# Barnabas Bidwell

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Politician and lawyer of Massachusetts and Upper Canada

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Barnabas Bidwell Portrait by John Brewster, Jr. Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts's 12th district In office March 4, 1805 – July 13, 1807 Preceded by Simon Larned Succeeded by Ezekiel Bacon Attorney General of Massachusetts In office June 15, 1807 – August 30, 1810 Governor James Sullivan Levi Lincoln Sr. Christopher Gore Elbridge Gerry Preceded by James Sullivan Succeeded by Perez Morton Member of the Massachusetts State Senate In office 1801–1804 Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives In office 1805–1807 Treasurer of Berkshire County, Massachusetts In office September, 1791 – August, 1810 Personal details Born August 23, 1763 Township No. 1 (now Monterey, Massachusetts), Province of Massachusetts Bay, British America Died July 27, 1833(1833-07-27) (aged 69) Bath, Upper Canada Resting place Cataraqui Cemetery, Kingston, Ontario, Canada Party Democratic-Republican Children Marshall Spring Bidwell Alma mater Yale College class of 1785, Brown University Profession Attorney

**Barnabas Bidwell** (August 23, 1763 – July 27, 1833) was an author, teacher and politician of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, active in [Massachusetts](/source/Massachusetts) and [Upper Canada](/source/Upper_Canada) (now [Ontario](/source/Ontario)). Educated at [Yale](/source/Yale_College), he practised law in western Massachusetts and served as treasurer of [Berkshire County](/source/Berkshire_County%2C_Massachusetts). He served in the [state legislature](/source/Massachusetts_General_Court) as representative and senator, as well as in the [United States Congress](/source/United_States_Congress) as spokesman for the administration of [Thomas Jefferson](/source/Thomas_Jefferson). He was effective in defending the administration's positions and passing important legislation. He resigned his seat in Congress in July 1807.

He was the [Massachusetts Attorney General](/source/Massachusetts_Attorney_General) from 1807 to 1810, when exaggerated press accounts of irregularities in the Berkshire County books halted his political career and prompted his flight to Upper Canada. Bidwell later paid the $63.18, plus fines, which he attributed to an error by a Berkshire County clerk while Bidwell had been away on duties in Boston. Nonetheless, the controversy, exaggerated in the press by his [Federalist Party](/source/Federalist_Party) enemies, effectively scuppered his potential appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court.

In Upper Canada, he won a seat in the provincial [Legislative Assembly](/source/Legislative_Assembly_of_Upper_Canada) but his political opponents managed to expel him on charges of having his American citizenship, being a fugitive and having immoral character. He remained in Upper Canada for the rest of his life.

## Early life

Bidwell was son of [American Revolutionary War](/source/American_Revolutionary_War) Patriot [Adonijah Bidwell](/source/Adonijah_Bidwell), Yale 1740, and Jemima Devotion in [Township No. 1](/source/Monterey%2C_Massachusetts) (now [Monterey, Massachusetts](/source/Monterey%2C_Massachusetts)), and he graduated from [Yale College](/source/Yale_College) in 1785. Through his mother, he was descended from John Haynes, 5th Governor of Massachusetts and 1st Governor of Connecticut, and George Wyllys, 4th Governor of Connecticut. He later attended the college in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations (now known as [Brown University](/source/Brown_University)) in [Providence, Rhode Island](/source/Providence%2C_Rhode_Island). He studied law under judge Theodore Sedgwick of [Stockbridge, Massachusetts](/source/Stockbridge%2C_Massachusetts). Sedgwick, a prominent member of the House of Representatives and later a senator, was an important spokesman for the [Federalist Party](/source/Federalist_Party). Bidwell was admitted to the [Massachusetts](/source/Massachusetts) state bar in 1805 and commenced practice in [Stockbridge, Massachusetts](/source/Stockbridge%2C_Massachusetts).

Barnabas was married to Mary Gray Bidwell and lived a very happy life with his wife. While he was traveling the couple kept in touch and sent each other very meaningful and extensive letters. Mary died around the age of 43 due to an illness.

## US political career

Bidwell was a [Massachusetts state senator](/source/Massachusetts_Senate) from 1801 to 1804 and a member of the [Massachusetts House of Representatives](/source/Massachusetts_House_of_Representatives) from 1805 to 1807. Bidwell was also elected to the federal [House of Representatives](/source/United_States_House_of_Representatives) in 1805 as a [Democratic-Republican](/source/Democratic-Republican). He served in the [Ninth](/source/9th_United_States_Congress) and [Tenth Congresses](/source/10th_United_States_Congress), resigning his seat in 1807.[1]

Bidwell broke with the Federalists and became the leading spokesman of the Democratic-Republican administration of President [Thomas Jefferson](/source/Thomas_Jefferson) in the [US Congress](/source/US_Congress). In the House of Representatives, Bidwell displaced [John Randolph of Roanoke](/source/John_Randolph_of_Roanoke), as administration leader and become the leading spokesman of Jefferson. He successfully defended the president's policy of imposing economic sanctions in response to British violations of neutral rights at sea. He also directed the campaign to purchase Florida and was the leading advocate for passage of the bill that abolished the slave trade in the US, which took effect in 1808. He was [Attorney General of Massachusetts](/source/Attorney_General_of_Massachusetts) from 1807 to 1810, when his political opponents found a minor discrepancy in the Berkshire County books and made exaggerated allegations of corruption.

Accused of embezzling money while he was Berkshire County treasurer, he and his family fled to [Upper Canada](/source/Upper_Canada) (now [Ontario](/source/Ontario)) in 1810 and settled in [Kingston](/source/Kingston%2C_Ontario) until an investigation could determine what if any liability he held. The charge was advanced by his political enemies in the Federalist Party, apparently to halt his rise as a Democratic-Republican and trusted confidant of Jefferson. At the time, he had been under consideration by President [James Madison](/source/James_Madison) for a position on the [US Supreme Court](/source/US_Supreme_Court). The final judgment of the Berkshire court against him, which he paid in 1817, amounted to $330.64 damages and $63.18 costs. Since Bidwell was promptly able to pay both amounts, it was not because of the judgment that he fled. There is little reason, moreover, to doubt his assertion that because his public offices required his presence elsewhere in the United States, he employed clerks to handle his duties in Berkshire, one of whom, who had died by the time of financial exposure, had been responsible. He fled, he claimed, out of fear of his political enemies, who were exaggerating his personal responsibility and indebtedness.

## Exile

Bidwell won a seat in the [Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada](/source/Legislative_Assembly_of_Upper_Canada) for [Lennox and Addington](/source/Lennox_and_Addington) but was unable to take his seat. His political opponents in Upper Canada brought an [election petition](/source/Election_petition) challenging his election on the grounds that he was a fugitive from justice, he had an immoral character, and he had taken an oath of allegiance to the United States.[2] [John Beverley Robinson](/source/John_Beverley_Robinson) and [Henry John Boulton](/source/Henry_John_Boulton) paid for an investigation into Bidwell's career in the United States to discredit Bidwell's character. The investigation was published in *[The Kingston Chronicle](/source/The_Kingston_Chronicle)* and Bidwell proved that all the charges against him in the United States had been settled.[3] After an unusually long debate, Bidwell was expelled from the House by a vote of 17–16.[4]

Bidwell remained in Upper Canada until his death at [Bath](/source/Bath%2C_Ontario). His remains are interred in Kingston's [Cataraqui Cemetery](/source/Cataraqui_Cemetery).

## Legacy

His son, [Marshall Spring Bidwell](/source/Marshall_Spring_Bidwell), successfully sat in the same seat from 1824 to 1836. Marshall Spring Bidwell later left for the [United States](/source/United_States). Bidwell's sister, Theodosia Bidwell Brewer, was the grandmother of U.S. Supreme Court Justice David J. Brewer, who sat on the court from 1889 to 1910 with his uncle, Stephen J. Field.

## Footnotes

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Dexter, Franklin Bowditch (1907), *Biographical sketches of the graduates of Yale college with annals of the College History Volume IV*, New York, NY: Henry Holt and Company, p. 388

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** McMullen, John Mercier (1891), *The history of Canada: from its first discovery to the present time, Volume 1*, Brockville, Ont.: McMullen & Co., p. 450

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Raible_97_3-0)** Raible, Chris (1992). [*Muddy York Mud: Scandal & Scurrility in Upper Canada*](https://books.google.com/books?id=WqN5AAAAMAAJ). Toronto: Curiosity House. p. 97. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-9696418-0-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-9696418-0-3).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** McMullen, John Mercier (1891), *The History of Canada: from its first discovery to the present time, Volume 1*, Brockville, Ont.: McMullen & Co., p. 451

## External links

- United States Congress. ["Barnabas Bidwell (id: B000446)"](http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=B000446). *[Biographical Directory of the United States Congress](/source/Biographical_Directory_of_the_United_States_Congress)*.

- [Biography at *the Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online*](http://www.biographi.ca/009004-119.01-e.php?&id_nbr=2754)

- [Marshall Spring Bidwell family fonds](https://aims.archives.gov.on.ca/scripts/mwimain.dll/144/DESCRIPTION_WEB/WEB_DESC_DET?SESSIONSEARCH&exp=sisn%20145), Archives of Ontario

Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF GND FAST WorldCat National United States Belgium People US Congress Other Open Library SNAC Yale LUX

v t e United States representatives from Massachusetts 1st district F. Ames Dexter Goodhue Holten Sedgwick Skinner Sedgwick J. Bacon Eustis Quincy Ward Jr. Mason Gorham Webster Gorham N. Appleton Gorham A. Lawrence Fletcher A. Lawrence Winthrop N. Appleton Winthrop S. Eliot W. Appleton Scudder T. D. Eliot Hall T. D. Eliot Buffington Crapo R. Davis Randall Wright G. Lawrence Treadway Heselton Conte Olver Neal 2nd district Goodhue Foster W. Lyman Sedgwick Ward Sr. W. Lyman Shepard J. Crowninshield Story Pickman W. Reed Pickering Silsbee Barstow B. Crowninshield Choate Phillips Saltonstall D. King Rantoul Fay Crocker Buffington O. Ames Harris Long E. Morse Gillett Churchill Bowles Kaynor Granfield Clason Furcolo Boland Neal McGovern 3rd district Gerry Bourne Coffin S. Lyman Mattoon Cutler Nelson Livermore White Pickering Nelson Varnum Nelson Osgood Cushing A. Abbott Duncan Edmands Damrell C. Adams Thomas A. Rice Twichell Whiting I Pierce Field B. Dean Field Ranney L. Morse J. Andrew Walker J. R. Thayer R. Hoar C. Washburn J. A. Thayer Wilder Paige F. Foss Casey Philbin Drinan Donohue Early Blute McGovern N. Tsongas Trahan 4th district Sedgwick Dearborn G. Thatcher Wadsworth Foster L. Lincoln Sr. Hastings Varnum W. Richardson Dana Stearns Fuller E. Everett Sa. Hoar Parmenter Thompson Palfrey Thompson Sabine Walley Comins A. Rice Hooper Frost J. Abbott L. Morse Collins O'Neil Apsley Weymouth Tirrell Mitchell Wilder Winslow Stobbs P. Holmes Donohue Drinan Frank Kennedy III Auchincloss 5th district Partridge Bourne Freeman L. Williams T. Dwight Ely Mills Lathrop Sibley J. Davis L. Lincoln Jr. Hudson C. Allen W. Appleton Burlingame W. Appleton Hooper Alley Butler Gooch Banks Bowman L. Morse Hayden Banks Sh. Hoar Stevens Knox B. Ames J. Rogers E. Rogers B. Morse Cronin P. Tsongas Shannon Atkins Meehan N. Tsongas Markey Clark 6th district G. Thatcher Leonard J. Reed Sr. J. Smith Taggart S. Allen Locke Kendall Grennell Alvord Baker Ashmun G. Davis Upham T. Davis Alley Gooch Banks Butler Thompson Loring Stone Lovering Lodge Cogswell Moody Gardner Lufkin A.P. Andrew G. Bates W. Bates Harrington Mavroules Torkildsen Tierney Moulton 7th district Leonard Ward Sr. Leonard Bullock Bishop Mitchell Barker Baylies Turner Baylies Hulbert Shaw H. Dwight S. Allen Grennell Briggs J. Rockwell Goodrich Banks Gooch Boutwell Brooks Esty E. Hoar Tarbox Butler W. Russell Stone Cogswell W. Everett Barrett Roberts Phelan Maloney W. Connery L. Connery Lane Macdonald Markey Capuano Pressley 8th district Grout G. Thatcher F. Ames Otis Eustis L. Williams Green Gardner Green J. Reed Jr. Baylies Sampson Hobart Lathrop Bates Calhoun J. Adams Mann Wentworth Knapp Train Baldwin G. Hoar J. M. S. Williams Warren Claflin Candler W Russell C. H. Allen Greenhalge Stevens McCall Deitrick Dallinger H. Thayer Dallinger Healey Goodwin Macdonald O'Neill Kennedy II Capuano Lynch 9th district Varnum Bishop J. Dean Wheaton J. Reed Jr. Folger J. Reed Jr. H. Dwight Briggs Jackson Hastings H. Williams Hale Fowler Little De Witt E. Thayer Bailey A. Walker W. Washburn Crocker G. Hoar W. Rice T. Lyman Ely Burnett Candler G. Williams O'Neil Fitzgerald Conry Keliher Murray Roberts Fuller Underhill Luce R. Russell Luce T. H. Eliot Gifford Nicholson Keith McCormack Hicks Moakley Lynch Keating 10th district Goodhue Sewall Read Hastings Upham J. Allen Brigham Wheaton Morton F Baylies Bailey H. A. S. Dearborn W. Baylies Borden H. Williams Borden Burnell Grinnell Scudder Dickinson Chaffee Delano Dawes Crocker Stevens Seelye Norcross W. Rice J. E. Russell J. Walker McEttrick Atwood Barrows Naphen McNary O'Connell Curley Murray Tague Fitzgerald Tague Douglass Tinkham Herter Curtis Martin Heckler Studds Delahunt Keating 11th district Bradbury Bartlett Cutler Stedman A. Bigelow Brigham B. Adams J. Russell Hobart J. Richardson J. Adams J. Reed Jr. Burnell Goodrich Trafton Dawes Chapin Robinson Whiting II Wallace Coolidge Draper Sprague Powers Sullivan Peters Tinkham Douglass Higgins Flaherty Curley Kennedy O'Neill Burke Donnelly 12th district H. Dearborn I. Parker Lee S. Thatcher Skinner Larned Bidwell Bacon Dewey Hulbert Strong Kendall L. Bigelow Baylies Hodges J. Adams Robinson F. Rockwell Crosby E. Morse Lovering Powers Weeks Curley Gallivan McCormack Keith Studds 13th district Wadsworth Seaver Ruggles Dowse Eustis J. Reed Jr. Randall Simpkins Greene Weeks Mitchell Carter Luce Wigglesworth Burke 14th district G. Thatcher Cutts C. King J. Holmes Lovering E. Foss Harris Gilmore Olney Frothingham Wigglesworth Martin 15th district Wadsworth Ilsley Whitman Widgery Bradbury Whitman Greene Leach Martin Gifford 16th district S. Thatcher Cook Tallman S. Davis Brown Orr Hill Thacher Walsh Gifford 17th district Bruce Chandler Gannett F. Carr Wood J. Carr Wilson Kinsley 18th district Wilson T. Rice J. Parker 19th district J. Parker Conner Gage Cushman 20th district Hubbard Parris E. Lincoln At-large Cobb

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Barnabas Bidwell](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barnabas_Bidwell) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barnabas_Bidwell?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.