My information starts in the early 1700's in Gloucestershire, then into Coventry, and in the 1800's to New Zealand. And finally, some Bidmeads' moved to the U.S.

Jonathon Bidmead, b1811 married Sarah Sparkes and moved from Coventry to New Zealand around 1840 taking their daughter with them. They had seven more children, all born in New Zealand. Their son Jonathon b1853 was very pro-American, teaching his grandchildren to sing "The Star Spangled Banner", and regretted his father chose New Zealand to emigrate to, rather than the U.S. He even named some of his children after U.S. Presidents.

James Bidmead b abt 1831 married Eliza Noble and left Coventry for the U.S. with their two children in the 1860-1870's. They settled in New Jersey. Their son James b1858 married Mary Keene and had six children. After Mary died, James married Ida Mae Holmes and had three more children. One of them moved to Illinois, married, had two children, then divorced.