Donald Bradford
History of Montana,by Joaquin Miller, 1894
USGENWEB Montana Archives
May be copied for non-profit purposes. 

Donald Bradford first came to Montana in 1884 but after remaining a short time he returned to the East. 
His residence here, although brief, had given him a favorable opinion of the state and in 1886 he came back to 
Montana and took up his abode at Helena where he has since made his home and the headquarters of his operations.
Donald Bradford was born in Springfield, Illinois, September 14, 1861. During the earlier years of his life he 
attended the common schools of his native state and Mississippi and his education was completed in the University 
of Virginia. He determined to follow the profession of law and upon locating in Helena he entered upon a law 
practice, which, however, he abandoned at the end of one year in order to engage in more congenial pursuits. 
The large areas of land susceptible of irrigation and which would under cultivation produce large crops attracted 

Mr. Bradford's attention and he entered into enterprises to render these lands available for farming. His first 
venture was the construction of the big Dearborn canal, conveying water from the Dearborn River to adjacent 
lands and furnishing irrigation to an area of 75,000 acres hitherto unworked to any extent. Other extensive 
irrigating enterprises have also been promoted by him and he is largely interested in Helena real estate, and 
farming lands adjacent to the city, as well as property elsewhere.
In 1890 Mr. Bradford was the Democratic nominee for Mayor of Helena and was triumphantly elected over a 
candidate who had been deemed invincible by the members of the opposing party. In addition to this office,
he has been secretary of the Helena Board of Trade, has organized the Chamber of Commerce and the Commercial 
Club and is president of the Northeastern Abstract Company. He is a member of no secret organizations, 
but is an active and prominent member of the Montana Club. He belongs to the Episcopal Church. Although a
young man he is prominently identified with the interest of Montana and is an active promoter of measures 
looking to the prosperity of the state.

Mr. Bradford was married in Springfield Illinois in 1888 to Esther Fox and they have one child.

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