My Genealogy Hound
Below is a family biography from the book, The History of Crawford County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1889. These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary. Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more. There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.
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John Bradford, farmer and minister of Anna, Ark., was born September 30, 1828, in Henry County, Tenn. His parents, R. B. and Mary Ann (Bradshaw) Bradford, were born in Tennessee and West Virginia, respectively. The father was a farmer by occupation, and never immigrated west. Our subject spent his early life in Tennessee, and when of age began to farm on his own account. January 27, 1858, he married Mary Ann Ford, who was born January 17, in Hinds County, Miss., and is a daughter of Ferdinand and Elizabeth (Whitford) Ford. They were born in Virginia and Tennessee, respectively, and in 1844 settled in Crawford County, Ark., having previously lived in Virginia, Tennessee and Mississippi. His grandparents were Boaz and Frances Ford, and the former was a soldier in the War of 1812. Our subject left his native State in 1857, and March 4 of that year settled in Crawford County, having made the journey overland. May 14, 1862, he enlisted in Company A, First Arkansas Volunteer Cavalry, which was commanded by Col. E. L. Harrison, and served in the same as sergeant under Capt. Joshua S. Dudley. Operating in Southwestern Missouri and Arkansas, he participated in the battles of Cassville, Newtonia, Forsythe, Mo., Huntsville, Ark., three battles at Fayetteville and Cane Hill. He was with Gen. Blount when Price made his raid through Missouri, and assisted in driving him from that territory. Being captured at Huntsville, he was taken a prisoner to Fort Smith, and held for six weeks. He was then paroled, and afterward exchanged, when he returned to the army, and served until August 23, 1865, at which time he was mustered out and returned to Crawford County. Feeling that his mission was to preach in the Methodist Church, Mr. Bradford began his ministerial duties September 18, 1872, and has since had charge of churches in Benton, Washington, Madison, Franklin, and Crawford Counties. He is successful in farming, and has 400 acres of land, sixty under cultivation and well-improved, and the remainder in timber land. He belongs to the A. F. & A. M. and the I. O. O. F., and has always voted the Democratic ticket, his first presidential vote being for Pierce in 1852.
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This family biography is one of 222 biographies included in The History of Crawford County, Arkansas published in 1889. For the complete description, click here: Crawford County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps
View additional Crawford County, Arkansas family biographies here: Crawford County, Arkansas
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