John S. Bradner Biography


	This biography is from "Memorial and biographical record; an illustrated
 	compendium of biography, containing a compendium of local biography,
	including biographical sketches of prominent old settlers and 
	representative citizens of South Dakota..." Published by G. A. Ogle & 
	Co., Chicago, 1899. Pages 1030, 1033

	Scan, OCR and editing by Maurice Krueger,mkrueger@iw.net, 1998. 

	This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit 
	organizations for their private use. 

	Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval 
	system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other 
	means requires the written approval of the file's author.

	This file is part of the SDGENWEB Archives. If you arrived here inside
	a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at

	http://usgwarchives.org/sd/sdfiles.htm


JOHN S. BRADNER. The thriving village of Hecla has no more prominent 
business man within its borders than the gentleman above named. He 
conducts a prosperous general merchandise business and has been 
identified with the commercial world for many years, and is thoroughly 
conversant with his vocation. He is enterprising and progressive, and 
his career has been marked with persistent effort to advance the 
interests of those for whom he labored as well as his own interests, 
and he has been rewarded by the acquisition of a comfortable income, 
and pleasant home surroundings. 

Mr. Bradner was born in Wayne county, Michigan, January 7, 1843, and 
was the son of Joel A. and Deborah (La Count) Bradner, and is of 
Scotch-Irish extraction. At the age of seven years he went with his 
parents to reside in Dodge county, Wisconsin, and in April, 1861, he 
enlisted in Company E, Third Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. He was soon 
at Harper's Ferry, and his first battle was at Winchester, then 
followed Cedar Mountain, second battle of Bull Run, and Antietam. He 
then enlisted in the First United States Engineer Corps, and was at the 
battle of Fredericksburg. He was taken sick and sent to Washington and 
discharged in January, 1863, for disability. He next enlisted in the 
United States naval service on board the United States steamer "Fond du 
Lac," and served one year on the Mississippi, and after the expiration 
of this service enlisted in Company D, Ninth Regiment, Hancock's 
Veteran Corps. He was final]y mustered out in 1866, after a loyal 
service of five years in four different branches of the service. He 
engaged in the hardware business in Dodge, county, and at various other 
places in Wisconsin, and in the spring of 1883 went to Brown county, 
South Dakota, and engaged in farming in Liberty township. He followed 
that calling until 1892, when he went to the village of Hecla, and 
assumed the charge of the Union Stock Company store, operating that 
business four years. 

He established a business for himself in 1896, and has enjoyed his 
share of the patronage of the vicinity since his entering into that 
calling. 

Mr. Bradner was married in 1865 to Miss Lucinda Rhodes. Three children 
have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Bradner, as follows: Joel, Samuel, and 
Myrtle. Our subject is very prominent in G. A. R. circles and is 
adjutant and ex-commander of Gen. Stolher's Post No. 138. He has served 
as a delegate to the grand lodge, and occupied many prominent positions 
in the local post. He is non-partisan in politics, and favors 
prohibition. He is an old soldier, who can look back over an honorable 
military career spent in trying to defend the Union, and his entire 
life has been one of loyal purpose and true worth. He is honored in his 
community as a man of push and energy, and at all times can be depended 
on as a supporter of any public enterprise which has for its object the 
development and upbuilding of the village of Hecla. When he started out 
in life for himself he had no means, and nothing on which to depend but 
his own efforts, and by constant and systematic labor he has 
accumulated wealth single-handed. He has a fine store, well supplied 
with a large and costly stock of goods, and has a high standing in the 
commercial world.