bridgman, b. July 4, 1834, Morgan Co, IL; m. William T. Ratcliff (b. 1830)
8. William Bridgman, b. July 8, 1836, Morgan Co, IL; d. July 4, 1839, Morgan Co, IL
Children of Hezekiah Bridgman and Leah Deaton
9. Martha Hattie Bridgman, b. Mar 10, 1851, Morgan Co, IL; d. Apr 21, 1936, IL
10. Eliza Lida Bridgman, b. Apr 14, 1853, Morgan Co, IL; Mar 24, 1924, Morgan Co, IL