Author: Bidwell, Barnabas
Biography:
BIDWELL, Barnabas (1763-1833: DCB)
He was the son of Adonijah Bidwell and Jemima Devotion Bidwell, and was born on 23 Aug. 1763 at Tyringham (now Monterey) MA. In 1785 he graduated from Yale where his play The Mercenary Match was acted by his classmates. On 21 Feb. 1793 he married Mry Gray (d 1808); the couple had at least two children. After a short period as a teacher, he practised law and went into politics. When an irregularity in his accounts as a county treasurer came to light in 1810, he withdrew to Canada to avoid trial. He settled near Kingston ON where he became involved in political controversy and was blocked from elected office. DAB represents him as a man of dubious character but DCB, which presents persuasive evidence that he was not a serious swindler, describes him as a stubborn American patriot. He died at Kingston on 27 July 1833. (DAB; DCB 26 Nov. 2017) HJ