Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-03-30

been caused by tho mixing up Of two
Cunning Bedford's who figured in
Delaware at the same time. Judge |
Bedford was always known as Cunning |
Bedford, Jr. Ho uniformly signed his |
name with the junior attached. He |
had Il cousin whose name also was |
Cunning Bedford. Tho latter was five
years the senior Of the judge, being |
born in 1912. and was the son of Will
liam Bedford, farmer, who lived in
New Castle hundred. Cunning Bed
ford and not Cunning Bedford. Jr.,
married sister of George Read, the
signer, was Northumberland in David
Halls regiment in the Revolution and
in 1895 was elected Governor of Della
ware. Ile also served as prothonotary
and Register of Wills for New Castle
county, and is buried in Emmanuel
churchyard at New Castle. Even SO
careful biograrher as Judge Whitley
Bedford 1.-THE goyernorl some of the
credit and offices which belonged to
Cunning Bedford, Jr. tthc iudge).
Judge Bedford married early, so early
that on the occasion of his graduation
at Princeton in It'll, his wife was
present with her first baby, and the
story goes that the baby was left in tho
care of the wife of DIR. Witherspoon,
while Mrs. Bedford attended the COM
mencement exercises. So the young
college student stepped from the gradu-
ating desk to family cares" in reality.
His wife was Jane Ballaroux Parker,
the daughter of James Parker, editor
of the POST Boy published in New
York, and one of the earliest American
printers. Parker learned his trade as
printer, side by side, with Benjamin
Franklin in Boston, and he exchanged
with Franklin the first dollar he ever
made as an apprentice. That dollar,
by the way, was afterwards fashioned
into punch straiuer and is now among
| the valuable relics of the Historical
| Society Of Delaware, having been be-
queathed to the Society by Henrietta
Jane Bedford, a daughter of Judge
| Bedford.
| Mrs. Bedford is described as lady
of rare accomplishments and great in
| tellect, whose grace and conversational
| powers contributed much to the adj
vancement of her husbands home, and
naturally gave her a leading place in
the most cultured society of that day.
| Judge Bedford's residence in Will
mington was at what is now known as
/ LNOs wv IhdthCb tilON oSShPita
| by William ]. Fisher, and for many
years known as the McCaulley house,.
1t was built by Abiiah Dawes, an early
resident of Wilmington and in the
Revolution is said to have been tho
headquarters of the French Army. Ii
was at that time the stateliest house in
the borough. Afterwards this house
| was owned and occupied by Louis Nc
4 Lane, distinguished Delawarean who
served as United States Senator, Secre'
tary of State and Secretary Of the
Treasury under President Andrew
jackson, and twice as United States
Minister to Great Britain. Judge Bed
ford occupied the house for some years,
but in 1893 bought from the Charles
Robinson estate farm of go acres on
the Concord turnpike in Brandywine
hundred, being as described in the
deed, "Pisgah, part of larger tract
called New work. He renamed the
place "Lombardy," and the present
Lombardy cemetery is a part of the same
farm. The large and handsome stone
mansion which he built on the farm is
still standing; and there he made his
homo during the remainder of his life.
Elizabeth Montgomery in her
"reminiscences of Wilmington, says :
"Judgo Bedford and his lady were re-
markedly handsome persons, and OF
noble stature. Mrs. Bedford received
an accomplished education and spoke
French fuently, her mother being a
native of France. When emigrants from
that country crowded this town. Mrs.
Bedford was their friend and patron.
Her entertainments excelled in taste
full arrangement and ornamental dis
! play-so said foreigners. y
Judge Bedford died March 30th, 1872,
in the 65th year of his age. His wife,
one son and daughter survived him.
Mrs. Bedford lived 10 years after her
husband, dying in 1881. For several of
the last years of her life she was blind,
vet still retained her charming man
ners which had characterized her
! youth and prime. The son, whose
name was Cunning James Bedford, and
who was always of feeble mind, died
in 1S45. The daughter, and youngest
child of Judge Bedford was Henrietta
Jane Bedford. who lived to reach her
SD year, having died in this city in
1871. She possessed intellectual gifts
of u high order She alone of all the
children of her fathers house appeared
to inherit the abilities with which her
parents we're endowed. Her education
was the best that her day afforded fol-
women, and sine was trained in all the
, accomplishments then in vogue. Sht
was u passionate lover Of music, per
, forming sllilfully upon piano and gui-
| tar, and having learned to play the
harp when nearly 10 years old. lcl
) conversational powers were very fine,
and oven in her old age she entered
| most rivaciously into social intercourse.
, | Retaining full recollection of most oil
the famous people who had gathered al
! her fathers tireside, she brought the
/ past into contact with the present IN
> a remarkable manner. Animated,
witty, full of anecdoto, well informed
, in regard to current events as well rs
, those of bygone times she was de
: lightful companion even when her life
, had long passed the limits of three
| score years and ten.
/ Her disposition was kindly and affec
, tionate. To her suffering mother ano
afflicted brother she showed the utmost
, tenderness, fulfilling to the utmost
, every duty that devolved upon her as !;
| daughter and sister.
Miss Bedford by her will, which was
proven in this county on the 2lst o.
August, 1871, describes herself as &
daughter of "Hon. Cunning Bedford
Jr., Aide Camp to Gen. Washington il
9 the Revolutionary War" The vii
4 provides that portrait of her fathel
be placed in the Capitol at Washington
near that OF James Madison, q room
0 mate of her fathers and one of thu
A trainers of the Constitution. 1t alsC
A provides that pair of pocket pistols
lie placed in the Smithsonian Institute
: | al WASHINGTON, or IL that cannot bt