Seventeenth Generation

159. Joseph "Joe" BRIDGERS (:) was born in 1815 in Northampton County, NC. Joseph had a direct ancestral link to the early Bridgers families that emigrated to America from England. From the Wikipedia.org Website: "The Bridger family of Virginia is notable to American history. Relevant figures include Joseph Bridger and Jim Bridger, as well as some less-known contributors to American colonial, pioneer, and Civil War history.

The foremost progenitor of this family was General Joseph Bridger of Isle of Wight County, Virginia. Originally from Gloucester, England, he served, according to some sources, as a co-acting Colonial Governor of Virginia in 1684 and 1685.

The most well-known member of the Bridger family is Jim Bridger, mountain man, and explorer of the American Northwest (primarily Montana and Wyoming). Many places are named for him, such as the Bridger Mountains of Montana and the Bridger Mountains of Wyoming, as well as the Bridger-Teton National Forest and Bridger Wilderness, both in western Wyoming.

The Bridger family also includes several other members of historical relevance. James and John Bridger, for whom Bridger Mountain (a ridge in West Virginia) was named, were pioneer settlers of Pocahontas County, West Virginia.

Robert Rufus Bridgers, a member of the North Carolina legislature, represented the state in the First and Second Confederate Congress.

'Bridger's Artillery' was among the Confederate companies of Hedrick's Brigade, which helped defend Fort Anderson in February 1865, as part of the Battle of Wilmington. In addition, William Bridgers, of Austin, Texas, was a significant photographer of the Civil War era. Luther B. Bridgers (1884-1948), an American songwriter and Methodist minister, was noted for his evangelism."

From Ancestry.com: "The Bridgers family name was found in the USA, UK, Canada and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. In 1840 there were 9 Bridgers families living in North Carolina, which was about 50% of all of the recorded Bridgers families in the USA."
. He appeared in the census in 1820 in Northampton County, NC. He appeared in the census in 1850 in Northampton County, NC. His occupation was "Farmer." The Census indicated that he "Cannot read and write." Joe appeared in the census in 1860 in Northampton County, NC. His occupation was "Farmer." (The census record included only him, his wife and his children Martha and Lemuel. It is not known why his six youngest children were not listed.) He appeared in the census in 1870 in Wiccacanee Township, Northampton County, NC. His occupation was "Farm Laborer." The value of his Real Estate was $1,600 and the value of his Personal Estate was $500. He appeared in the census in 1880 in Wiccacanee Township, Northampton County, NC. He was listed as a "Widower." His occupation was "Farmer." Joe died in June 1885 at the age of 70 in Northampton County, NC.
He left an estate of $1,188.51 as of July 1, 1886. The estate was certified on August 2, 1886 by the Clerk of the Superior Court of Northampton County. The administrator of his estate was "S. H. Bridgers," whose identity is not known. None of his ten known children had those initials, so the person may have been a brother or other close relative. He has Ancestral File Number LZL1-YNL.

Joseph "Joe" BRIDGERS (:) and Pheribe JOHNSON (:) were married on 14 December 1844 in Northampton County, NC. Pheribe JOHNSON (:), daughter of Lazarus JOHNSON and Rhoda POWELL, was born in 1820 in Northampton County, NC. She appeared in the census in 1850 in Northampton County, NC. She appeared in the census in 1860 in Northampton County, NC. Pheribe appeared in the census in 1870 in Wiccacanee Township, Northampton County, NC. She died in July 1880 at the age of 60 in Northampton County, NC. Her husband was listed as a "Widower" in the 1880 Census. (Her given name is spelled "Pheribe" in the North Carolina Marriage Record of her marriage to Joseph Bridgers, but it is spelled as "Pheriby" and "Feriby" in other sources.)

Joseph "Joe" BRIDGERS (:) and Pheribe JOHNSON (:) had the following children:

176	i.	William BRIDGERS was born in 1846 in Northampton County, NC. He appeared in the census in 1850 in Northampton County, NC.
177	ii.	Joseph H. BRIDGERS was born in 1848 in Northampton County, NC. He appeared in the census in 1850 in Northampton County, NC.
+178	iii.	James Edward "Jimmie" BRIDGERS.
+179	iv.	Alvin Shaney BRIDGERS (:).
180	v.	Luvenia BRIDGERS was born about 1855 in North Carolina.

Joseph "Joe" BRIDGERS (:) and Elizabeth J. DAVIS were married on 14 June 1834 in Northampton County, NC. (He and his family cannot be located in the 1840 Census.) Elizabeth J. DAVIS, daughter of Lemuel DAVIS and Rachel UNKNOWN (DAVIS), was born about 1813 in Northampton County, NC. She died in 1843 at the age of 30 in North Carolina.

Joseph "Joe" BRIDGERS (:) and Elizabeth J. DAVIS had the following children:

181	i.	Mary J. BRIDGERS was born in 1835 in Northampton County, NC. She appeared in the census in 1850 in Northampton County, NC. She was living with her father and step-mother. She died on 3 February 1880 at the age of 45 in Northampton County, NC.
182	ii.	Andrew J. BRIDGERS was born in 1838 in Northampton County, NC. He appeared in the census in 1850 in Northampton County, NC. He was living with his father and step-mother. He died on 30 April 1864 at the age of 26 in Delawa.
+183	iii.	Martha A. BRIDGERS.
+184	iv.	Lemuel Harrison BRIDGERS.
+185	v.	Cordelia Ann BRIDGERS.
186	vi.	Lavinia BRIDGERS was born in October 1843 in North Carolina. She appeared in the census in 1850 in Northampton County, NC. She was living with her father and step-mother. She appeared in the census in 1870 in Wiccacanee Township, Northampton County, NC. She was living with her father and step-mother and had "No occupation." Lavinia appeared in the census in 1880 in Wiccacanee Township, Northampton County, NC. She was living with her father.