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Bradgate School

 

Bradgate Early Businesses

 

1950

Life Magazine Article

 

The Town That

Won't Died

 

Avery Hill

 

Bradgate Early Settlers

 


 

Job Metcalf was one of the more senior of the settlers, having been born in 1823, in England. He and his wife, Harriet, had five children: Jessie, Mildred, Betha, Guy, and Clyde.  

George P. Brown, who came in 1870, was from Massachusetts.  He farmed and raised stock and poultry. 

S.T. Hopkins worked at the newspaper trade and became the editor and proprietor of the Bradgate Bee.  He had nine children. 

Charles Jarvis and his wife came in 1861.  Charles was born in 1837, in England.  Carit, his wife, was born in 1842, in England.  Their children were William, James, Elmer, Mary, and George. Charles held many local offices, and was a trustee in the Methodist Church for thirty years. 

John W. King came in 1865 from Illinois.  He and his wife, Annie E., were the parents of: Fred O. , Mattie E., Bertha M., Bessie A. and Maud S.  After 1897, he was post master of Bradgate for a number of years.  The post office was located in his house. 

William Lancaster came from Canada and in 1887.  He was in the stock buying business, also became the harness maker and a leading merchant.  He was Mayor of Bradgate and a school board director and was married to Mary Hopkins of Tama County.  The Lancaster's children were:  Lloyd, Irene, Amy, and Dora.

L. O. Sherman came to Bradgate in 1898 and owned the Bradgate Review. 

Jerome Tilton came to Humboldt County from New York State, in 1866, and took up a homestead in Avery Township.  In 1893 he moved to Bradgate.  He opened a bank, known as the Lumber Exchange Bank of which he was president.  In two years he sold his interest and opened a grocery store.  He was considered a leading merchant.  he held stock in the creamery and was director of the bank.  He built many of Bradgate's best buildings.  He was a Council member, School director and mayor.  Jerome and his wife, Mary, were the parents of Wesley, Charles, and Myron.

Dr. William Stoakes came from Illinois and grew to maturity in Tama County.  After working on a farm he took up the study of medicine at the University of Iowa and after 1891 practiced successfully in Bradgate.

Few people settled in Bradgate until the Methodist Church was built in 1890.  Many homes building were built in 1891 and 1892.  In the early 1900's Bradgate was a thriving town of 400 population.  It was then that the Baptist Church was built.