Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 1).djvu/241

Rh in command of the force at the Cedars, near Montreal, which was attacked by Brant's Indians and surrendered without resistance by order of Capt. Butterfleld, the subordinate officer in command during the absence of Col. Bedel, who lay ill at Lachine. Gen. Arnold threw the blame on Bedel, who was deprived of his command, but was subsequently reinstated. He was afterward major-general of New Hampshire militia.

BEDELL, Gregory Thurston. P. E. bishop, b. in Hudson, N. Y., 17 Aug., 1817; d. in New York, 11 March, 1893. His father was a clergyman, and an author of much reputation. At the age of nine years the son entered Rev. Dr. Muhlenberg's school at Flushing, L. I., remaining until he was seventeen under the guidance of that instructor. He was graduated at Bristol college, Pennsylvania, in 1830, and at the Virginia theological seminary in 1840. He was ordained deacon, 19 July, 1840, and priest in August, 1841. He became rector of Trinity church, West Chester, Pa., in 1841, and in 1843 was called to the rectorship of the Church of the Ascension, New York city. While there he was elected assistant bishop of Ohio, and was consecrated 13 Oct., 1859, in St. Paul's church, Richmond, Va. On the death of Bishop Mcllvaine, in 1873, he became bishop of the diocese. The year following he gave his consent to the division of his extensive jurisdiction, and the diocese of southern Ohio was formed and a bishop chosen for it in 1875. His ecclesiastical position was that of the American evangelicals, Mcllvaine. Tyng, Eastburn, and others. Bishop Bedell published numerous sermons and addresses, and also "Renunciation" (a work of his father's, with additions); "The Pastor," a manual on pastoral theology (1880); a "Memorial of Rev. Dr. Stephen H. Tyng" (New York, 1866); and "Centenary of the American Episcopate " (London, 1884).

BEDELL, Gregory Townsend, clergvman, b. on Staten Island, N. Y., 28 Oct., 1793; d in Baltimore, Md., 30 Aug., 1834. His early education was obtained chiefly at the Episcopal academy, Cheshire, Conn. He was graduated at Columbia college in 1811, studied for the ministry of the Episcopal church, and was ordained by Bishop Hobart, 4 Nov., 1814. His first charge was at Hudson, N. Y., where he remained three years. In 1818 he accepted a call to Fayetteville, N. C, but, as his health was delicate and the climate did not suit him, he removed to Philadelphia, Pa., in May, 1822. St. Andrew's church was established through his labors, and he acquired great popularity as a preacher. In a few years, however, his health failed, and the end came to him in Baltimore, while on his return home from Bedford Springs, Pa. Dr. Bedell published and was the author of sacred poems and musical compositions. Among his works are, "Bible Studies" (2 vols., 1829); "Ezekiel's Vision"; "Onward, or Christian Progression"; "Waymarks"; "Is it well?" and "It is well." The Rev. Stephen H. Tyng, D. D., published his sermons, with a memoir, in 1836.

BEDFORD, Gunning, patriot, b. in Philadelphia about 1730; d. in Newcastle, Del., 30 Sept., 1797. He was a lieutenant in the French war, and entered the revolutionary army as major, 20 March, 1775. As lieutenant-colonel of Haslet's regiment he was wounded at White Plains. On 18 June, 1776, he was appointed muster-master- general. He was a delegate from Delaware to the old congress, 1783-'5, and in 1796 was elected governor of Delaware.—His cousin, Gunning, Jr., b. in Philadelphia, Pa., in 1747, d. in Wilmington, Del,, 30 March, 1812, was graduated at the College of New Jersey in 1771, delivering the valedictory oration. After graduation he studied in the law-office of Joseph Reed, of Philadelphia, was admitted to the bar, and practised law at Dover and afterward at Wilmington, Del. During the revolutionary war he acted for a short time as aide-de-camp to Gen. Washington. Resuming his practice after the close of the war, he was in the course of a few years elected to the Delaware house of representatives. He represented Delaware in the continental congress from 1783 till 1786, and was also a member of the constitutional convention, in which he took an active part, and by his eloquence influenced the decision of the convention to give the same representation in the senate to large and small states. He was a presidential elector in 1789 and in 1793. He became attorney-general of the state, and remained in that office until the organization of the government in 1789, when President Washington appointed him U. S. judge for the district of Delaware, which place he hl'ld until his last illness.—A grand-nephew of the latter, Gunning Samuel, b. in Baltimore, Md., in 1806; d. in New York city, 5 Sept., 1870, was graduated at Mount St. Mary's college, Emmettsburg, Md., in 1825, with the highest honors of his class. He received his medical diploma from Rutgers medical college in 1829, and soon afterward visited Europe, where for two years he continued his medical studies. On his return, in 1833, he was appointed professor in the medical college at Charleston, S. C, and subsequently was called to a professorship in the new medical college founded by Dr. Alden March, in Albany, N. Y. He removed to New York about 1836, and soon commanded a large practice in obstetrics. In concert with the late Dr. Valentine Mott, his former preceptor, and for many years his colleague. Dr. Bedford projected the university medical college in 1840, and took the chair of obstetrics, which he retained until 1862. Dr. Bedford first introduced into the United States obstetrical clinics for the gratuitous treatment of poor women. He was the author of two standard treatises on his special department of medicine. His " Diseases of Women and Children " passed through ten editions in this country, and his "Principles and Practice of Obstetrics" five editions; and both have been republished in England, and translated into French and German.—His son, Dr. Henry Moore, d. at Richfield Springs, 20 Aug., 1880, was his assistant in the obstetrical clinic, the establishment of which was accomplished against strong opposition.

BEDINGER, George Michael, soldier, b. in Virginia about 1750 ; d. at Lower Blue Licks, Ky., about 1830. He was one of the early emigrants to Kentucky, and served as adjutant in the expedition of 1779 against Chillicothe, as major at the battle of Blue Licks in 1782, and did valuable service as an Indian spy throughout the war. He commanded the Winchester battalion of sharpshooters in St. Clair's expedition of 1791, and was a major of U. S. infantry in 1792-'3. He was a member of the Kentucky legislature in 1792, and represented that state in congress from 1803 till 1807.—His son, Henry (diplomatist), was born near Shepherdstown, Va., in 1810, and died there 26 Nov., 1858. He practised law in Shepherdstown, and afterward in Charlestown, in 1845 succeeded his partner and brother-in-law. Gen. George Rust, as member of congress, and was re-elected for the following term. From 1853 till 1858 he was U. S. minister to Denmark, and while at Copenhagen he negotiated a treaty that settled the question of the Sound dues.