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THOMAS BRADLEY is one of
the early settlers of Christian County,
and during the late war saw much active service in the Union army. His
birth occurred
in Hardin County, Ky.,
September 23, 1823. His parents were William and Elizabeth (Crowder)
Bradley,
who were natives of Virginia
and North Carolina,
respectively. They
were the parents of fourteen children, seven sons and seven daughters.
Thomas Bradley is the
seventh child in his father's family, and
with his parents removed from Kentucky
to Sangamon County,
Ill.,
in 1832. He received his education in this State, remaining under the
parental
roof until reaching his majority. For one year he engaged in driving a
stage
from Springfield
to Vandalia. In 1850 he embarked in his life occupation of farming and
stock-raising, but in 1859 worked for a short time at the furniture
business.
On the 20th of May, 1845,
our subject was united in marriage
with Miss Martha Morris. She is a daughter of Achilles Morris, and was
born and
reared to womanhood in Macon
County. By this marriage three children have been born: G.
W., a
resident of Pana,
Ill.,
and an engineer by occupation; Mary Ann, wife of J. W. Handel, of
Owaneco, Ill.;
and Lunetta Lora, wife of M. Danford, of Locust Township, who has
retired from
active business.
In 1844 Mr. Bradley
located in Christian County, and two years
later purchased seventy acres of land, for which he paid $1 per acre,
and on
which he made a settlement. He continued running a stage from Decatur
to Springfield
for
two years. He enlisted in Company A, Tenth Illinois Cavalry, in
September,
1861, and was sent to St. Louis and from there proceeded to
Springfield, Mo.,
where he was stationed for a time. He was next sent on an expedition
with Gen.
Curtis, after which he remained in Helena, Ark.,
until
the spring of 1863. He served in the bodyguard of Gen. Fisk at the time
he was
at the head of the Yazoo siege, near Vicksburg.
After
taking Ft. Pemberton he returned to Yazoo, thence went to Helena and
from there
to Vicksburg and Millikin's Bend, remaining on duty until June 6, 1863,
when
twenty-three of the number were captured by the enemy.
He was held as a prisoner
until October 1 of that year, when he
was paroled and sent to St. Louis. He rejoined his regiment at Little
Rock,
Ark., and acted as a scout in Mississippi
and Louisiana. He was
sent to New
Orleans just before the assassination of President Lincoln. A gunboat
undertook
to run the blockade, and Mr. Bradley assisted in its capture. During
the
engagement large quantities of cotton were set on fire, and eight men
were
taken prisoners. Our subject was next sent to Mobile on the ship
"Tilla"
and landed a few days before Taylor surrendered.
After ten days spent at
that place he went to Baton Rouge under
Gen. Bailey. He took part in the Red River expedition, and finally
arrived in
San Antonio, Tex., where he staid until September, 1865. He was
mustered out at
San Antonio, and, returning to Springfield,
received an honorable discharge January 8, 1866.
On his return from his
valiant service in the South, Mr. Bradley
again engaged in farming, and has since given his attention to the
cultivation
of his place. His wife died in 1876 and was buried in Doner Cemetery,
two
miles west of the old homestead. In June,
1878, Mr. Bradley married Mrs. Mary E. Phelps, of Bear Grove, Guthrie County, Iowa.
She
was born and grew to womanhood in Pennsylvania and Ohio,
and is of English
descent. Our subject and his wife are members of the Methodist
Episcopal Church. In politics Mr. Bradley is a champion of the Republican
party.
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