Bedford, Gunning, 1747-1812

Gunning Bedford Jr. (April 13, 1747 – March 30, 1812) was an American Founding Father, delegate to the Congress of the Confederation (Continental Congress), Attorney General of Delaware, a delegate to the Constitutional Convention in 1787 which drafted the United States Constitution, a signer of the United States Constitution, and a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Delaware.

Born in Philadelphia, Gunning graduated from the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University) with honors. He was admitted to the Delaware bar and entered private practice in Dover from 1779 to 1783. On July 17, 1775, the Second Continental Congress resolved to elect Bedford to deputy-muster-general for New York in the Continental Army, during the American Revolutionary War. On February 28, 1776, he was assigned to the northern army in Canada to muster troops there monthly. On June 18, 1776, he was promoted to muster-master-general and assigned to New York. He served briefly as an aide to General George Washington.

Bedford was a delegate to the Congress of the Confederation from 1783 to 1785. He was Attorney General of Delaware from April 26, 1784, to September 26, 1789. He was appointed a commissioner to the Annapolis Convention in September 1786 but did not attend. He was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention in 1787, which drafted the United States Constitution and was a signer of the Constitution. Bedford was a member of the Delaware Legislative Council (now the Delaware Senate) in 1788. Bedford was nominated by President George Washington on September 24, 1789, to the United States District Court for the District of Delaware, to a new seat authorized by 1 Stat. 73. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on September 26, 1789, and received his commission the same day.

Bedford died in office as a federal judge in Wilmington, Delaware. He was interred first in the Presbyterian Cemetery in Wilmington. His remains were later moved to the Masonic Home Cemetery at Christiana, Delaware.