His death certificate says that he died on 28 March 1902 of paralysis at age 70 years 3 months and 5 days. His Parents were listed as John Kidwell & Rachel Hawn. The death certificate is on file at The Maryland State Archives. I do have a copy. In 1870, Rachael Kidwell was living with her son John and listed as a widow. Rachael Hawn and a James Kidwell were married on 5 October 1828 in Berkeley County, WV.

John's children are as follows:

Frances Eugenia Kidwell Swain June 30, 1854 - July 18, 1905
Mary E Kidwell Abt 1857
Emma Kate Kidwell Stull November 6, 1858 - January 12, 1938
Pink B. Kidwell Pierce October 4,1863 - May 6, 1933
Rosa D. Kidwell 1865 - April 1878
Julia L. Kidwell Clayburn November 1866 - May 28, 1955
Charles William Kidwell July 7, 1869 - October 8, 1882
Frank L Kidwell April 1971 - 1903


There has been mention that Frances was the child of John W Kidwell from a marriage prior to his to Mary Ann Saylor as John & Mary had a marriage of 1855 about 10 months after Frances was born. There has not been another marriage found for John so it is possible he was only married to Mary but they simply did marry until after Frances was born and therefore also possible that Mary Ann Saylor is indeed the Mother of Frances. I have come across many marriages back in that time period where the parents married after the first child was born.
In addition the 1900 census states that Mary was the mother of eight children with six living. John Kidwell had eight children with six living at the time of his death. Their daughter Rosa died in 1878 and their son Charles died in 1882 that would leave six children including Frances.
As for the 1870 census I have seen many where the children are listed out of order sometimes with the oldest at the bottom. And in the 1860 census Frances was listed first of the children. All the speculation that Frances was not the daughter of Mary is just that speculation.


John was my Great Great Grandfather.