Capt. Zadok Bodwell (1773-1839)

Zadok lived in Bradford and was a cordwainer in 1799. While there he bought of Ebenezer Merrill, of Methuen, forty acres with houses and other buildings and various lots in Methuen by deed dated September 5, 1799.

Zadok's son Asa M. Bodwell told the following story of James Ordway, who was a Private in Capt. Davis' company, Col. Frye's Regiment in the redoubt at the Battle of Bunker's Hill:

"Mr. Ordway was in poor circumstances in his old age, and had a bad ulcer on his leg. (Asa) says his father sent him one day to Mr. Ordway with a gallon of rum to bathe his lame leg, and with it a message saying that the rum was sent to pay for throwing stones, at the battle of Bunker Hill. The story being, that when the ammunition gave out, at the close of battle, Ordway laid down his gun and threw stones at the British until driven out." (History of Essex County, Massachusetts, p. 299)

The Boston City Directory of 1890 lists son Nathaniel as a ladies’ boot and shoe maker, working at 36 Bromfield, Room 27, Boston, and living at Hyde Park.

Son of: Nathaniel 1755

Born	Died	Married	Spouse
27 Dec 1773	27 Jun 1839	27 Aug 1800	Olive Barker
Methuen, Ma	Methuen, Ma	Methuen, Ma	b. 3 Sep 1780

Children of Zadok and Olive (Barker) Bodwell

	Name	Birth Date	Birth Place	Death Date	Death Place
1.	Leonard	10 Jan 1801	Methuen, Ma	1 Aug 1829	New Orleans, La
2.	Nelson Farmer	23 Sep 1803	Methuen, Ma	11 Jan 1892	Boxford, Ma
3.	Zadok Christopher	2 Sep 1805	Methuen, Ma	11 Mar 1856	Washington Twp, In
4.	(Daughter)	ABT 1807		1810-1820
5.	Nancy B.	5 Mar 1809	Methuen, Ma?	5 Apr 1815	Methuen, Ma?
6.	Asa Messer	2 Mar 1812	Methuen, Ma	11 Jul 1891	Lawrence, Ma
7.	Nathaniel	5 Aug 1814	Methuen, Ma	16 Aug 1894	Boston, Ma
8.	Joseph R.	11 Aug 1817	Methuen, Ma	15 Apr 1895	Lynn, Ma
9.	George W.	5 Nov 1821	Methuen, Ma	25 Jul 1877	North Andover, Ma
10	Stephen Barker	13 Nov 1823	Methuen, Ma	14 Apr 1900	Lawrence, Ma

Essex County Probate Index lists Leonard as a "Trader" at the time of his death in 1829.

01/09/97

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Contact: charlie@bodwellfamily.org