Bedford, Gunning, 1747-1812

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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.

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relativeOf Bedford, Gunning, 1742-1797 person
associatedWith Clinton, Charles. person
associatedWith Dearborn, Frederick M. (Frederick Myers), b. 1876 person
associatedWith Emmet, Thomas Addis person
associatedWith Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790 person
associatedWith Howell, Ebenezer. person
memberOf Princeton University corporateBody
associatedWith Rodney, C. A. (Caesar Augustus), 1772-1824 person
associatedWith Rodney, Caesar, 1728-1784. person
memberOf United States. Continental Congress corporateBody
memberOf United States. District Court (Delaware) corporateBody
associatedWith Washington, George, 1732-1799 person
associatedWith Way, Nicholas, ca. 1750-1797. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Wilmington DE US
Philadelphia PA US
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Money
Paper money
Occupation
Delegates, U.S. Continental Congress
Federal Judge
Judges
Jurists
Lawyers
Statesmen
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Person

Birth 1747-04-13

Death 1812-03-30

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Britons,

Americans

English

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