Martin B. Bridgman

Martin B. Bridgman was born  February 24, 1810, in Wythe County, Virginia.     He was the son of Franklin Bridgman and his second wife, Rhoda May. 

     Prior to 1823, Martin's widowed mother moved to Tennessee with her children.  

  The 1830 Grainger County, Tennessee census shows Rhoda Bridgeman a female 60-69 (b. 1761-1770); one male 20-29 (b. 1801-1810 - Martin); one male under 5 (b. 1826-1830 - possibly one of Rhoda's grandsons) and one female 15-19 (b. 1811-1815 - Martin's sister Melvina).      They were listed on the census next to Rhoda's son Hezekiah Bridgeman and his family.

Martin married Anna Dyer on November 8, 1830, in Grainger County, Tennessee.    

Anna Dyer was born November 10, 1814, in Grainger Co, TN.     She was the daughter of William "Redhead" Dyer and Ellendor Klenor.     William Dyer was born about 1776, in Pittsylvania Co, VA and died December 1842, Morgan County, Illinois.     Ellendor Klenor was born 1790, in Pittsylvania Co, VA and died 1855, in Morgan County, Illinois.     Anna Dyer was a sister to William Anderson Dyer who married Martin's sister, Margaret Bridgman.

Martin's family was in Knox County, Tennessee in 1840.     The 1840 census shows Martin Bridgeman 30-39; one male 5-9; 2 males under 5; one female 20-29 and one female under 5 years of age. 

The 1850 Grainger County, Tennessee census shows Martin Bridgeman, 45, overseer, $600 real property; Anna, 36; Wm. F., 16, laborer; Amanda, 14; Henry, 13; Columbus, 11; Margaret, 9; Cornelia, 7; Sarah V., 5 and John A., 2 years old.     Living alone nearby was Martin's mother, Rhoda Bridgeman, age 77. 

Between 1850 and 1853, Martin moved his family to Morgan County, Illinois.     We believe his mother, Rhoda, moved there at the same time.    She died May 1855, in Morgan County.  

     The1860 Morgan County, Illiinois census, Indian Creek Township, shows Martin Bridgman, 50; Ann, 46; Henry, 22; Alice, 17; Cornelia, 15; Sarah, 14; Jno, 11 and Laurie, 5 years old.    Living with the family was Jno Wilks, 14, born in Illinois. 

  The 1870 Morgan County, Illinois census shows the family living in Jacksonville Precinct.     The census shows Martin Bridgeman, 56, a farmer, $6000 real property, $1300 personal property; Anna, 54; John, 22; Sarah, 25 and Laura, 15.     Living with the family was Anna's father William Dyer, 84, retired farmer, born in Virginia, blind and Priscilla Dyer, 59, born in Tennessee.

     The 1880 Morgan County census shows the family still living in Jacksonville Precinct.     The census shows Martin Bridgman, 70, a farmer, born in Virginia, father born in Indiana, mother born in Germany and Ann, 66, wife, born in Tennessee, both parents born in Tennessee.     Living with the family was James Mullens, 20, servant, a farmer, born in Illinois. 

Martin died in Morgan County, Illinois on November 17, 1891.     Anna died April 9, 1893, in Illinois, possibly in Cass County.

Children of Martin Bridgman and Anna Dyer