Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 01.djvu/269

 BEDEL.

BEDFORD.

mountains for General Ashley. After terrible sufferings and many years spent among the In- dians, during which time he was made a chief of the Crows, he returned to his family at St. Louis, and later went to Florida, where he carried de- spatches for the United States, and was engaged in fighting the Indians. He went to Mexico, and in 1844 accompanied a trading expedition to Cali- fornia. At the breaking out of the California revolution against Governor Micheltorena, in 1845, he took an active part. He was engaged by the United States government to convey de- spatches to Chihuahua, and afterwards from Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, to California. Some time after 1849 he discovered a pass through the Sierra Nevada mountains, which was named "■ Beck- ■wourth's Pass, " and in 1853 became a trader in Beckwourth's VaUey. He died in 1867.

BEDEL, John, soldier, was born in the Indian Stream district, in northern New Hampshire, July 8, 1822 ; son of Moody Bedel, general in the U. S. army. Upon the outbreak of the Mexican war he enlisted as a volunteer soldier, and in 1849 was promoted to a captaincy. After the close of the war he studied law, was admitted to the bar, and began practice at Bath, N. H., in 1850, and from 1853 to 1861 held a position in the treasury de- partment at Washington. During the civil war he was actively engaged as colonel of the 3d New Hampshire volimteers. He was captm-ed at Fort Wagner, July 18, 1863, and held for one year and five months as a prisoner of war. After being paroled he was made brevet brigadier-general, and in July, 1865, was mustered out of service. He represented Bath in the state legislature, and was several times the Democratic candidate for the governorship of the state. He died in Bath, N. H., Feb. 26, 1875.

BEDELL, Gregory Thurston, 3d P. E. bishop of Ohio and 67th in succession in the American episcopate, was born at Hudson, N. Y., Aug. 17, 1817; son of the Rev. Gregory To wnsend BedeU. He received his preparatory education at the school of the Rev. Dr. Muhlenberg, Flushing, L. I., was graduated from Bristol college. Pa., in 1836, and entered the Theological seminary of Virginia in 1837, having sf)ent the interim in teaching. He received his diaconate at the hands of his uncle, Bishop Channing Moore, July 19, 1840, and the same prelate advanced him to the priesthood, Aug. 29, 1840. His first charge was Holy Trinity, West Chester, Pa., and in 1843 he assumed the rectorship of the Church of the Ascension, in New York city. Norwich university conferred upon him the degree of Doctor of Divinity in 1856. On Oct. 13, 1859, he was consecrated assistant bishop of Ohio, and on March 13, 1873, on the death of Bishop Mcllvaine, he succeeded him as bishop of Oliio. After serving sixteen years.

Bishop BedeU, by reason of increasing infirmities, tendered his resignation, and it was accepted by the house of bishops, Oct. 18, 1889. Bisliop Bedell, by inheritance and choice, afiiliated with the evangelical branch of the church. His episcopate was laborious and abundantly successful. Many of his sermons were published, as well as a pas- toral on "Ritual Uniformity," "Notes of the Oriental Churches," "A Manual of Pastoral Theology," "A Centenary of the American Episcopate," and other works too mmnerous to mention, with which he enriched the literature of the church. He was the delegate from the American house of bishops to the meeting of the Venerable society for the propagation of the gospel in London, England, upon the occasion of the centenary commemoration of the consecration of the first prelate of the Protestant Episcopal churcli in America, and preached the sermon at St. Raid's cathedral. He died March 11, 1892.

BEDELL, Gregory Townsend, clergyman, was born on Staten Island, Oct. 28, 1793. He at- tended the Episcopal academy, Cheshire, Conn., and in 1811 was graduated from Columbia college, and ordained to the priesthood of the Protestant Episcopal church in 1814. His first parish was at Hudson, N. Y. ; his next, at Fayetteville, N. C. The southern climate proving imfavorable to his health, he removed, in 1822, to Philadelphia, where he became celebrated as a preacher, and was mainly instrumental in building up the parish of St. Andrew. He is the author of several sacred poems and musical compositions. Among his published works are: "Bible Studies," "Is it Well?" "It is Well," " Ezekiel's Vision, " "Way Marks, "" Onward ; or. Christian Progression." He died at Baltimore, Md., Aug. 30, 1834.

BEDFORD, Gunning, patriot, was born in Philadeli^hia about 1730. He served in the French and Indian war of 1755, with the rank of lieu- tenant, and became a major in the Continental army in March, 1775. The following year he was wounded at the battle of White Plains, having at that time the rank of lieutenant-colonel, and on June 18th of the same year was made muster- master-general. In 1783 he was elected a delegate to the Continental Congress, serving two years. He became governor of Delaware in 1796, and died wliile in office at New Castle, Del., Sept. 30, 1797.

BEDFORD, Gunning, Jr., jurist, was born in Philadelphia, Pa., in 1747. He was a cousin of Gunning Bedford, patriot. After graduating from the College of New Jersey, in 1771, as vale- dictorian, he studied law, was admitted to the bar, and began practice at Dover, Del. , removing later to Wilmington. He served during the revo- lutionary war as a soldier, and was for a time aide-de-camp to General Washington. He was a member of the Delaware house of representatives.