Bidwell, Charles Calvin (1828 - 1915), Clark County, Wisconsin History & Genealogy

Surnames: Bidwell, Gilbert, Adams, McCormick, Halstead, Harris, Cook, Kennedy, Cleveland, Curtis, Stillman

----Sources: Federal Census Records, Tombstone readings, Military Records; Neillsville, Wis. Clark County Republic News, Bidwell Family Records

Charles Calvin Bidwell was born at Verona, Oneida Co., New York, Feb 20., 1827. The hamlet was originally known as "Hand's Village." Charles was the first born son of Chester Ives Bidwell and Eliza Angeline Adams. In early manhood he went to Illinois and from there to Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, and September 5, 1858, he married Mary Ann Gilbert (31 Mar 1839) who was a native of Spencer, NY. To this union five children were born, three boys and two girls. The oldest, Genevieve, died before the 1865 Census was recorded. She had lived just four short years.

In the earliest days of Minnesota's formation, the Baldwin Family took up a homestead in Wabasha County. When the civil war broke out he enlisted at Fort Snelling, in the First Minnesota Heavy Artillery, Co. G. Chester was born at end of the war, in 1865.

After the war, the Bidwell's moved to Galesville, Trempealeau Co., Wisconsin. It was a sixty mile journey which required the crossing of the might Mississippi River. Charles father died the day after New Year's, 1869. Two years later,, the family was blessed when their son, Homer, joined their family circle. Despite having extended family in Galesville, they once again packed their belongings and moved to Pine Valley, Clark County, Wisconsin, when Homer was still a toddler. When the fledgling town of Greenwood was developing just 10 miles northward, Charles built a large and commodious home for his family. A meat market was attached to the house and from that shop, he sold "choice cuts," to appease the cravings of his hungry customers.

The family was living in Hamilton, Caldwell, Missouri when the 1880 Census was recorded, but moved to Union, Oregon, in 1887. That was the last home of the adventurous, hard working Charles Calvin Bidwell. He took his last breath, 25 Nov 1915.

Both Charles and Mary Ann are buried in the Union Cemetery, Union, Union County, Oregon, USA.

2. Frank Bidwell Birth: 12 Oct 1860 of Verona, Oneida, New York
Married: Fannie McCormick , Married: in Caldwell County, Missouri Marriage Records Book C, 1881-1886, Frank Bidwell to Fannie McCormick, both of Hamilton, Caldwell County, Missouri--May 3, 1885-- at Hamilton, By: W. M. Rogers, Preacher of the Gospel Page 327, Had No Children.

3. Chester H. Bidwell, Birth: 27 Aug 1864, Plain View, Wabasha, Minnesota
Married: Elsie Halstead, Mar: 1889, Had No Children

A STORY OF TOOLS AND TWINE Narrator: C.H. Bidwell, Island City, Oregon

Chet Bidwell was reared in Hamilton, and from 1880-1883 he worked in the Hamilton Roller Mills under the late Frank Clark. He told this story with a great deal of amusement.

"I was employed in the Hamilton Flour and Grist Mills, and part of my duties was to attend to the exchange, which was quite a job, since from 10 to 50 lots came in every day. The mill was at the east end of town, quite a distance from Main street. Farmers coming in, left their grist and went on up town to do their trading and to get their mail. The old mill had a long porch and as each one came along, his grist was numbered and put on a record book. I had my oiling and other little jobs to do one day and then I began on my exchange work on the grists. We had a table made out, showing the number of pounds of meal to give for the number of pounds of corn, and this was tacked up on the bin.

I would take the grists one at a time, weight them and then dump them in the sink, then turn to the table and get the correct number of pounds of meal due them, weigh it and put it back on the porch, to wait for the owner, then go on to the next sack and so on.

I had started the routine one day and was getting along nicely when I saw an old farmer who had brought in grists watching me closely. Soon I came to a big sack, taller than I was. I got the rruck under it, ran it inside, weighed it, and got ready to dump it. I found it had a big long string on it.

Wrapped 6 or 8 times round it, fully 4 feet long. String was scarce with us, so I took my knife and proceeded to cut off what I needed to tie up the sack and place the rest on my string rack. I turned around to the meal spout and drew out the meal due, weighed it out and started to put the sack back on the porch in the row, when the old farmer slipped up and grasped me by the shoulder, 'Young man, I hev bin going to mill fer fifty year, and I hev hed my grist tolled and stoled, and I hev paid a dollar a hundred to have it ground, but hang my hide, if ever I hed my string tolled afore, and dang me! if it won't be the last time you'll ever do it on me.'

And sure enough that farmer never brought his grists to the Clark mill again in my time there at least."

Interviewer's note, the Clark mill has long ceased to be a mill. It is now used as an ice plant.

5. Homer C. Bidwell, Birth: ca. 25 Jan1871 in Galesville, Trempealeau Co., Wisconsin

Married: Rachel M. Brooks, 3 May 1898 in Oregon--Son: Deane F Bidwell b: 23 Sep 1900 in Union Co, OR

Chester Ives Bidwell was born at Brunswick, Rensselaer, New York 4 Jan 1799. His parents were William Bidwell and Phebe Ives. He married Eliza Angeline Adams 17 Feb 1827 . Eliza Angeline Adams was born at Verona, Oneida, New York 28 Jan 1806 daughter of C. Adams and M. Stillman.

Chester Ives Bidwell
Birth: 4 Jan 1799 Brunswick, Rensselaer, New York
Death: 2 Jan 1869 Galesville, Trempealeau, Wisconsin
Marriage: 17 Feb 1827
Father: William Bidwell
Mother: Phebe Ives
Sources
Eliza Angeline Adams
Birth: 28 Jan 1806 Verona, Oneida, New York
Death: 23 Apr 1899
Father: C. Adams
Mother: M. Stillman

"Near the old Fugitt Mill of the early day, one half mile east down the creek from Stoners Bridge, north of Kerr. By the sixties, this old Mill existed only as a memory to the old timers and the name meant a fine fishing place to the youngsters like Robert Morris. This was an old Mormon community and a few of the old Mormons still lived there who did not go with the exodus of 1838. Mrs. Bidwell, an Ohio Mormon, lived in an old cabin as a squatter on the Billy Jones farm, even in the seventies. She declared that she would never die, being a godbead, but she did die in
the county poor farm" Caldwell County, Missouri History Interviews - Caldwell County, Missouri

Family of Chester Ives and Eliza Angeline (Adams) Bidwell

1 Charles Calvin Bidwell
Birth: 20 Feb 1828 Verona, Oneida, New York
Death: 25 Nov 1915
Mary Gilbert
Married: 7 Sep 1858

2 Sarah Bidwell
Birth: 1 Jun 1828 Rome, Oneida, New York

3 George Washington Bidwell
Birth: 10 Aug 1832 Rome, Oneida, New York
Death: 5 Oct 1920
Darliska Cook
Married: 4 Mar 1869

5 Porter Bidwell
Birth: 21 Jun 1837 Parish, Oswego, New York
Jannie Cleveland
Married: 4 Mar 1868

6 Chester Bidwell
Birth: 27 Feb 1839 of Parish, Oswego, New York
Death: 31 Oct 1862

7 William Bidwell
Birth: 18 Oct 1841 of Parish, Oswego, New York
Death: 29 Apr 1870

8 Herman Bidwell
Birth: 2 Mar 1851 Rome, Oneida, New York
Luraney Curtis
Married: 7 Nov 1875

Charles C Bidwell
Beneficiary's Name Mary A Bidwell
Charles C Bidwell, P. G. 1st Minn. Heavy Artillery
Army Invalid,
Death: 25 Nov 1915
Beneficiary's Name Mary A Bidwell
1907-1933 United States Pension
Rate: 27 Feb 1907, $20; 27 May 1912, $22.50
payable to widow: Mary A. Bidwell, Union, Oregon

*Chas. Calvin Bidwell
Event Type Death
Event Date 25 Nov 1915
Event Place Union, Oregon
Certificate Number 5881

Mary Ann Bidwell
Death Date 30 Aug 1921
Event Place Union, Oregon
Certificate Number 117

Household Members
C C Bidwell M
Mary Bidwell F
Frank Bidwell M
Chester Bidwell M

1870 Federal Census, Pine Valley, Clark, Wisconsin, United States, Page 19, Dwelling 137, Family 130

Household Members
Mary S. Calway F 63 England, at home
Charles C Bidwell M 42 (ca. 1827-1828) New York
Mary A Bidwell F 32 Pennsylvania, keeping house
Frank A Bidwell M 9 (1861) Wisconsin, at home
Chester Bidwell M 5 (1865) Minnesota, at home

Catharine Calway 1870 Female 27 White 1842-1843 Canada East 19
Albert W S Calway 1870 Male 3 White 1866-1867 Canada East 19
Walter R Calway 1870 Male 0 White 1869-1870 Wisconsin 19
Mary S Calway 1870 Female 63 White 1806-1807 England 19

Eustach Bruley 1870 Male 33 White 1836-1837 Canada East 19
Philimen Bruley 1870 Female 26 White 1843-1844 Canada East 19
Jennie Bruley 1870 Female 3 White 1866-1867 Canada East 19
Alec Bruley 1870 Male 1 White 1868-1869 Canada East 19
Thomas Bruley 1870 Male 0 White 1869-1870 Wisconsin 19

Charles C Bidwell, 52 yr. old white married male
Occupation Farmer
Father's Birthplace New York, United States
Mother's Birthplace New York, United States

Household Members
Charles C Bidwell Self M 52 New York, United States
Mary A Bidwell Wife F 41 New York, United States; Birthplace New York, United States; Father's Birthplace New York, United States; Mother's Birthplace New York, United States
Frank A Bidwell Son M 18 Wisconsin, United States
Chester H Bidwell Son M 15 Minnesota, United States
Emma E Bidwell Daughter F 12 Minnesota, United States
*Homer C Bidwell Son M 8 Wisconsin, United States
Eliza Bidwell Mother F 74 New York, United States

*Homer C Bidwell (1872 - 1931) is buried in the Union Cemetery, Union, Union County, Oregon, USA

1900 Federal Census, Union Precincts 1 and 2 Union city, Union, Oregon, United States

Chas Bidwell, 72 yr. old white married male, farmer
Years Married 42 (1858)
Birth Date Feb 1828
Birthplace New York
Father's Birthplace New York
Mother's Birthplace New York

Household Members
Chas Bidwell Head M 72 (Feb 1828) New York
Mary A Bidwell Wife F 62 (Apr 1838) New York, mother of 4 living children; Father's Birthplace Connecticut; Mother's Birthplace Unknown
Emma Bidwell Daughter F 34 (Mar 1866) Minnesota, single, teacher

Charles C Bidwell, 82 yr. old white married male
Father's Birthplace New York
Mother's Birthplace New York

Household
Charles C Bidwell Head M 82 New York
Mary A Bidwell Wife F 71 New York, Father's Birthplace Connecticut, Mother's Birthplace New York

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