Bradford, Ezra

BRADFORD, WENTWORTH, CARR, PINKERTON

Posted By: mjv (email)
Date: 8/4/2020 at 11:02:34

Ezra Bradford, farmer and stock-raiser, residing on section 28, Lime Creek Township, was born in Greenwood County, Me., April 16, 1836. He is the son of Luther and Mary (Wentworth) Bradford. They were also natives of Maine, and were the parents of four children: Virgil, a farmer of Lime Creek Township; Melville G., deceased; Ezra, our subject, and Emeline, deceased. The family remained in their native State until 1856, where Mr. Bradford was engaged in farming, and where all the children grew to be adults. In that year the father came to Lime Creek Township, this county, settling upon a farm where he made his home until his death. The last ten years of his life were spent in the home of the subject of this sketch. He died May 8, 1886 at the age of seventy-six years. He was a good man, one well informed on all matters of interest and whose influence was felt for good in the community in which he lived. The mother died Oct., 17, 1866, and was buried in Kennebec County, Me.; she was a devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

The early life of our subject was spent upon the farm, helping his father and attending the common schools. When fourteen years old, he left his native State and went to Massachusetts, and found employment clerking in the city of Boston for about two years, and then followed the life of a sailor until 1854, at which time he quit the sea and came to Iowa, where he remained one year, then went to Illinois, in which State he made his home until the breaking out of the Civil War. He then enlisted in the United States service, Co. D, 26th Ill. Vol. Inf., Aug. 17, 1861, for three years. He enlisted at Springfield, Ill., and from there the regiment was sent to Quincy, then to Hannibal, Mo., thence to Island No. 10, or New Madrid, and participated in that engagement; from there to Pittsburg Landing, through the siege of Corinth, the second battle of Iuka, then the second battle of Corinth, and then to Vicksburg. From Vicksburg they went to Jackson, Miss., then back to Memphis, from there across to Chattanooga, thence to Missionary Ridge, and then to Scottsboro, Ala. At the last place the regiment re-enlisted, our subject returned home to Illinois on a thirty-days’ furlough.

At the expiration of his leave of absence, Mr. Bradford rejoined the regiment at Scottsboro, and from there went to Resaca, where he participated with the command in the engagement, and then went with Sherman on his famous march to the sea, then through South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia, to Washington, D. C., where the 26th Illinois took part in the grand review of the veterans of the war, a march which will long be remembered by all the brave boys in blue that faced the Southern battle-fire. From Washington the regiment was transferred to Louisville, Ky., and was discharged July 2, 1865. Mr. Bradford served over four years in defense of the stars and stripes that float so proudly over the Nation made free by those who sacrificed their lives to save unbroken the Union which their fathers formed.

The regiment was discharged at Springfield, Ill., and from there our subject came direct to Lime Creek Township, and engaged in farming, and in 1867, bought forty acres of land on section 26. He also rented eighty acres, and operated both farms, and in 1881 bought 120 acres on section 28, of the same township, where he now resides, engaged in general farming and stock-raising. Oct. 4, 1865, Mr. Bradford was united in marriage with Miss Amanda Carr, who was born Jan. 1, 1846, in Lime Creek Township, Washington County, and is the daughter of Isaac and Harriett M. (Pinkerton) Carr. Three children have blessed their union: Luther D., born July 13, 1866; Lyman S., April 1, 1870, and Isaac E., Aug. 29, 1881.

Mr. Bradford is a member of Ed Hamlin Post No. 112, Wellman, of which he was a charter member, and Mrs. Bradford is a member of the Women’s Relief Corps No. 88, Wellman. Our subject takes and active interest in all public matters, and is a highly respected citizen of Lime Creek Township.

Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Washington County, Iowa (1887). Excerpt from Biographical Sketch of Ezra Bradford, pages 476-477.