Isaiah Bridget

BRIDGET DAVIS

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 4/19/2010 at 18:57:33

Woodbury County HIstory 1984

Isaiah Bridget
By Robert Flanders

Isaiah Bridget was born in Union County, Indiana in 1830, the third generation of Bridgets to live in that state. He was a son of James Bridget and a grandson of George Bridget.

George Bridget was born around the year 1760, possibly a son of a James Bridget who was living in Augusta County, Virginia as early as 1769. George Bridget took his family to Grainger County, Tennessee about 1800. On Oct 20, 1813, he purchased land in what is now Union County, Center Township, Indiana. He settled with his family on a farm next to Goodwin Corners, Indiana. He and his wife, Catharine, raised a family of four sons and five daughters, all of whom took up farming in Wayne, Union, Franklin and Clinton Counties of Indiana. Their children were: John, Mary Richardson, James, Jacob, Isabelle Toler (all born in Virginia) and Nancy Allen, Elizabeth Toler, Catharine Bridget and Shadrack (all born in Tennessee). George Bridget died there in the fall of 1841 and Catharine in 1855.

James Bridget was born in Virginia about 1793. He came to Union County with his parents and on December 24, 1815, he married Rebecca Allen in Wayne County, Indiana. She was born December 28, 1790, and thought to be a daughter of John Allen who had settled in that area in 1805. James and Rebecca raised a large family of nine or ten children. Those known were: Louisa Richardson, George, Samuel, Rachel, Isaiah, Melinda and Lucinda Cooney. James Bridget farmed in Union County, Harrison Township until his death in October of 1873. Rebecca died November 22, 1862.

Isaiah Bridget worked as a farm laborer during his early life. On November 20, 1851, he married Clarissa Davis in Randolph County, Indiana. She was born December 11, 1837 in Maryland, a daughter of James and Elizabeth Davis. Clarissa was described by one of her daughters as being a beautiful French Indian, which suggests that her ancestors may have originated in Acadia. This was a French-Indian settlement comprising what we know as Nova Scotia. It came under British rule in 1713, but in 1755 during the French and Indian Wars the Acadians were deported for refusing to pledge allegiance to the King of England. Most of these people ended up in Louisiana where they are known as Cajuns, but it is thought that Clarissa’s ancestors were part of those who had settled in Maryland. James and Elizabeth Davis arrived in Indiana about 1840, settling near Winchester. Their children included John H, Matilda Stanley, James Jr, Clarissa, Mary, Isaac and William. James Davis died in June of 1855 and Elizabeth made her home with their oldest son, John. John married Mary Stanley and they had a son, Nelson C Davis. In 1863, this family came to Iowa, settling first in Monona County, Fairview Township and later in Lakeport Township, Woodbury County. Two years later they were joined by William Henry and Matilda Stanley and by the Bridgets in 1867. Elizabeth Davis died February 16, 1896 is buried next to her son, John, at Sloan.

Isaiah and Clarissa Bridget settled in Monona County in 1867 and in 1877 he purchased land on Sections 21 and 34 of Lakeport Township, Woodbury County. Isaiah owned and operated one of the early sawmills in the area until his timberland was claimed by the meandering Missouri River. He then moved to a farm southeast of Sioux City. Clarissa Bridget died on June 2, 1882 and is buried in Sloan Cemetery along with several of their children. Isaiah married Mrs. Sarah Fish Fenton on May 5, 1884, but the marriage did not last. He died on August 1, 1894 in Woodbury County.

The children of Isaiah and Clarissa Bridget were:

1-William Henry, born July 2, 1854, Indiana, died March 2, 1922, Woodbury County. He married Effie Adell Howard on January 6, 1888. Their children: Jennie Pearl, Mary Brown, Hattie May, Martha Viola Eacet, James Arthur, William Edmond, Louis Albert, Viola Israel and Alice Clarissa.

2-Alonzo, born March 2, 1859, Indiana, died February 4, 1931, Woodbury County.

3-Mary, born 1860, Indiana, married L M Latimore, August 23, 1876, in Monona County.

4-Emma Josephine, born August 20, 1862, Indiana, died June 12, 1939, Sioux City, married Winfield Scott Flanders, July 13, 1879. Their children: Andrew Robert, James Albert, Clara Effie, Winfield Scott, Jr, Warren Harrison, and John.

5-Elizabeth Ann, born October 24, 1864, Indiana, d April 25, 1898, Bronson. Married Frank Stransky, May 5, 1886. They had seven children, two unknown sons dying in infancy. Known children: Fred, Guy, Frank George, Charles and Tena Johnson.

6-John, born 1866 Indiana, died 1924, Council Bluffs, Iowa. Married Nancy Weidner, November 22, 1886. Children: Carrie Ross, Charles, Louis, Esther, Ethel and Joseph Earl.

7-Martha, born February 2, 1868, Sloan, died September 27, 1924, Rosalie, Nebraska. Married James Washington Flanders, December 25, 1887. Children: Albert James, Mamie Hipp, a daughter who died young.

8-Albert, born March 2, 1870, died May 8, 1881, Sloan.

9-Rosetta, born May 4, 1872, died June 5, 1880, Sloan.

10-Amanda, born 1874, Sloan, died about 1960, California. Married first to Churchhill; married second to Nelson C Davis on May 24, 1895. Children: Delbert J, Cecil A, Esther Bulter, Emily and Grace.

11-Oscar, born May 12, 1879, died February 14, 1882, Sloan.