Contra Costa-Napa-Merced County CA Archives Biographies.....Bradley, Thomas W. 1818 - 
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Author: W. A. & Slocum & Co. (1882)

THOMAS W. BRADLEY.—This old pioneer, whose portrait it gives us pleasure to
present to our readers, is the son of Thomas and Edith (West) Bradley, and first
saw the light in Sumner county, Tennessee, December 22, 1818. His youthful days
were passed at the place of his birth until he reached nineteen years of age.
His parents then moved west, and located in Jackson county, Missouri, where the
subject of our sketch resided until May, 1843. He then, at the solicitation of
two of the now resident pioneers of Napa county, Colonel J. B. Chiles and Wm.
Baldridge, was induced to join them to cross the trackless plains to the then
almost unknown regions of the Pacific coast. On the 30th of the above month and
year they started with mule teams, and after a long and weary journey arrived at
Fort Hall, when they secured the services of that old and famous guide and
hunter, Captain Joel R. Walker, to pilot them through the mountains, arriving,
after a trip of fifty-five days, at Sutter's Fort, November 10, 1843. Mr.
Bradley immediately found employment at the Fort, and was one of the party who
placed in position the alarm bell, which was afterwards rung every thirty
minutes to denote "all's well!" Our subject remained at the Fort until March,
1844, when he proceeded to Napa county, and found employment on the Yount ranch,
until March, 1845. He now took charge of Chiles' ranch, in Chiles' valley, in
the latter named county, and at that time built the adobe house still standing
in that well-known glen. Here this fearless pioneer dwelt in solitude, his only
companion being his faithful watch-dog, with an occasional visit from his
nearest neighbor, some twenty miles distant. Mr. Bradley's narrow escapes from
the beasts of the forest, while living in his valley home, would alone be
sufficient to fill a good-sized volume! In 1846, on the breaking out of the Bear
Flag War, Mr. Bradley enlisted in Captain Grigsby's company, and took part in
all the demonstrations during the contest for the independence of the Golden
State. On the close of hostilities our subject once more repaired to Chiles'
valley, where he continued to reside until 1849, when he was married, and in
June of the same year, came to Contra Costa county, and to the redwoods, where
he secured lumber, hauled it to Martinez, and, in company with others, put up a
building, in which he kept a hotel in the Winter of 1849-50. In the Fall of
1850, we find Mr. Bradley located on a ranch between Martinez and Lafayette,
where he resided for ten years, and then removed to Lafayette and remained there
until 1868. We next find him in Merced county, engaged in farming. In the Spring
of 1871, Mr. Bradley again returned to his favorite county of Contra Costa, and
to his present place, two miles above Lafayette, where this honored pioneer is
now anchored, enjoying the comforts of a well-spent, honest life—beloved by his
children, and respected by the whole community in which he lives. He was married
in Chiles' valley, Napa county, on Christmas Eve, 1846, to Miss Rebecca Allen, a
native of Missouri; by this union they have nine living children. Their names
are: James Warren, John Willard, William T., Josiah, (now deceased), Hemy,
(deceased), Sofrina J., now Mrs. Eachus, Elizabeth, George A., Edith, Isaac W.,
and Annie Bell.

Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

HISTORY OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY,
CALIFORNIA,
INCLUDING ITS GEOGRAPHY, GEOLOGY, TOPOGRAPHY, CLIMATOGRAPHY AND DESCRIPTION;
TOGETHER WITH A RECORD OF THE MEXICAN GRANTS; THE BEAR FLAG WAR; THE MOUNT
DIABLO COAL FIELDS; THE EARLY HISTORY AND SETTLEMENT, COMPILED FROM THE MOST
AUTHENTIC SOURCES; THE NAMES OF ORIGINAL SPANISH AND MEXICAN PIONEERS; FULL
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY OF THE COUNTY; SEPARATE HISTORY OF EACH TOWNSHIP, SHOWING
THE ADVANCE IN POPULATION AND AGRICULTURE;
ALSO,
Incidents of Pioneer Life; and Biographical Sketches
OF EARLY AND PROMINENT SETTLERS AND REPRESENTATIVE MEN;
AMD OF ITS TOWNS, VILLAGES, CHURCHES, SECRET SOCIETIES, ETC.
ILLUSTRATED.
SAN FRANCISCO: W. A. SLOCUM & CO., PUBLISHERS
1882.


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