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Below is a family biography included in The History of Greene County, Illinois published by Donnelley, Gassette & Loyd in 1879.  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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BRADLEY, ABSALOM, farmer and stock raiser, Sec. 9, P.O. Carrollton. Although not among the early settlers of Greene County is worthy of more than a passing notice in this volume; he was born in Sumner Co., Tennessee, on the 10th of November, 1816; the oldest son of John and Elizabeth Bradley, whose maiden name was Goostree. Remaining a resident of Tennessee until attaining his majority, he then embarked on a prairie schooner for the fertile prairies of Illinois. He was then married, having united his fortunes to Miss Mary Maybery, a daughter of James Maybery, a native of North Carolina. Without entering into particulars as to the trip made over a boundless waste of prairie, we note the arrival of the family in Greene County in 1837, locating two miles west of Carrollton, on the farm now owned by Mrs. David Black. In order to show the daring, nature of the pioneer, on his arrival in Greene County he had but seventy-five cents in money wherewith to commence the battle of life; he first worked for ten dollars a month and subsequently split rails, thereby emulating the example of Honest Old Abe. In 1849 he made his first purchase of land in Greene County, consisting of 40 acres which he subsequently sold and purchased 100; since this time Mr. Bradley has added largely to his property now owning 340 acres of land unequaled in this township. For a period of forty-one years Mr. Bradley has been a resident of this county, and during this time has witnessed many stirring events incident to a western life. In 1845 Mrs. Bradley, who had shared the dangers of a western trip, passed to that world of spirits to which we all are tending, leaving to the care of her husband three children, Reuben, Jonathan, and Mary. October 19, 1846, Mr. Bradley united his fortunes to Miss Miralda Mabery, a daughter of Sander Maybery, of Tennessee, by whom he had ten children, seven of whom are living, Zachariah Taylor, Laura Ann, Alice C, Dora E., Eliza F., Maggie E. and Robert E. Further notice will be found in the old settlers record of this volume.

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This family biography is one of 744 biographies included in The History of Greene County, Illinois published in 1879.  View the complete description here: The History of Greene County, Illinois

View additional Greene County, Illinois family biographies here: Greene County, Illinois Biographies

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