Subj: Beddingfield, Bedingfield, Bedenfiel Research
Date: 97-05-14 18:06:16 EDT

COPY
Letter presented to the Indiana State Library from Pierre E. Haynes, 781 E. California St.,Pasadena, CA. Mrs. Joel Benefiel of Pendleton, IN, had sent the letter to him.

Cape Tenn., Nov. 24, 1901
Mr. Isham Benefield
Harriman, Tenn.

Dear Sir and Kinsman:

Your favor of the 15th (to hand) and otherwise noted. I am glad indeed to hear from you and to know your history and I have no doubt that we are some relation. I will give you the tradition and history of my people. Now about the name, our original name is Beddingfield and we are original English, but have crossed with Scotch-Irish and Dutch until only the name is left and I am an American.

My grandfather and most of his brothers spelled it Bedingfield and it was so spelled in English history. The "Keeper of the Hounds" in Queen Elizabeth's time was Sir H. Bedingfield, but every one calls us Benefield and my father and I sign it thus, but my brothers and all my uncles sign the original, while I find some who write it Benfield and others Benningfield but all the same family I suppose and I know some are the same.

TRADITION: It is said that two Benefield brothers came to Georgia with George Oglethorpe about 1732-and one went to N. Carolina and from the two families of Benfiels (sic) scattered all over the south, central, and west. I can't say how true it is but as far back as I can go with certainty it is probably 150 years. A man by name of William Bedingfield lived in or near the city of Savannah, Georgia, but moved to within three miles of Raleigh, North Carolina and raised a family of nine boys as well as I can find out and probably some girls. That man William Bedingfield was my greatgrandfather. I only know a few of his boys names.

John, the eldest who remained at the old homestead and Robin or Robert and Soloman and three or four others who moved to Ohio, Indiana and probably Kentucky and founded families of these states and some went farther west. Then Wm. Needham and Hardy came to Georgia and raised families. Hardy, I think, was the youngest or about so and was only 18 years old when he came to Georgia.

He was my grandfather. He settled among the Indians on the Appalachie river in Walton County and married a young widow named Faulkner whose maiden name was Rogers. There is where my Irish blood comes in and her given name was Nancy. There were six or seven of their issue and one or two by her first husband. The girls names were Patsy, Matilda and Eliza. The boys, Soloman, James, Wm Hardy and John. Soloman and William Hardy are alive now and probably two of the girls.

Soloman, James and John Bedingfield married and raised families in middle Georgia and some moved to Alabama. Wm Hardy is my father and was born near Windsor on the old homestead in Walton Co., GA, on the 10th day of May 1826. When he was 18 years old he married Mary Ann Hill, dau of Thomas Carter Hill, a cousin of famous Ben Hill and they had 9 children and they are all living. Their present address is Summerville, GA. There were three boys and six girls. The boys names James Carter, Wm Hardy, Jr, and Cheline Clifton. Girls names Tebitha, Nancy Elizabeth, Mary Ann, Elzere, Tennie May and Alice. One of the girls is in Georgia, 2 in Tenn, 3 in Texas.

James C. the oldest is at Mt. Enterprise, Rusk Co., TX; Wm H. until March ...are at Cape, Tenn; I am the younges boy. Two girls older than I, all married and have families. My grandfather Hardy Bedingfield was nearly 104 years old when he died. Was a Primitive Baptist. My father, Mother, brothers and sister and sisters-in-law all belong to the Church of Christ as well as I. We are a united family in religious matters. Neither of us boys nor my father drank liquor, uses coffee or tobacco in any form and all are about 6' high and wiegh (sic) from 180 to 250 lbs. Can you beat that?

My father was in the Confederate Army although he was a union man. When his state seceded he went with her, was in the 4th Georgia Cavalry...Wheeler, was captured and was in Rock Island prison 18 months.

My father is a farmer and has a nice farm in the peach belt of GA. My oldest brother James C. is a farmer and preacher. Wm H. is a farmer and surveyor and I am a civil engineer, at present surveyor of Warren co., Tenn, and Chief Engineer for the Tenn Co. Detroit and Cleveland Co. $5,000,000 capital McMinnville, N. Y. offis (sic) is at McMinnville but I have a farm at Cape and my family reside there.

I married Belle Woodlee in 1894 and we have three children, two girls and one boy, Myrtle May, Bessie Belle, and Ralph Clinton, 6, 4, & 2 years old. You and I agree in politics. I hope that we may get better acquainted and see each other for I am confident we are related.

Write me and I will always answer,

Very truly yours,

C. C. Benefield or Bedingfield
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From Norma comes the following:

"Joseph Beddingfield born in North Carolina, 1788, father probably named John but have no information documentable on him. He married Susan or Suckey Kilgore August 22, 1832 in Walton County, Georgia.

Only known son (but there probably were others and maybe even other marriages) William Henry Beddingfield, born Dec 28, 1833 in Georgia; married Sarah Clarice Holland had four children, Mary Matilda Adeline Bedingfield, m. Dock S. Bennefield (6 children); "Jack" William Beddingfield, m. Sarah C. Langley (10 children); John Turner Beddingfield*, m. Masuri Candis Savannah Watt (12 children); James Hardy "Jim" Beddingfield, m. Mary Deborah Brooks (5 children). William Henry Married 2nd time to Mary Ann Bennefield and they had a daughter Nancy Jane Cynthia Beddingfield who married G. W. Dutton and they had 5 children.

My line-*John Turner Beddingfield came to Texas in 1894 and all his descendents for at least three generations were born in Texas. His son Joseph Buel Beddingfield born May 31, 1887 in Marylee, Alabama, married Nellie Gordie Beam (second marriage) on August 29, 1915 in Smith County, Texas. They had eight children. Their oldest son was Elbert Buel Beddingfield, born December 13,1928 in Smith County, Texas married Norma Lou Kelly, July 26, 1947. He died September 17, 1995 with descendents of three children and nine grandchildren.If anyone is descended from any of these lines please contact me and I may be able to furnish more information."

I have had this information in my files for years. It wasn't until I came online that I was able to find out more. If you want more of the story, let me know.

In the book Lauderdale Co., AL Civil War Records by Polly C. Warren is this reference:

P. 189--Bedingfield, John-and son were shot and killed by John Legg at the Elk River Mills in Alabama. Legg fled.(from the Daily Herald, Columbia, Tennessee, 24th January 1900.) In an interview with R. V. Holland, a relative, some details were learned of the Bedingfield murder. He stated that they were murdered near Rogersville, and that the son, Jerome, told the story in his dying condition. He stated that it was coldblooded murder. John Bedingfield was 60 years old, and had been a confederate soldier. He is survived by another son, Buck, age 21. (from the Daily Herald, 26 January 1900).

That's all for today, guys. Hope you enjoy it. Thressa.