James Franklin Bridgman

James Franklin Bridgman was born May 7, 1841, in Buchanan County, Missouri, the son of John Washington Bridgman and Lucinda Gibson.

The 1860 Holt County, Missouri census shows James F. Bridgman, 18, laborer, living at home with his parents and siblings.   

James Franklin married Sarah E. Catron on December 21, 1865, at Bigelow, Holt County, Missouri.  Sarah was born April 28, 1845, in Lafayette County, Missouri, the daughter of Christopher Catron (b. 1824, KY; d. 1907, MO) and Philena Paulina Lovell (b. 1821, KY; d. 1897, MO.  Christopher Catron was the son of Solomon Kettering Catron and Elizabeth Jennings.  Solomon Catron was a brother to James' second wife, which made Sarah a niece to James' second wife, although the women were very close in age.

James and Sarah had at least two children. Sarah died January 16, 1870, in Holt County, Missouri.

James married Mary Ellen Catron on November 28, 1874, at Bigelow, Holt County, Missouri. Mary Catron was born June 29, 1844, in Holt County, the daughter of Solomon Kettering Catron (b. 1799, VA; d. 1865, MO) and Elizabeth Jennings (b. 1805, TN; d. 1899, MO).  (Note: The 1860 Holt County census shows Mary's family listed next to James' parents.)  (Mary was the aunt of James' first wife, Sarah Catron.)

Solomon Kettering Catron and Elizabeth Jennings had a large number of children including: (1) Evaline Catron, b. 1822; (2) Christopher Catron, b. 1824; m. Philena Paulina Lovell; (3) Lorinda Catron, b. 1825; (4) Granville Catron, b. 1827; (5) Green Berry Catron, b. 1829; (6) Locky Missouri Catron, b. 1831; (7) Sarah Ann Catron, b. 1834; (8) Elizabeth Catron, b. 1836; (9) William McCauley Catron, b. 1838; (10) Julia Catron, b. & d. 1840; (11) Martha Julia Catron, b. 1842; m. Eli Warren Hinkle; (12) Mary Ellen Catron, b. 1844; (13) Solomon Kettering Catron, Jr., b. 1846 and (14) James Granville Catron, b. 1849.

Mary Ellen had been married prior to her marriage to James.  She had three daughters by her first husband.  On the 1870 Holt County census, Mary Ellen and her children were living with her widowed mother and her siblings.  The census shows Elizabeth Catron, 64, $3500 real property, $2500 personal property; Solomon, 23, farmer; James, 21; Martha Hinkle, 28; George Hinkle, 9; James Hinkle, 7; Mary Huffman, 26; Anna Huffman, 7; Deler Huffman, 4 and Carrie Huffman, 6 months old, born in January. 

The 1880 Holt County, Missouri census shows the family living in Bigelow. The census shows J. F. Bridgman, 39; Mary, wife, 34; P. B., daughter, 10; R. B., son, 4; Edna, daughter, 1; Ann Huffman, step-daughter, 16; Della Huffman, step-daughter, 15 and Carrie Huffman, step-daughter, 11 years old. 

The 1900 Holt County census shows Jas. F. Bridgmon, born May 1841, 59, married 25 years, a farmer who owned his farm; Mary E., wife, born June 1844, 56, had given birth to 10 children, 8 children were still living; Thomas J., son, born Sept 1881, 19, farm laborer; John B., son, born Oct 1884, 15, farm laborer; Anna Basinger, step-daughter, born Dec 1863, 36, divorced, had given birth to 2 children, 2 children were still living; Benjamine Basinger, step-grandson, born Jan 1889, 10 and Jennie E. Basinger, step-granddaughter, born Nov 1891, 8 years old.

The 1920 Holt County census shows James F. Brigeman, 78 and Mary E., wife, 75 years old.  

Mary died February 15, 1926, in Holt County.  James died there March 10, 1927.

Children of James F. Bridgman and Sarah Catron

Children of James F. Bridgman and Mary Ellen Catron