Mount Horeb E. T.
Sept. 20,1886.
Mr. W.J.Bradshaw, (j.c.h. doesn’t know this one)
Dear Sir:
Your letter bearing date July 14,1886, addressed to Mr. George Brown Bradshaw (don’t know him j.c.h.) asking for information respecting the history of his branch of the Bradshaw family was sent to me on the 13th of Sept. 1886.
As I know of no member of his branch of the Bradshaws: family better prepared than myself to give a history, I will give you all I know, but it‑will be very imperfect in detail and especialy to dates.
My Grand‑father was of Wales and spoke the Welsh language. His name and date of coming to America, and occupation I never heard or I forget. He came before the Revolutionary War. He sloped, or settled in Maryland or Penn. and died before the War, when his family was small and his children young. He left but four children, three sons, James, John and Christopher and one daughter Francina. Christopher died before maturity. Francina married a man by the name of Marr, and after the Revolutionary War closed went to North Caro;ina and settled in Caborrass County. I know nothing definite with regard to them after this.
James , prehaps the oldest son and brother having obtained some degree of education in Penn. went to North Carolina and was repeatedly elected to and served with honor and some distinction in the House of Representatives and then in the Senate of that State until age rendered it unadvisable to serve longer. He had sons and daughters born to him but I know not how many. Some of his daughters married men of respectability, by the name of White, Morrisaon and Weddington.. The White and Weddington families sofar as known were farmers and manty of them moved west after the War of 1812 and to me their history is lost in the great west. One son Anozi became a Presbyterian preacher, left Carolina , moved and settled near Nashville, Tenn,,,soon after the war of 1812, did a great work in moralising the early settlers and remained there until the close of the late unholy war, then went to Texas, and soon died full of years and honors. Some of his family; still live in and around Nashville, but I have no particular knowledge of them.
John my Grand father, and ancestor of the line of George B. Bradshaw of Annapolis was a boy soldier under General Marrion, perhaps not 18 years old when Cornwallis surrendered to General Washington at York-Town. The war over, he appears to have gone to Penn. and carried the lacksmith’s trade, and he was among the first who discovered the art of putting whoop tyre on a wagon wheel. Prior to his day iron was put on in pieces, just as many pieces as fellons. Having learned his trade he came to Virginia and worked some at his trade. He married in Penn. a Miss. Agnes that is Nancy Clendenon. Leaving Virginia, he came into what was at that time the Territory of North Carolina, now the State of Tenn., and settled in what is now Jefferson County, East Tenn. (mt. Horeb Comunity) He was aPresbyberian and lived a consecrated Christian life. He followed farming and worked some at his trade until near the close of his life. Re died in the seventy‑fifth year of his life in Dec. l8l8. He and his wife had nine children, three daughters and six sons. Elizabeth, Jane (Jennett) and`Francina. Elizabeth married Richard Grace and the both
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Some of the children died, the living married when grown, moved to the west and are now lost from my knowledge.: Jane ( Jannette) married Thomas Rankin, the great grand father of Rev. George C. Rankin of Chattanooga, who is now making him self known as an advocate of Prohibition. Jane (Janettee) and her husband who was a farmer, are both dead long since, and all thier children except two, but there is vast number of Grand‑and Great‑Grand children living in this comunity yet, and some in the State of Indiana. Francina married McCristion and moved west. The names of the sons are, William, James Samuel , Christopher, Richard and Thomas. Thomas died when a child. William married a Miss. Bigurn. His occupation was farming. He became a great musician in his day in this section. During the war of 1812, he enlisted in the Regular Army as a soldier during the war so as to secure the double bounty. In less than a year after he enlisted peace was made and the war closed. His County embraced Boon’s Lick in Mo. , and he went to it, and his family history after this is to me entirley lost.
JAMES was a farmer and blacksmith, he marri ed and moved to Kentucky, but since then I know nothing worth writing,
SAMUEL: was a farmer and carpenter. He married a Prigmore of pure French blood. at an early day in the history of Tenn., soon after the war of 1812 he moved west across the Cumberland Mountains into Middle Tenn. and settled in Franklin County, and died there. Some of his children remained there, and some went into Alabama. How many are still living, what their circumstances, and where they are now living I have no knowledge.
CHRISTOPHER: the great‑grand father of George B. Bradshaw at Annapolis was a farmer and carpenter. He married a Miss. Mary Davis of Jefferson Co., Tenn. Having a desire to preach, he left off farming moved up to Greenville, Greene Co., Tenn., and by his carpenter trade he procured a liberal education at Greenville College, then controled by Rev. Charles Coffin, D.D. a Presbyterian Minister, who came from Conn., to Tenn. he continued under Dr. Coffin until he was licened and ordained to preach. His family mean while increasing. He then moved from Tenn. up into North Carolina and settled on Reams Creek Buncombe County, three miles north of Ashville. He preached at Ashville and at Mills River twenth miles south of Ashville and many other points in that mountainous country until his family was nearly all grown and several of them were married. He and his wife raised twelve children, seven daughters and five Boons. daughters names Polly, Nancy, Jane, Eliza, Ellen, Martha and Harriett. Sons; John Thomas, Nicholas, Isaac and William. Of the daughters Folly never: married. Nancy married a Mr. Beard., who was wealthy, honing a forge interest in the Gold Mines of North Carolina. He sold his interest and moved to Missouri. Sine that I known nothing of him. Jane married a Tatum and moved to Missouri, and they are known no more ‘ by me. Rliza ‑married a Paysely, a Presbyterian prceacher. He died ; in a few years and she went to her friends in Missouri who had gone befoe, and of her history I know no more. Ellen and Martha and Harriet still remained at home.
Christopher, sons John married a miss Beard, a sister of his sister R’ancy’s husband. ‘~en his father‑in‑law sold out in Carolina and went wi~kxhimto Missouri he went with him. Thomas ne`,er married. Ashen young he went to South Carolina, ingaged in trading in stock, became a victim of Consumption , and died a few hours after landing at the City of Jackson, in Florida. Nicholas left home when but a lad, and entered as a clerk in a store of a very wealthy merchant in (sh`!ile by the name of Patton. Having a natural tallent for that business