Biography - Margaret Bradford
MRS. MARGARET BRADFORD is the widow of the late Sidney C. Bradford, who was born in Maryland September 8, 1829, and died December 25, 1885. His father, Avery Bradford, removed from Maryland to Indiana about 1834, with his wife and family. A few years later he came to southern Illinois, and there resided until his death, which occurred August 7, 1848, when he was forty-three years old. He left a wife and six children, three sons and three daughters. His wife was Mary Phillips, of Maryland, born in 1810, and who died in 1854. Of their six children, Sidney C. was the first-born. All have died but one, Nancy Jane, wife of Clark Cruzen.
Sidney C. was reared to agriculture and had but limited educational facilities. He was, however, a studious youth, and in his maturer years a constant reader. At the age of twenty-four, on March 29, 1853, he married Miss Margaret Breeze, the ceremony being performed at the home of the bride in Jefferson County, Ill., by the Rev. John A. Williams, a Christian minister. The father of Mrs. Bradford was Richard Breeze, of Orange County, Ind., and her mother was Louisa Gaston, of Jefferson County, Ill., the former born in 1811. The latter, who was born in 1815, died in 1850, leaving eight children, one son and seven daughters, of whom Mrs. Bradford was the first-born. The father of Mrs. Bradford was twice married, his second wife being Eliza Gaston, a relative of his first wife. By her he had two children, a son and a daughter. The grandfather of Mrs. Bradford was Robert Breeze, of North Carolina, who removed from that State to Indiana and afterward to Illinois. He began life a poor young man and at the time of his death, in Jefferson County, Ill., when he was eighty-three years old, he left a good estate and eight children. His wife was Margaret Cappel. The father of Mrs. Bradford accompanied his parents to Grand Prairie, Jefferson County, Ill., October 11, 1827, when he was sixteen years old. He was reared to labor on his father's farm and was familiar with the hardships of pioneer life. By industry and economy he acquired a good property and home. He was an exemplary member of the Christian Church for many years, and lived in accordance with the Golden Rule. At his death he was mourned by all who knew him. His wife survived him some years, and died at the age of eighty.
Mrs. Bradford and her husband started in life upon a farm of one hundred acres of Government land, which contained few improvements. On this place they lived for twenty-one years and within a few years after their marriage they built a good frame house. In March, 1874, they removed to the present home of Mrs. Bradford, buying forty acres on the tableland south of New Burnside, and close to the corporate limits. He paid $1,000 for this farm, upon which there was a poor old house, and about fifteen acres cleared. The old farm was not sold, and this forty-acre farm was purchased for the purpose of raising fruit, as Mr. Bradford's tastes were in that direction. Upon this farm he planted orchards of apple, pear, plum, peach, and other trees, and set out numerous kinds of small fruits. Soon afterward he added forty acres to this property. In 1875 and 1876 he erected the present substantial frame house, where he died at the date above mentioned.
The union of Mr. and Mrs. Bradford was not blessed with children, but they reared three foster sons and also Jane Bradford, who married Clark Cruzen. Their first foster son was John W. Whittenberg, who has been twice married, and who is a farmer and carpenter in this township. The next was James A. Deason, a farmer of Johnson County, who married Drucilla Vaughn. The third is Eddie E. Horn, whom Mrs. Bradford is now rearing. He came to her at the age of eight, and is now thirteen years old. Mr. Bradford was drafted into the army at the last call for troops, and was away from his home three months, when he was discharged. Politically he was a Republican, and socially was identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He had been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church for thirty-two years, and had served as Steward, Class-leader and Trustee, and was very benevolent, keeping open house for all the preachers. Mrs. Bradford resides on her farm and rents the land on shares. In her religious connections she is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, as was her husband, who was active in the work as Superintendent of the Sunday-school.
Extracted 23 Apr 2016 from 1893 Biographical Review of Johnson, Massac, Pope, and Hardin Counties, Illinois, pages 223-224.
