- FREDERICK M. BRADFORD, of Cadiz township, Green county, was
born in Plympton,
- Mass., Oct. 27, 1834, and springs from ancestry distinguished
in the history of the New England Colonies for many generations.
He was one of the very early settlers in Green county.
- Mr. BRADFORD is a direct descendant of William BRADFORD,
who came over in the
- "Mayflower," and who was the second governor of
Plymouth Colony, the line of descent being through (II) William,
(III) John, (IV) Capt. John, (V) Capt. John, (VI) Lieut. John,
and (VII) John, our subject's father. Mr. BRADFORD's son John
has in his possession the identical baptismal blanket that was
brought over the ocean by his historic ancestors, and which was
left by the will of the Governor to the eldest child of each
succeeding generation, whom he desired should always bear the
name of John.
- (V) Capt. John BRADFORD commanded a company of minute men
during the Revolutionary war.
- (VI) Lieut. John BRADFORD, grandfather of our subject, married
Patience PERKINS, and they
- had the following named children: Eunice, John (the father
of our subject), Daniel P., Maria, Patience, Thomas, William
and Hannah. Daniel P., ex-county judge of Bon Homme county, S.
Dak., is the only survivor.
- John BRADFORD, the father of Frederick M. was born July 10,
1809, and was married April
- 25, 1832, in Plympton, Mass., to Sarah Fuller BRADFORD. They
became the parents of the following children: John, a sergeant
major in Company A, 11th Ill. V.I., at one time under the command
of Gen. Lew Wallace, died while in the service, June 4, 1862.
Frederick M. is our subject proper. Arabella, born Sept. 19,
1837, married Frederick KNICKERBOCKER, and makes her home in
Los Angeles, Cal. Mary Winslow, born in Winslow, Ill., Jan. 31,
1841, died Aug. 20, 1898. She married Gerard KNEELAND, now of
Monroe, Wis. Sarah M. died in childhood. Luella B., born Dec.
24, 1847, is the wife of Dr. J. W. SAUCERMAN, of Winslow, Ill.
Thomas G., born Aug. 21, 1852, is a carpenter at Winslow, Ill.
The parents became residents of the town of Winslow, Ill. in
1838. John BRADFORD, the father, was a man of marked ability,
possessed inventive genius of a high order, was well informed
and was highly regarded in his day. The shot tower at Helena,
Wis., was put up by him for C. W. WASHBURN and Cyrus WOODMAN,
and he also invented a machine for finishing shot, which was
put in operation in the Chicago shot tower, where he held the
position of superintendent of E. W. BLATCHFORD; there he also
invented a machine for cutting, folding and printing shot sacks
ready for sewing. Both these machines are still in operation.
- Frederick M. BRADFORD, whose name introduces this article,
was married to Miss Cynthia
- Vashti PETERS Feb. 20, 1859, who was born Sept. 22, 1835,
a daughter of Comfort PETERS, of Ohio, and a direct descendant
of Rev. Hugh PETERS, a compatriot of John Wesley, the founder
of Methodism, and her ancestors were among the very earliest
settlers of New England. Thomas PETERS, founder of Yale College,
was a brother of Hugh PETERS. To Mr. and Mrs. BRADFORD have been
born two children: Corah Blanche, born April 25, 1862, married
Dr. William Burton BUNKER, who died in 1892. She is the mother
of two children, Beryl Bradford (deceased) and Kathleen Alden.
Mrs. BUNKER is now residing with her father on the old home place
in Cadiz. She is a very accomplished lady, and is a fine musician.
John, the second child of Frederick M. and Cynthia BRADFORD,
was born Dec. 24, 1868, and remains at home, carrying on the
old farm. Kathleen A. BUNKER is in the tenth generation from
Gov. BRADFORD, of colonial fame. The ancestors have always been
identified with the best element of the communities in which
they have lived, for many hundred years back to the present time.
- Frederick M. BRADFORD began life for himself with little
to depend on save his own strong
- right arm and stout heart. He purchased the farm on which
he is living while it was still in its natural state, and the
country surrounding was wild and unimproved. By close attention
to his work, careful management and unflagging industry he has
converted the wild land which he bought into one of the most
desirable farms in Green county. He has good dwellings and farm
buildings, and is proud of owning one of the finest cherry orchards
to be found in the entire county. The sum of $11,000 was recently
refused by him when offered for this place of 120 acres.
- Mr. BRADFORD is a stanch Republican politically, and is a
man with liberal religious convictions.
- He and his family are widely known for hospitality and charitable
actions. For nearly thirty-eight years, he has been a member
of the Masonic fraternity, and in town affairs has taken a prominent
place, holding the positions of justice of the peace, school
director and town clerk, as well as serving on the town board.
- William B. BUNKER, M.D., was born Aug. 1, 1857, in Pennsylvaniaburg,
Ripley Co., Ind., the
- second son of Dr. Ledyard CUYLER and Adaline E. (ALDEN) BUNKER,
the latter a direct descendant of John ALDEN, of the Plymouth
Colony. William B. BUNKER graduated at Rush Medical College,
Chicago, in 1884, and was engaged in practice at Winslow and
Warren, Ill., until his death, June 4, 1892. He was married Oct.
27, 1885, to Corah Blanche BRADFORD. Dr. BUNKER was prominent
in the Masonic order, and among the relics cherished by his daughter
is a Masonic apron, of lambskin, made in 1742, for Alexander
PENNOCK, a maternal ancestor of Dr. BUNKER, and worn by his son,
Alexander PENNOCK, at the funeral of George Washington.
-
- Taken from "Commemorative Biographical Record of
the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette Wisconsin,"
(c)1901 Union Publishing; pp. 761-762.
-
- Courtesy of Carol.
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