Moran and Bradshaw Families

MORAN, BRADSHAW, CONWELL, BRADSHAW, QUIETT, BAY, WORDEN

Posted By: Mary H. Cochrane, Volunteer
Date: 7/2/2019 at 14:52:10

The Moran and Bradshaw Families
Reflections of Grand River, Iowa 1881-1981, p. 256

Thomas and Ann Moran, both of whom immigrated from County Kerry, Ireland, settled first in Muscatine, Iowa, and then acquired land in Ringgold and Decatur Counties in 1857, moving there around 1870. Five children were born to this union: Joh, Mary (who married George Conwell), Dennis, a farmer, Anna, a seamstress, and Jerry, who farmed north and west of Grand River. Jerry (b. in 1868) married Nancy Clara Bradshaw in 1902.

Joel J. Bradshaw, Jr., was born in 1819, of Scotch and Irish descent. He married Mary Jane Quiett in 1861 and moved to Fairfield, Iowa, where he built and owned the first house ever built there. They later moved to Decatur County, near Westerville, purchasing one thousand acres of government land, mostly all virgin soil.

Eight children were born to this union: Flora, who ran a millinery and sewing shop in Grand River for many years and married Byron Bay, who ran a livery stable there; Laura, who married Frank Worden, and farmed near Weldon, Iowa; Carric, who built many of the hones (sic) now standing in Grand River; Charles and William who were railroad men; Cyrus Milton, a farmer; Walter, who died young; and Nancy, who taught country schools around Grand River for years, walking or riding a horse many miles a day to teach at schools such as Funktown, Ansty, McGraw and Arnold.

Jerry and Nancy Bradshaw Moran farmed near Grand River and had thirteen children; among them were three sets of twins. Minnie, Mary and Raymond were lost when very young, which left ten children. ..........

Jerry passed away when the youngest, ...., was not yet two; and Nancy raised her family by herself and lived to be eighty five years of age, passing away in 1962. She was so proud of her heritage, her family, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, but she was especially proud of the fact that five of her boys served their country in World War II, and displayed their stars proudly in her window.

When writing of her ancestry, Nancy wrote: "The posterity of Joel J., Sr., and Joel J., Jr., are of a central group within the family circle - good or bad - they filled their place well and are all satisfied with their inheritance: merchants, doctors, lawyers, teachers, carpenters, dressmakers, farmers, businesses of all kinds. Who could ask for a better life."

Transcribed for IAGenWeb.org, Decatur County