William Miller Bledsoe

William Miller Bledsoe (son of Joseph Bledsoe and Elizabeth Miller) was born 13 Apr 1761 in Spotsylvania, Virginia, and died 18 May 1811 in Garrard, Kentucky. 

On 1 May 1781 He married Elizabeth Craig in Spotsylvania Co. Virginia.  Elizabeth was born 1763 and died 18 Jan 1786 during birth of her second child.  Elizabeth was the daughter of Rev Lewis Craig and Elizabeth Sanders and the granddaughter of Toliver Craig and Mary Hawkins.

In 1782, William Miller Bledsoe served for three months as a Private in the company of Captain Andrew Kirkhead, Lincoln County Militia during which time he participated in an expedition against the Shawnees.  

Bledsoe was a Separist Baptist minister, of the persuasion Hell Redemption which held all men are eventually saved even those who went to Hell. Apparently at a revival he was preaching at -someone gave him two eggs upon which was inscribed "The day of God's Horrible Judgement Is Near".  It was reported that many believed and came foward and were saved that day. One of his followers wrote he then became a Universialist, then a diest and died a racer of horses.

 He married (2nd) Patience Owsley on 27 Dec 1786 in Lincoln, Kentucky, daughter of Thomas Owsley III and Mary Middleton.  

After 1797 his profession is listed as a lawyer and in 1799 he was a Garrard County delegate to the convention to frame the 2nd Kentucky Constitution.  He was a state senator 1805-1810.  When he died in 1811 he was a candidate for Lt. Governor.

William's family bible only named his son Joseph and his will only named his wife and eldest son Joseph and son Moses.  But he did state he was the legal father of 18 children and he wished no pains be spared to accomplish his greatest wish a liberal education for his children. 

More On:

listed on 1800 Garrard County, KY Tax List

Life of William Bledsoe and Patience Owsley

Land Records Lincoln County, Virginia

Land Records Lincoln County, Kentucky

Will of William 

Virginia, Prominent Families, Vol. 1-4

sources Banks McLaurin

Moses Owsley Bledsoe     

B: February 6, 1788

Rebecca Bledsoe       

B: October 15, 1789

Polly Bledsoe             

B: May 30, 1791

William Miller Bledsoe

B: May 13, 1792

Elizabeth Bledsoe             

B: October 4, 1794

Willis Bledsoe             

B: December 10, 1796

Berilla Bledsoe                 

B: December 17, 1798

Abram Bledsoe                

B: January 8, 1801

Media Bledsoe                 

B: February 11, 1803

Vestine Bledsoe               

B: March 10, 1805

Daniel Bledsoe                 

B: December 3, 1806

Charles Scott Bledsoe

B: March, 1809

Margaret Bledsoe             

B: July 4, 1811