Hi,everybody. Well, my family took a few days off from the daily routine for fun in the sun and had a blast! We visited some lesser-known places in Missouri and will definitely go back again. Anyway, here's the next installment of "our" family news.

While I was away, Dor and Lisa were hard at work exchanging information and think they may wind up cousins. Want their info? OK, here goes. This info is from Dor; I'm still waiting on Lisa's report.

"Here is my update courtesy of my sister Evalina who lives in Asheville, NC! I think Lisa and I are cousins! Zirconia is too small for us not to be!
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BEDDINGFIELD family of Green River (Zirconia)
Dear Lisa-

I am convinced we are cousins! My grandmothers' father was William Washington Beddingfield; her mothers'name was Celia Catherine Russell; brothers were named: Mingus Mitchell, Albert Mason; Alford Jerry; ("AJ") Hilliard Sampson ("UnclE Sam"), Larkin (died in flu epidemic); sisters were Lillie Leola (died in 1901 from ? snakebite?); Lou Ellar; Minerva, one more I don't yet have name. My sister found this bit of information in a Bible which belonged to my grandmother. My fathers name was David Washington Russell (he changed middle name as an adult to William); My mother was Grace Elva Craven of N. Wilkesboro of the Craven family (land grand and fd. of Trinity College which later became Duke U.) We are in the CRAVEN family geneaology book by Mary Craven PURVIS of Randolph CO. NC. All my dads' family were from Waynesville, Hendersonville, Buncombe CO. and Zirconia, NC. We lost touch with everybody because we were orphaned in 1958 and split up. I am having fun now finding everybody on all sides! I think more than half the state of NC are related to me thru at least one or other of these lines. All family names in book are related to a William Larkin BEDDINGFIELD I, born 11/7/1814 in Henderson Co. He enlisted here in the Confederate Army. Died 6/5/1862 of typhoid; bur. Goldsboro, NC. He married Cynthia Jane Lanning from Henderson ? CO, born 10/30/1826. Died 4/12/1904. Dtr. of William LANNING who died in 1864. Children William Washington no 1, our great grandfather born 12/23/1846; died 11/22/1923. Married Celia Russell born 4/25/1854. died August 25, 1901. 8 children: Nobel Jeremiah b. 1848, d.1917, m. Amanda Maxwell, 1858-1950; James Samuel 9/24/1849-10/11/19?? m. Susan Jane Lanning b, 9/27/1849-9/3/1929. Celia H. Beddingfield m. Elijah Mitchell Russell b.? m 1871. John Beddingfield-no infor. Larsia Beddingfield m. a LEDBETTER no other info. Laura Beddingfield, b.1855-1926 m. Noah B. GARREN 5/13/1926. Michael C. KIRKWOOD BEDDINGFIELD b.4/15/1860-4/11/1904 m. Elizabeth DAUSE b.7/20/1860-3/14/1889; m.3/13/1884.

William Washington BEDDINGFIELD b.12/23/46-11/22/1923 m. Celia C. RUSSELL b. 4/4/1854-8/8/1901; 10 children: Lou Eller b. 8/31/1873-4/24/1957; one child John BEDDINGFIELD; Sarrehem Mynervy b. 8/8/1877-1/29/1904; m. Theodore THOMPSON; children were Maybelle, R.L. THOMPSON; William Larkin II, b. 11/7/1879-11/4/1914; two kids m. Alice LINDSEY Roy, Lola m. Garfield SHIPMAN one child William Garfield SHIPMAN ; Vionia m. ? STATON; Mingus Mitchell BEDDINGFIELD b. 3/26/1882-3/25/1970. m. Louise RUSSELL; kids were John, Mary, Marshall, Albert, Pearl BEDDINGFIELD; George Thomas BEDDINGFIELD b. 6/20/1884-10/29/1936; m. Martha SUMMEY.; Alford Jerry (AJ) b.8/19/1886-11/20/1972; m Emma Jane MERRILL 6/2/1887-11/27/1976; kids were Rhuemma Katherine; Riley Ephriam; Mary Elizabeth (my grandmother) b. 4/25/1889-5/1/1972; m.Thomas Burton RUSSELL b. 3/3/1888-10/24/1958; kids were David Washington (WILLIAM) my father, b. 6/14/1915-10/25/1958; Carl William RUSSELL 1913-1977?; Reuben Davis; Lillie Mae b.3/1/1910-12/15/1993; Fred Albert RUSSELL b. 1920?-alive (lives in Portland Texas); Albert Mason b. 4/8/1891-7/29/1902. Hilliard Sampson (Uncle Sam) b. 6/13/1893-8/24/1982; m. Ida THALVE TANKERSLEY b. 8/26/1900-12/27/1982. Lillie Leeola b.10/18/1895-1/12/1900. I am sorry this is probably unclear. My typing isnt the greatest! Do any of these names ring a bell? You can see where the gaps are! Zirconia and Green River are not that big! Where do you fit in? I know I don't have everybody. We can't go back farther than William Larkin BEDDINGFIELD I. Write back soon! This is fun! Dor
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The next information comes from Jerry D. of Oklahoma:

William Bedingfield b.1713 England d.1774 Wake Co. GA
m. Susannah Bradley
---William Needham Bedingfield b.1740 d ?
-m.?
----Needham Bedingfield b.1779 Raleigh,NC d.1850 Heard Co. GA
--m.Mary Rogers 1801 Granville,NC
-----John Bennefield b.1804 Heard Co.GA d.1868 Hillabahaatche,Heard Co GA
-----m.Frances K. Welborn
-------John Benefield,II b.1839 GA d. 1896 Titus or Grayson Co. TX
-------m.Lucetta Benson 1861 Itawamba Co. Mississippi
----------Thomas Marion Benefield b. 1866 MS d. 1949 Atoka OK
-----------m.Mary Jane 'Mollie' Westbrooks 1891 Vernon, Lamar Co. Alabama
-------------Ira Cecil Benefield b. 1900 I.T. (OK) d.1973 Caney OK
-------------m.Susie Ann Rosamond 1923 Atoka Co OK
----------------Ethel Marie Benefield b. 1929 Caney OK
----------------m.Charles Linnon Dodds 1945 Grayson Co. TX
------------------Jerry Glen Dodds b. 1949 Atoka OK
------------------m.Cynthia Kay Riley 1973 Ardmore OK
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Jeanie from Texas sends the following: Here is some information from the headstones of some of my ancestors and others. I hope it can help someone. Jefferson Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Shelby Twp., Jefferson Co., In.
Head > To the memory of GEORGE BENEFIEL departed this life April 1st 1832 Age 72 Years 3 Months 7 Days
Foot > GEO. BENEFIELD Culbertson's Pa. MIL. REV. WAR
Jeanie's note > GEO. BENEFIEL's name is spelled differently on his headstone and on this footstone. Footstone is a DAR marker.

In memory of MARY BENEFIEL, consort of GEORGE BENEFIEL died May 21, 1857 Jeanie's note >MARY BENEFIEL is the daughter of GEORGE BUCHANAN,(family of President JAMES BUCHANAN),who is also a Revolutionary War Soldier. GEO. BUCHANAN buried next to his daughter.

NANCY M. wife of SAMUEL M. BENEFIEL died July 14, 1833 aged 28 years 6 Months 22 days (below on same stone)
JESSIE F. son of S.M. & N.M BENEFIEL died July 18,1833 age 3 months (on same stone)
AMANDA daughter of S.M & N.M. BENEFIEL died October 7, 1833 aged 2 years.
H. H. BENEFIEL 3-8-1825 /7-20-1911
MIRANDA his wife 1-19-1832 / ( no death date)
SARAH daughter of GEORGE A. BENEFIEL 1831 - 1867
JESSIE M. son of WILLIAM & PHEBE BENEFIEL 9-16-1838 2 years 11 months 8 days
WM. B. BENEFIEL 6-21-1867 72 years 1 month 27 days
PHEBE ( unable to read rest of stone)
JAMES M. son of WM & PHEBE BENEFIEL
ARTHUR W. BENEFIEL 2-16-1860 16 years 1 month 16 days
MARTHA daughter of JAMES & ELIZABETH BENEFIEL 12-27-1840/ _ -3-1841
ELIZABETH wife of JAMES C. BENEFIEL 10 - _- _ /7-22-1881 86 years 9 months 8 days
JAMES C. BENEFIEL died 5-31-1886
LUDICYA daughter of J. & SARAH BENEFIEL 1-21-1834 17 years 13 days
MARTHA A. daughter of J. & SARAH BENEFIEL 3-13-1847 9 months 30 days
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Ann sends this message to Dor. It may also be beneficial to others: "Tell Dor I found an Elizabeth BENFIELD in NC in the 1840 U S Census in Linc. Co. There was a Thomas Benfeild in that same county. In 1800 in Linc Co there was a John Benfield in Linc Co. In 1810 Henry, John, and John Sr. Benfield in Linc. Co. 1820 in Linc Co. we find Daniel, Henry, John, Martin, George, and John Jr. In 1830 we find the same names as in 1820. 1840 only Elizabeth and Thomas were left in Linc. Co. Daniel is in Irp. Co., George, Jo, and John are found in Bke. Co. In 1850 I found no Benfields listed. I found a John Benfield and Thomas Benfield were found in Ga, Rabu.Co."

And then she sends this message: "Tell Nolan to check the info I sent in on the same newsletter with his info about his family. He will find his family members in Randolph Co. Al." I have an N. Bedingfeild in Dallas Co. Al in 1830 and an N. Benafield in Dallas Co., Al in 1840. In 1850 there is a Needham Benefield in Randolph Co., Al. In 1850 there is no N. Bedingfield or Benefield listed in Dallas Co. as in 1830 and 1840, which leads me to think that N. Beding or Bene is the same as Needham. Others in Randoph Co. are Azariah, Caleb, and William, all Benefields; Robert, Lousia, both Benifield; William Bendfield. These names were taken from the 1850 U S Census for Alabama.

I found a Willliam Beddingfield in NC in 1850 in Fran. Co. Then in 1820 there is a William Beddingfield in Ga Green Co.; 1830 there is a Hardy and Gideon in Twg. Co., Ga; there is another Hardy, last named spelled Bedingfield (one d) in Wal.Co., Ga in 1830; 1840 Hardy Bedingfield in Twg. Co. along with Gideon; 1850 there is a William H. Beddingfield in Gwin Co., Ga and a William in Rich Co., Ga; also a Hardy Bedgigsfield in Twig. Co.
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I have received the following suggestion, which I think is a good one: If you submit some information about your research, please identify the COUNTY AND STATE from which the information comes. We have discovered, during the course of the newsletter, that Bedingfield families tend to have multiple members with the same names. Sometimes these individuals lived in the same areas, even next door, and that really causes confusion! I'm still trying to unravel which of the Charles Bedingfields in the 1870 AL census is mine and which is his father or nephew. Ain't genealogy fun?!

Anyone a fan of murder stories? Try this one:

TWO MEN ARE SHOT.

ANOTHER BLOODY TRAGEDY IN EAST LAUDERDALE

John and Jerome Beddingfield, Father and Son, Mortally Wounded by John Legg.

KINSMEN AT WAR WITH EACH OTHER.

Another horrible murder has been committed in Lauderdale County.

This time the scene is laid in the eastern limits of the county, and the victims are John D. and Jerome Bedingfield, father and son, and well known and reputable citizens; and the murderer is John Legg, a cousin, also well known and of heretofore good reputation.

The shooting accurred on Tuesday afternoon last, near Oliver, not far from the Limestone county line, and from the evidence appears to have been deliberate and cold blooded in the extreme. The origin of the trouble, it is thought, dates back six or seven years, and related to the burning of a school house on the Bedingfield land, the intimation being that Legg knew something of the affair.

The circumstances of the affray are about as follows:

On Tuesday morning John Legg and Buck Bedingfield, the latter a son of John D. Bedingfield, met at Sims & Grigg's mill with their teams, when Legg demanded that Bedingfield move out. Some warm words ensued, when Legg left, went home, got his gun, and, instead of going to the mill, went in another direction and met Jerome Bedingfield, a brother of Buck. He told the latter he intended to kill him. Beddingfield said, "Cousin John, don't do that; I have done nothing against you." Without ceremony Legg shot at Bedingfield twice, the first shot just missing his head and the second entering the hips and lower portion of the back, the heavy load of buckshot passing clear through the body and coming out at the lower portion of the abdomen.

Legg then told Jerome he was going to kill "his damned old daddy." With this he went down the road about a half mile, met the father and shot him three times--the first shot mangling the left forearm, the second entering the groin and abdomen, and the third, at close range, in the face. The first load was buck shot, the second turkey shot and the third bird shot.

Legg immediately left for parts unknown and is still at large.

On Tuesday night news of the tragedy reached Florence by telephone from Centre Star, and Dr. Kernachan and Mr. R. V. Holland (the latter a kinsman of the wounded men)left for the scene. These gentlemen returned Wednesday evening, and from them we learned the particulars substantially as given above. They report that Jerome Bedingfield was in a dying condition when they left, and that the father could not recover.

The Bedingfields were good men, connected with some of the best people of our county,including Mr. J. W. Bedingfield, of Florence. It is also said that Legg has heretofore borne a good reputation. Mr. John D. Bedingfield was about 55 or 60 years old, and the son about 24.

The accounts of the affair point to the fact that the murder was premeditated and altogether unjustifiable. It is a horrible affair, truly, and has created great excitement in all that section of the county, which is about thirty miles east of this city. (Florence Gazette, Jan. 25, 1900, Volume X). Thanks, cousin Peggy!

Want more of the story? Stay Tuned!! Thressa.