Bishop: Generation 2

Two Sons of Edward & Rebecca Bishop

Joshua W. Bishop & Comfort West

1789: Joshua W. Bishop was born in either Worcester County, MD, or Sussex County, DE.  Sussex County, DE and Worcester County, MD border each other.  Not only does their proximity result in confusion for the genealogist, it apparently even confused some residents.  In one census a person would claim a Maryland birth, only to claim Delaware in the next.  Therefore, birth places for the Bishops - and their spouses and children -  should be taken with a grain of salt.

c. 1798: Comfort West was born in Maryland, the daughter of George and Betty West.[1]  She is often referred to as Nancy Comfort West.

Joshua and Comfort probably married c. 1818.

1830 Census, Worcester County, MD (District 3): Joshua Bishop was enumerated with 1 male under 5, 1 5-10, 2 10-15, 1 1 40-50; 2 females under 5, 2 5-10, 1 20-30.[2]  The family was listed close to William Hudson and James Brazier. William Hudson was Joshua's brother-in-law.  Who was Jesse Braiser?  He was too old to have been the son of Mitchell Brasure.

14 Mar 1836: Joshua signed his will.  He bequeathed  "Powell's Lott. . . bought of Joseph Grey . . . plantation where I live" in Worcester County, MD to wife Comfort W. Bishop; and Good Success in Baltimore Hundred, Sussex County, DE to son James Henry Bishop on the condition that he pay his grandmother Rebecca Bishop for the property.  Executor: Joseph Gray.  Witnesses: Isaac Collins, Asbury Williams, and John E. Hudson.[3]

5 Jun 1836: Joshua died.[4]   His will was proved 8 Jun 1836.

1837 Tax List, Baltimore Hundred, Sussex County, DE:  Joshua Bishop was assessed for property worth $160.  The assessment was no doubt on the estate of Joshua Bishop.  Or were there two?

1840 Census, Worcester County, MD (Northern District): Comfort Bishop was listed with 1 male 5-10, 1 10-15, 1 15-20, 1 20-30; 1 female 5-10, 1 10-15, 1 15-20, 2 20-30, 1 50-60.  Next to the family was Dolly Hudson, with Jesse Braiser close by.  Dolly was Joshua's sister, the widow of William Hudson.

20 Jul 1850 Census, Worcester County, MD (3rd Election District): Comfort W. Bishop 52, born MD, with real property valued at $1,000; farmer Edward 26; farmer Rubin 16; Hetta 19; Catherine 17.[5]

Children of Joshua Bishop and Comfort West:

James Henry Bishop (c. 1819 - 15 Feb 1864; m. Jane W. Lynch 14 Sep 1842)

Nancy Cottingham Bishop* (c. 1821 -     ; m. Thomas A. Atkins 3 Jan 1840)

Edward Bishop (1824 - 1889; m. 1st Mary Elizabeth Collins 11 Mar 1851, m. 2nd Hettie Katherine King)

Mary Ann Bishop (1825 - 1902; m. Thomas R. Rogers 21 Jan 1845)

Joshua W. Bishop (17 Sep 1827 - 7 Jul 1902; m. 1st Charlotte E. F. Murray 9 Nov 1847, m. 2nd Mary Ann Long 1 Apr 1868)

Sarah Jane Bishop (29 Jul 1829 - 28 Feb 1906; m. Alfred Lynch 5 Jan 1847)

Hester Bishop (4 Feb 1831 - 26 Apr 1892; m. Charles C. Collins 28 Jan 1851)

Kitturah E. Bishop (7 Jul 1832 - 17 Feb 1904; m. John Henry Hudson 25 Feb 1851)

Reuben West Bishop* (c. 1834 - 1 Jun 1912; m. 1st Nancy W. Collins 26 Feb 1859, m. 2nd Margaret E. Wheelton 13 May 1877)

                * In 1793, Reuben West (son of William West Senior) married Nancy Cottingham (daughter of Elisha Cottingham) in Sussex County, DE.  Were Nancy and Reuben named after these two possible relatives of their mother?

Littleton Robbins Bishop and 1) Margarette McGee 2) Hulda R. Blades

1790: Littleton Robbins Bishop was born in Sussex County, DE.[6]

29 Sep 1790: Margarette J. McGee (or McKay) was born.  Her parents are unknown.

Based on the age of their eldest child, Littleton and Margarette must have married c. 1811. 

1820 Census, Sussex County, DE (Baltimore Hundred): Littleton Bishop was shown with 2 males under 10, 1 26-45; 3 females under 10, 1 26-45.

1830 Census, Baltimore Hundred, Sussex County, DE: Littleton R. Bishop was enumerated with 1 male under 5, 3 5-10, 2 10-15, 1 30-40; 3 females under 5, 1 10-15, 1 15-20, 1 30-40, 1 60-70.  Who is the 60-70 year old female?  Could it be Rebecca Stevenson Bishop?

4 Aug 1831: Littleton R. Bishop and Joseph J. Lynch from Baltimore Hundred were among the delegates slated to attend a Republican county convention  in Georgetown, Sussex County, DE.[7]  Littleton's nephew James Henry Bishop married Jane Lynch in 1842.  Although Jane had a brother named Joseph J. Lynch, but he was much younger than this delegate.

1840 Census, Baltimore Hundred, Sussex County, DE: 1 male 15-20, 1 20-30, 1 40-50; 1 female 5-10, 2 10-15, 1 40-50.  The family was listed close to that of Benton H. Brazer.

1848: Littleton R. Bishop received a patent on Robin's Neglect, a parcel of 11 acres, 1 rod, 19 perches in Worcester County, MD.[8]

15 Jun 1850 Census, Worcester County, MD  (3rd Election District): Farmer Littleton R. Bishop 59, born in DE, with real estate valued at $10,000, wife Margret age 59, birthplace unknown.[9]

2 Feb 1853: Margarette died in Maryland; but Hulda's first child Peter was born 4 Jun 1853.  Either one of these dates is incorrect or Hulda was pregnant at the time of Margarette's death.

Second wife Hulda Blades was born on 24 Oct 1824, the daughter of James and Sarah Holloway Blades.[10]

Littleton owned a farm at Showell, Worcester, MD that was left to his son Peter Bishop.  The town of Bishopville, MD is named for Littleton; the town of Bishop for son Peter.[11]

25 Mar 1860: He signed his will.  Executor: Son John.  Witnesses: C. W. Jacobs, T. A. J. Holloway, and William E. Moore.[12] The abstract by Moore mentions "Land: Edward Bishop, James B. Robins, Lemuel Dukes, Arthur Townsend".  Was Littleton leaving land to them or adjoining them?  Edward Bishop was the son of Joshua and Comfort Bishop, and thus Littleton's nephew.  The abstract also mentions grandchildren William B. White and Maria Harper, daughter of William P. Harper. 

1 Dec 1860: Littleton died in Worcester County and was buried on the family farm near Showell.[13] His will was proved on 11 Dec 1860.

1 Sep 1870 Census, Worcester County, MD (St. Martin's District): Farmer Hulda Bishop 47, born MD, can't read or write, with real and personal property valued at $5,000 and $600; Peter 17, born MD; Charles 13, born MD; Sarah Blades 73, born MD.[14]

18 Jun 1880 Census, Worcester County, MD (St. Martin's District): Widow Huldah Bishop 55, MD MD MD; brother John Blades, fisherman, MD MD MD; Maria Pitts 20, hired for housework; Harriet Pitts 6.[15]

10 Aug 1889: Hulda Blades Bishop died.[16]

Children of Littleton Robbins and Margarette McKay Bishop:

Charlotte A. Bishop (20 Jan 1813 -     ; m. Ebeneenzer B. Davis)

William Bishop (18 Aug 1814 - 16 Nov 1842)

James Bishop

Elizabeth Bishop (29 Jan 1817 - 11 Sep 1854; m. 1st Jacob White, m. 2nd James A. Hudson)

According to their descendant Sally Anderson, Elizabeth Bishop married Jacob White on 2 Oct 1834.  They had at least one child, William Bishop White, before Jacob's death on 19 Oct 1839.   William married  Elizabeth Catherine Waples.

John Bishop (c. 1819 -     ; m. Ann Low 18 Nov 1845)

Ebeneezer "Ebe" Bishop (9 Jan 1820 - 4 Mar 1868; m. Sarah Tull 16 Sep 1839)

Lemuel Bishop (28 Mar 1821 - 20 Jun 1839)

Mary Jane Bishop (15 Jun 1822 - 15 Aug 1823)

Littleton Robbins Bishop (15 May 1824 - 24 Jun 1915; m. Catherine McDough 11 Apr 1848)

Mary A. Bishop (1 Feb 1826 - 6 Oct 1910; m. Ephraim W. K. McNeal)

Dollie Stephenson Bishop (21 Jun 1827 -     ; m. Josiah T. Selby)

Margarette M. Bishop (16 Jan 1829 -     ; m. Gilbert A. Bowen)

Sarah C. Bishop (6 Mar 1834 -     ; m. J. G. McNeal)

Children of Littleton Robbins and Hulda Blades Bishop:

Peter Blades Bishop (4 Jun 1853 - 26 Apr 1942; m. Rachel Virginia Catherine Isabel Davis 4 Aug 1874)

Charles Bishop (4 Feb 1857 - 14 Jul 1926; m. Carrie B. King 25 Jun 1879)

If you have material about any individuals included in Nancy's Dead Relatives, can add well-documented family lines, have corrections and/or comments, or wish to establish a link to or from this site, please contact me at nancy@nancysdeadrelatives.com.  However, the decision whether or not to include any submitted material is the webmaster's (mine) alone. 

Nancy Denty Breidenthal

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