Author: Bidwell, Barnabas
Biography:
BIDWELL, Barnabas (1763-1833: WBIS)
He was the son of Adonijah Bidwell and Jemima Devotion Bidwell, and was born in Tyringham (now Monterey) MA. In 1785 he graduated from Yale where his play The Mercenary Match was acted by his classmates. 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. (DAB; DCB 26 Nov. 2017) HJ