BRIDGES, WILLIAM
, was born April 28, 1787, in South Carolina. The family moved to Tennessee, and when William was a young man, to Green county, O. Martha Martin was born March 11, 1784, in Clarke county, Ky. She was the third child of her parents. When they had two children the family were, with many others of the settlers, in Strode's Station, for protection against the Indians. When the savages attacked that fortification, which terminated in its destruction, the men were in the fields. The women and children collected in one of the block-houses. The men finding the fort at the mercy of the Indians, thought it would be impossible to save their families, and each one looked out for his own personal safety. Mr. Henry Martin, of all the men, went alone to the blockhouse, and by his earnest entreaties induced them to open the door. He then compelled his wife, against her protestations, to accompany him with their two children, and they at once entered a cane brake, eluded the Indians, and thus saved their lives. One old lady followed them until they crossed a stream, and when she could travel no further, concealed herself in a cave until the danger passed. The fort was burned, and all the others were slain. Henry Martin remained in Kentucky until after the birth of his daughter Martha, when he moved with his family to Green county, O. William Bridges and Martha Martin were married near Xenia, and resided in that city until they had two children. Mr. Bridges served one year in the war with Great Britain, from the summer of 1812 to 1813. He then moved to Fayette county, Ind., where they had one child, and next moved to Sangamon county, Ill., arriving about 1824 in Buffalo Hart Grove. Of their three children--SARAH, born Nov. 14, 1812, in Xenia, O., married in Sangamon county Feb. 12, 1829, to John Ridgeway, a cousin to Lindsay. See his name. He died, and she married Jonathan Constant. See his name.
MARGARET, born Feb. 15, 1816, in Xenia, O., married in Sangamon county to James Hill. They had two children. MARY M. married Mr. Harris, and reside at Staunton, Miami county, Kan. WILLIAM married Harriet Stafford, and reside at Clarksville. James Hill died April 17, 1844, and Mrs. Margaret Hill died Jan. 23, 1845.
ELIZABETH, born Nov. 9, 1819, near Connersville, Ind., married in Sangamon county to John C. Morgan. See his name.
William Bridges died March 12, 1833, and Mrs. Martha Bridges died Jan. 31, 1865, both in Sangamon county. They were not related to any other family of Bridges in the county.