Welcome to week 33 of Bidwell Lore! This week we say good-bye to Barnabas Bidwell and his fascinating life (at least for now) with a delightful guest post from local historian Bernard Drew. Searching for Barnabas Bidwell’s grave in Ontario by Bernard A. Drew Barnabas Bidwell, while simultaneously serving as Berkshire County treasurer (1791-1810) as well as...
Tag: Barnabas Bidwell
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Bidwell Lore – Barnabas’ Time In Canada
Welcome to week 32 of Bidwell Lore! This week we begin wrapping up Barnabas’ incredible story with two pieces written by Barnabas himself. Last week we shared the shocking story of Barnabas Bidwell’s political downfall. It was a scandalous story in its day and resulted in Barnabas moving to Kingston, Ontario, where he lived until his death...
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Bidwell Lore – Barnabas Flees to Canada
Welcome to week 31 of Bidwell Lore! This week you will learn about the dramatic downfall of Barnabas Bidwell and the end of his time in Massachusetts. As we mentioned in recent installments of Bidwell Lore, Barnabas Bidwell served as Attorney General of Massachusetts from June 15, 1807, to August 30, 1810, after having served in the...
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Bidwell Lore – Barnabas Bidwell and James Madison
Welcome to week 30 of Bidwell Lore! Today we are sharing correspondence between Barnabas and Mary along with an important letter from Barnabas to James Madison and then at the bottom, you will see an 1810 discussion with President Madison about the possibility of Barnabas Bidwell ascending to the Supreme Court. Barnabas Bidwell’s letters home to his...
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Bidwell Lore – Barnabas Bidwell and Thomas Jefferson
Welcome to week 29 of Bidwell Lore! This week we will explore some correspondence between Thomas Jefferson and Barnabas Bidwell along with Barnabas’ letters to Mary about his time in Washington. You will notice a few names bolded in the correspondence and can find more information about those names at the bottom. Last week we also shared part...
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Bidwell Lore – Ultracrepidarianism, Slavery, and The Age of Enlightenment, Part III
Welcome to week 28 of Bidwell Lore! This week we finish the three-part series Ultracrepidarianism, Slavery, and The Age of Enlightenment. Last week we also started a three-part series in our Friday email about the history of the Mary Gray Bidwell portrait we have used to illustrate many of these recent emails. You can read part I of that series...
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Bidwell Lore – Ultracrepidarianism, Slavery, and The Age of Enlightenment, Part II
Welcome to week 27 of Bidwell Lore! This week we continue the three-part series Ultracrepidarianism, Slavery, and The Age of Enlightenment. Congressman Barnabas Bidwell, often a dinner guest of President Thomas Jefferson, was one of two floor managers in the House of Representatives. As floor manager, he was often referred to by Federalists as “the sworn interpreter of executive...
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Bidwell Lore – Ultracrepidarianism, Slavery, and The Age of Enlightenment, Part I
Welcome to week 26 of Bidwell Lore! This week we begin a new three-part series, still in the world of Barnabas and Mary, titledUltracrepidarianism, Slavery, and The Age of Enlightenment. Thank you Rick Wilcox for all of your work writing these articles! Ultracrepidarianism: the habit of giving opinions and advice on matters outside of one’s knowledge. In my role...
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Bidwell Lore: Love, Marriage, and Politics in the Early Republic, Part III
Welcome to week 24 of Bidwell Lore! We conclude our three-part series about Mary and Barnabas with some wonderfully illustrative letters between the two. This correspondence gives you an idea of the type of person Mary was and hints at the great affection Barnabas and Mary felt for each other. A February 26, 1805, letter from Mary includes:“We...
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Bidwell Lore – Love, Marriage, and Politics in the Early Republic, Part II
Welcome to week 23 of Bidwell Lore! Last week we began a three-part series about the lives of Barnabas and Mary. This week we will look at Mary’s biography in a lovely article written by Rick Wilcox. In the parlor of the Bidwell House Museum, hanging in an honored location, is a portrait of Mary Gray Bidwell. The...
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