BRADSHAW, John Carl - 1912 Bio (1874-1940)

BRADSHAW, MCCULLEY, WHITNEY, TULLMAN, JERICHO, WILSON

Posted By: Debbie Nash (email)
Date: 12/17/2003 at 17:36:32

From the History of Jefferson County - 1912, Volume II
Pages 328-330

JOHN CARL BRADSHAW

“One of the well conducted mercantile enterprises of Fairfield is the furniture and undertaking business owned by John Carl BRADSHAW. He has applied himself closely to the management of his business and carrying a well selected stock, has gained a liberal and merited patronage. Moreover, Jefferson county numbers him among her native sons, his birth having occurred in Salina, June 27, 1874. His parents were Dr. A. C. D. and Mary A. (McCULLEY) BRADSHAW, and the family is one of the oldest of the county, his grandparents, John Carroll and Anna (WHITNEY) BRADSHAW, having settled here in early pioneer times. They removed from Kentucky to Iowa in 1839, long before the admission of the state into the Union and entered land from the government, four and a half miles southeast of Fairfield. John C. BRADSHAW afterward transformed his tract of wild prairie land into richly cultivated fields and continued to engage in farming until his life’s labors were ended in death. Both he and his wife spent their last days in this county and in their passing Fairfield lost two of its most honored, worthy and respected pioneer citizens. Their family numbered three sons and a daughter. Dr. BRADSHAW was born in this county in 1848 and spent his youthful days upon the home farm, early becoming familiar with all the duties and labors that fall to the lot of the agriculturist. Determining to engage in the practice of medicine he entered Rush Medical College, from which in due time he was graduated. He then practiced in Salina until 1876, when he came to Fairfield and opened an office, continuing in practice here until he sustained injuries which made it impossible for him any longer to take the rides necessary for visiting his patients. He then turned his attention to the drug business, becoming a member of the firm of Huford & Bradshaw, and following the withdrawal of the senior partner he was joined by Louis Thoma under the firm name of Bradshaw & Thoma. Together they built the Bradshaw & Thoma block, one of the attractive modern structures of the city and for a number of years successfully conducted a drug store. At the same time Dr. BRADSHAW extended the scope of his labors to include furniture manufacture, becoming manager of the Fairfield Furniture Factory. Indolence and idleness are utterly foreign to his nature and his energy and perseverance enabled him to surmount all difficulties and carry his different projects forward to successful completion.

In early manhood he married Mary A. McCULLEY, who was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1847, and came to Jefferson county with her brother Robert. Six children blessed the marriage of Dr. and Mrs. Bradshaw: Claudius, who died in 1896, at the age of twenty-one years; Miss A. R. BRADSHAW, who is living with her mother; L. S., a druggist of Fairfield; John Carl, of this review; Una, the wife of Dr. Tullman, of Fairfield; and Ethel, the wife of Ernest JERICHO, of Moline, Illinois.

John C. BRADSHAW, whose name introduces this record, has spent his entire life in Jefferson county and has lived in Fairfield from the age of two years. When a lad of six summers he entered the public schools and after mastering the branches of learning therein taught, continued his education in Parsons College. For five or six years he was engaged in the grocery business and then turned his attention to furniture and undertaking, conducting throughout the intervening years one of the well appointed mercantile establishments of the city. In June, 1899, he entered into partnership with F. D. Kerrick, under the firm style of F. D. Kerrick & Company. They carry an attractive line of goods so as to meet the varied tastes of all classes and their straightforward dealing and reasonable prices have constituted the strongest elements in their growing success.

On the 14th of June, 1899, Mr. BRADSHAW was married to Miss Grace WILSON, who was born in Fairfield and is a daughter of J. E. WILSON of this city. They now have two interesting children, Carl Wilson and Ruth. Mr. BRADSHAW belongs to the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and is loyal to the teachings of these organizations. He is also an interested member of the Commercial Club and is in entire sympathy with its purposes, promoting the business development of the city. In a new environment and under different conditions he has carried forward the work that was instituted by his grandfather and continued by his father for the upbuilding and development of Jefferson county, so that the name of BRADSHAW has been inseparably associated with its history for seventy-two years.”

I am copying his for genealogical purposes and am not related to said individuals.