Yuba County CA Archives Biographies.....Bradley, Eva M. 
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 January 6, 2012, 1:20 am

Source: See below
Author: Peter J. Delay

    MISS EVA M. BRADLEY. — For a woman to achieve success in the world of
business these past ten or fifteen years, does not create much comment; but when
we go back another decade or two and there find a woman who has pioneered in
establishing herself firmly in the marts of trade, we cannot in justice withhold
the recognition due to one who has helped to pave the way for her sisters and
incidentally won her own way to unusual success. Such a woman is Miss Eva M.
Bradley, founder of Bradley, Inc., Dry Goods, of Marysville. Born in Westfield,
Monroe County, N. Y., she joined her father, Isaac Bradley, here, who came to
Marysville in 1883. Her uncle, Samuel H. Bradley, had crossed the plains in an
ox-team train in the pioneer gold days of 1849. He served as supervisor of Yuba
County for a term in the early days. Isaac Bradley, on his arrival here, became
associated with his brother in operating a wagon and carriage shop. He was a
councilman of Marysville for one term. His demise occurred about twenty years
ago. His wife was Miss Frances Cooper, of Cooperstown, N. Y. Cooperstown was
named for the Cooper family. J. Fennimore Cooper, author of the Leather Stocking
series, who by his description of its natural scenery made the region of central
New York famous, was a member of the same family. 

    Eva Bradley was reared and educated at Dansville, Livingston County, N. Y.,
completing her education at Dansville Seminary, where she was graduated in 1884.
She then came immediately to Marysville, whither her father had preceded her in
1883. Miss Bradley first entered into business in Marysville as a clerk in the
office of Edward Weilander, who conducted a dry-goods store in this city; after
one day in the office, however, she became saleslady, through her ability to
please one of Mr. Weilander's new customers. She started at a salary of ten
dollars per week, and this was raised five times during her first year. This was
in the day before women were employed as clerks in the stores, and she was the
first one so employed in Marysville. Some twenty-one years ago, with Mr. H. A.
Bruce as a partner, Miss Bradley bought out the Weilander store. Six years
later, she sold her interest to her partner and started a new dry-goods store
for herself in the Casey Block, at corner of Fifth and D Streets. This was
considered out of the business district at that time, and hers was the first
store in that block; and predictions were freely made that the business would
not pay "up there." But it did, and Miss Bradley made a success of it from the
start. The floor space was small then, 40 by 60 feet; but the next year thirty
feet were added, and later forty more. She installed a fine modern plate-glass
front in the new store, the first of its kind in Marysville, designed by a San
Francisco architect, for she was determined to have an establishment in which
the entire community could take pride. She took two trips yearly to the Eastern
markets for new goods and ideas, and was the only local dry-goods merchant to do
so at that time. She also installed a modern carrier system in the store; and
today this thoroughly modern high-class store stands as a monument to one
woman's initiative, energy and persevering enterprise. Always held in high
esteem as an employer, Miss Bradley, on disposing of her establishment, in
October, 1921, was given a banquet by the employees of the store. 

    In civic and social matters, Miss Bradley has always been prominent. She is
a charter member of the Marysville Art Club and of the Ladies' Improvement Club
of Marysville; while her patriotic spirit has led her to belong to the Woman's
National League for Service Club, of San Francisco. She was also a charter
member, as well as the first woman member, of the Marysville Chamber of
Commerce. Politically a Democrat, she was elected and served two years as
chairman of the Democratic Central Committee of Yuba County, being the first
woman to hold that office in California. 


Additional Comments:

Extracted from:

HISTORY OF YUBA and SUTTER COUNTIES 
CALIFORNIA 
WITH 
Biographical Sketches OF 
The Leading Men and Women of the Counties Who Have Been Identified with Their
Growth and Development from the Early Days to the Present 

HISTORY BY 
PETER J. DELAY 

ILLUSTRATED 
COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME 

HISTORIC RECORD COMPANY 
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
1924


File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/yuba/bios/bradley1113gbs.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/cafiles/

File size: 4.9 Kb