Milford chronicle., 1952-12-19
Bridgeville Resident
Observes Tooth Birthday

Robert Francis Ledenham, of
Bridgeville, was 100 years old We'd
nesday, December 10. The Sussex
centenarian, we'll known through
out the county and state, llas been
confined to bed most of the time
recently. However, he was able
to visit his farms until last sum-
mer.
A family reunion marked the
memorable occasion and he re-
Iceived greetings from many friends
and acquaintances. The family
group at last Wednesdays reunion
included Mr.. Ledenham's son,
Stanley, with whom he lives; his
sOn-in-laW and daughter, Mr.. and
Mrs. Elmer A. Tull, of Pennington;
his sOn-in-laW and daughter, Mr..
and Mrs. Raymond P. King of Sea-
ford; his sOn-in-law, Ira Lewis, of
BridgeVille; his grandchildren, Mrs.
Robert Graham, Annapolis; Rob-
ert King, student at the Univer-
sity of Delaware; Sally Anne Lew
is also a student at Delaware, and
Richard Lewis, of Bridgeville: two
great-grandchildren, Phyllis Anne
Graham and Mary Ellen Graham,
OF Annapolis, and others. Mr.. Led
enham survived his wife and a
daughter, Mrs. Mary Ledenham
Lewis.
Most Of Mr.. Ledenham's life has
been spent in his native Sussex
County. However, he lived a few
years in Philadelphia where he at
tended school as lad. It is related
that last July 4 he visited the site
OF his birthplace and former home
near the Maryland state line, and
that emotions kindled by the scene
of his childhood and mature years
were too great a strain, so he has
not visited the scene again. His
parents, Noah and Emily Adams
Ledenham, died at comparatively
early ages.
His longevity has been attribut-
ed to peace of mind and a keen in
terest in current events. His tall.
thin figure had been familiar on
the streets Of Bridgeville until ad-
vanced age restricted his activi-
ties.
A member Of a pioneer Methodist
family, Mr.. Ledenham had a great
uncle and an uncle in the ministry.
but he preferred rural life. He
owned the farm of his grandfa-
ther, Thomas Ledenham, for which
ne held the grant from the King of
England to his ancestor.
He razed the colonial brick house
on this farm, built in 1882, when it
was 100 years old, and replaced it
with a, modern frame house. to
which he took his bride, the former
Mary Richards. There he lived un-
til he retired from farming and
settled in Bridgeville.
The older Of the two members of
the Philadelphia Conference in the
Ledenham family was the author of
THE Rise of Methodism in Ameri-
ca" published in Philadelphia in
1853, when Robert Francis I.eden-
ham was seven years old. The
younger Rev. John Ledenham final
ly gave up the ministry, for which
he had spent many years in prep
aratiOn, and purchased an orange
grove near Orlando, Fla, where he
died. The history of "The Rise of
MethOdism in America" a denomi-
national classic, leaves nothing to
the imagination regarding the or
igin Of the church from New York
to South Carolina.
Rev. John Wesley dipped his pen
in the politics OF America, thereby
causing the MethOdists to be classi-
fed as Tories, according to the his
torian. The influence of the Method
list itinerants caused many planters
to free their slaves before the Civil
War.
MethOdism was introduced across
the Maryland line in 1775 and in
Sussex County a little later. In
Sussex County there were drink
ers, horse racers and dancers" be-
fore the establishment of Methodist
societies, the minister recorded.
A Republican, Mr.. Ledenham SER
we'd a term in the Delaware Cen
eral Assembly, but his primary in
terest has been agriculture. He re-
members the Civil War, precipitated
by the problem of slavery, as we'll
as the Spanish-American War, and