Gunning Bedford, Jr.
| Gunning Bedford jr | |
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| Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Delaware | |
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In office September 26, 1789 – March 30, 1812 |
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| Appointed by | George Washington |
| Preceded by | new seat |
| Succeeded by | John Fisher |
| Continental Congressman from Delaware |
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In office October 26, 1784 – October 27, 1786 |
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In office February 1, 1783 – April 8, 1784 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
April 13, 1747 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Died | March 30, 1812 (aged 64) Wilmington, Delaware |
| Resting place | Masonic Home Cemetery, Wilmington |
| Residence | Wilmington, Delaware |
| Alma mater | College of New Jersey |
| Profession | Lawyer |
Gunning Bedford Jr. (April 13, 1747 – March 30, 1812) was an American lawyer and politician from Wilmington, in New Castle County, Delaware. He served in the Delaware General Assembly, as a Continental Congressman from Delaware and as a delegate to the U.S. Constitutional Convention of 1787. He is often confused with nine other Gunning Bedfords in the family especially with his cousin, Gunning Bedford Sr., an officer in the Continental Army during the American Revolution and Governor of Delaware.
Bedford was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as the fifth of seven children. At age twenty he left for the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University) where he was a classmate of James Madison. On 25 September 1771 he graduated with honors. In late 1772 or early 1773 he married Jane Ballareau Parker, the daughter of James Parker, a printer who had learned his trade from Benjamin Franklin. He had 5 children, none of whom married. In 1793 he purchased from William Robison Lombardy Hall on 250 acres in Brandywine Hundred.
After reading law with Joseph Read in New York, Bedford won admittance to the park and set up a practice law 1779-1783. Subsequently, he moved to Dover, Delaware and then to Wilmington, Delaware. On 17 July 1775 congress resolved to elect Bedford to Deputy-Muster-General for New York in the Continental Army. On 28 February 1776 assigned to northern army in Canada and muster troops there monthly. On 18 June 1776 promoted to Muster-master-general and assigned to New York. He was first elected to the Legislative Council of the Delaware General Assembly, later known as the Delaware House of Representatives. He served 4 terms from 1783/84 until 1786/87. He then served one term of three years, 1788/89 through 1790/91, in the Legislative Council, later known at as the State Senate. He was the first Attorney General of Delaware, serving from 1778 until 1790. He was also a delegate to the Federal Constitutional Convention in 1787.
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