BRADSHAW, John Carl 1874 - 1940

BRADSHAW, WILSON, SMITH, JERICHO, TALLMAN, SAWYER, ENYART, HANEY, HOWARD, LYNCH

Posted By: Joey Stark
Date: 2/28/2011 at 15:48:39

“The Fairfield (Ia.) Daily Ledger”
Saturday, December 7, 1940
Front Page, Column 6, and
Page 6, Column 7

J. C. BRADSHAW DIES AT HOME EARLY TODAY

Prominent merchant succumbs following prolonged illness

J. C. BRADSHAW, 65, prominent local citizen and widely-known furniture merchant, passed away early this morning at his home, 113 Iowa Avenue. Mr. BRADSHAW had been in failing health for the past year, having retired from active association with the Bradshaw Furniture during the winter of 1939. He had been in serious condition for some time, and lapsed into a coma earlier this week, from which he failed to regain consciousness.

Funeral services will be held Sunday afternoon at 3 o’clock, from the First Methodist church, in charge of Rev. M. A. Gable. Interment will be in Evergreen cemetery. The body will be taken to the church at 2 p.m. Arrangements are in charge of Hoskins funeral directors.

Mr. BRADSHAW was born in Salina on June 27, 1875 (sic - 1874), the son of Dr. and Mrs. A. C. D. BRADSHAW. Dr. BRADSHAW was a practicing physician there, and rode horseback over the county, ministering to the sick and afflicted. The family moved to Fairfield when J. C. BRADSHAW was a young child, and he grew up here, attending the public schools and a private school taught by the late Mrs. Julia Stever. He continued his education at Parsons college.

In 1897, Mr. BRADSHAW became the manager of a grocery store in New Chicago. This store was owned by Dr. BRADSHAW, and managed by J. C. BRADSHAW for two years. On June 10, 1899, he and the late Frank D. Kerrick went into partnership in the undertaking and furniture business in the room formerly occupied by Maxwell’s Grocery. They continued in business together until March, 1915, when they dissolved partnership. Mr. Kerrick assumed the undertaking business, and Mr. BRADSHAW the furniture business.

About 1906, Mr. BRADSHAW moved from the south side of the square to the room on Burlington St. now occupied by the A & P store. The present building was erected for him in 1930, and was opened in March of that year.

Mr. BRADSHAW was married on June 14, 1899, to Miss Grace Jane WILSON. She survives him, as do two children. Carroll, associated with his father in business, and Mrs. Mary Margaret SMITH of Des Moines. Another daughter, Ruth, died in 1922. Also surviving are two sisters, Mrs. Ethel JERICHO of Moline, Ill., and Mrs. Una TALLMAN of Fresno, Calif., and one granddaughter Miss Joan BRADSHAW.

Probably no other man in Fairfield has been so able to watch the rise in the standard of living for the city from the turn of the century. As family fortunes increase, so do the furnishings of homes improve. Through this manner Mr. BRADSHAW kept his finger on the pulse of progress in the city. In his day he was able to see a day's labor double and treble its purchasing power, and the people spend that dollar to better purpose.

Mr. BRADSHAW came from pioneer Jefferson county stock. Not only was his father Dr. A. C. D. BRADSHAW, an active figure in the county's history, but also his grandfather and great-grandfather. The first BRADSHAW to come to this county was Joel, who came from Kentucky to Iowa in 1839. Thus the BRADSHAW name is one of the first to be recorded in the annals of the county. Coming with Joel was his son, John Carroll BRADSHAW, grandfather to J. C. BRADSHAW.

A number of civic and fraternal organizations included Mr. BRADSHAW's name on their rosters. Among these were the Masonic Orders, Elks and Rotary. He was an active member of the First Methodist church.

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"The Fairfield Daily Ledger"
Monday, December 9, 1940
Front Page, Column 4
and Page 3, Column 1

J. C. BRADSHAW RITES VERY IMPRESSIVE
Services held Sunday afternoon in First Methodist church

Funeral services of the late J. C. BRADSHAW, prominent business man and citizen of Fairfield were held at the First Methodist church yesterday afternoon, in charge of Dr. M. A. Gable, pastor of that church.

The entire front of the auditorium seemed filled with the numerous and beautiful floral tributes, banking the chancel. The impressive service, which began at 3 p.m., had as an organ prelude, a series of familiar hymns played by Mrs. E. G. Linder, church organist.

The services, in charge of Dr. Gable, were opened with Scripture readings. Following this, Mrs. Linder played "Goin' Home", by Dvorak, as an organ selection.

Dr. Gable commented feelingly upon the life and influence of Mr. BRADSHAW, saying in part:

In the community, in business circles, in the church, and in the home, J. C. BRADSHAW has set a praiseworthy example. So fine an example it is that the appropriate words of Scripture in connection with this service are those in the First Psalm, concerning "the blessed man."

"He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit, in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper," is the statement in the third verse.

J. C. BRADSHAW fulfilled this description of the Godly man who was an influence for good in every circle with which he had contact. He was like a great tree, a stalwart pine, perhaps, as such a tree as that of which the poet Edward Markham wrote:

He held the long purpose,
Like a growing tree,
Held on through blame,
And faltered not at praise,
And when he fell, in whirlwind,
He went down
As when a kingly cedar,
Green with boughs,
Goes down, with a great shout.
Upon the hills--
And leaves a lonesome place
--Against the sky.

There has been left "a lonesome place against the sky" here in Fairfield. There will be a lonesome place in business, church and community circles as well as in the home. Of the blessed man it is said, "his delight is in the law of the Lord." So it can be said of this man whose memory we honor. He must have loved the Lord because he never willingly absented himself from the services of the church. Even when his health was poor, he came; he was an inspiration to his pastor. He was a liberal giver to every good cause, thereby showing the sincerity of his interest.

Great trees are a shelter; particularly the pine tree is a protection both from heat and cold. Man seeks the trees for protection from wind and sun. The government has proposed a shelter belt of trees to protect the plains area. The figurative and literal meaning is similar. Men look for a shelter in a time of storm. We need many more of this kind of man in America today; those who are representatives of good, true manhood-- this is the kind of shelter we most need.

Chancing, the other day to be searching for one short-wave program, we ran into all kinds of police calls concerning murders, drunken drivers, hold ups and robberies -- what a sordid story! America needs a shelter from these waves of lawlessness. We need more of the men who stand as great trees, sheltering the nation from destructive influences.

He was also a shelter for the home; he was a family man. No child's cry of pain or sorrow was too insignificant to claim his attention. He lived with children, especially his own children. We sorely need today, that sort of shelter for our homes.

J. C. BRADSHAW stood as a support for the best in the business world. He made an enviable record. The business interests of the community need men of character. The fly-by-night establishments, the unstable concerns tend to give the community an unfavorable name, but it is to the honor of this man that he contributed toward the strength and stability of his community.

The tree may fall, but the leaf shall not wither. That which has been done shall prosper. The leaves are for the healing of the nation. These are some of the considerations which stand out as we endeavor to appraise the value of this stalwart man who was like a tree, anchored.

Honorary pallbearers were William Cook, C. W. Wade, D. A. Ricketts, Walter Burns, Harry E. Smith and E. R. Smith. Active pallbearers were E. G. Fligg, Richard C. Leggett ,Roscoe P. Thoma, W. H. Guyer, Milo K. Barnes, and Harry Elder.

Burial was in the BRADSHAW family lot in Evergreen cemetery.

Among those in attendance at the services were the following relatives: Mr. and Mrs. Frank SAWYER, the latter a sister of Mrs. BRADSHAW of Bethany, Mo.; Mrs. BRADSHAW's brother and wife, Mr. and Mrs. R. C. WILSON of Cedar Rapids; her nephew, Reed WILSON of Kansas City, Mo.; Mr. and Mrs. W. N. ENYART of Newton, parents of Mrs. Carroll BRADSHAW, and her brother James. There was also Mr. BRADSHAW's sister and her husband, Mr. and Mrs. Ernest JERICHO of Moline, Ill., and his nephew and wife, Mr. and Mrs. Paul HANEY of Mt. Pleasant; and two cousins, Vergil HOWARD of Macon, Mo., and Mrs. Zururah LYNCH of Milton. Also in attendance were Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Plok and Norton Seeley of Burlington, and Mr. and Mrs. James R. McGregor of Oskaloosa.

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"The Fairfield (Ia.) Daily Ledger"
Monday, December 9, 1940
Page FIVE, Column 4

Mr. and Mrs. Walleyn Warnock of Ottumwa spent the day visiting Mrs. Warnock's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Elder, 301 South Main. The family also attended the J. C. BRADSHAW funeral.

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"The Fairfield (Ia.) Daily Ledger"
Monday, December 9, 1940
Page SEVEN, Column 5

PROBATE OF WILL

State of Iowa, Jefferson County, ss:

To All Whom It May concern:

Notice is hereby given that an instrument, purporting to be the last Will and Testament of J. C. BRADSHAW, Deceased, is now on file in the office of the Clerk of the District Court of Jefferson County, and that Friday, December 20 A. D. 1940 at 9:30 o'clock A. M. has been set for proof and final hearing of same.

Witness my hand and the seal of said Court, this 9th day of December, 1940.

W. S. Parkin
Clerk of District Court
By Alfreda Engstrand, Deputy
December 9

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*Transcribed for genealogy purposes; I have no relation to the person(s) mentioned.

Note: Buried in Evergreen Cemetery, in Lot 2nd.253. Wife Grace died in 1951 and is buried with him.

Jefferson Obituaries maintained by Joey Stark.
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