Springfield-Greene
County LibraryEarly and Recent History and Genealogical Records
of Many of the Representative Citizens
THOMAS H. BRADLEY. One of the chief concerns of every man in the productive period of his life is to accumulate sufficient means to enable him to properly care for himself and family in old age. Many men start out with the best of intentions, but err in business judgment and find themselves penniless in old age. Others seem to be followed by unfortunate circumstances classified under the general heading of "hard luck." Thomas H. Bradley has exercised such sound judgment and persistency in his active career that he has been able to earn a good livelihood and rear his family in comfort and respectability, notwithstanding the usual adversities that occasionally beset the pathways of every mortal.
Mr. Bradley was born in Sumner county, Tennessee, September 17, 1844. He is a son of Isaac F. and Sarah (Mabery) Bradley, an excellent old Tennessee couple who devoted many years to successful farming in Sumner county. The father received excellent educational advantages and was a good scholar. He was born in 1820 and died March 8, 1879. Mrs. Bradley was born in 1820 and died March 9, 1906.
Thomas H. Bradley grew up on the home farm. As a lad he was not very strong and his education was limited. He left his native state early in 1855, and arrived in Greene county, Missouri, on April 5th of that year, locating on a farm near Springfield, when the place was a small village, He continued to follow farming here until 1879, when he established a livery business in Springfield, which he conducted until 1886, when he sold out and went back to farming, which he carried on with his usual success until 1894, when he moved back to Springfield and did a general live stock and trading business until in October, 1913, when he bought a livery, feed and sale stable at 1220 North Campbell street, which he-conducted until recently.
Mr. Bradley enlisted during the early part of the Civil war in Greene county, in the Seventy-second Regiment, State Militia, in which he served for some time, later enlisting in Company E, Sixteenth Missouri Cavalry, under Captain Headley, serving ten months, but was not in any engagements. During the latter part of the war he married and hired a substitute to fill out his military service.
Mr. Bradley married in Greene county, in September 16, 1863, Mary Louisa Akin, who was a daughter of Lafayette and Patsey (Stricklin) Akin who were both born in Tennessee, east of the Cumberland mountains.
Nine children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Bradley, named as follows: Thomas Franklin is the eldest; John Harvey is deceased; Mrs. Lola May Smith, William W., Samuel L., Robert Lee lives in Kansas City; Mrs. Evelia Stocker lives in Kansas City; Luella is deceased; Elsie is also deceased. Our subject owns several valuable pieces of city property here.
Mrs. Bradley is a member of the Baptist church. Politically, our subject is a Republican.
[1047-1048]
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | Y
Table of Contents | Keyword Search | Greene County History Home | Local History Home