My Genealogy Hound

Joseph H. Bradshaw, presiding judge of the county court, was born in Kentucky in February, 1832, the son of Smith and Elizabeth (Chrisman) Bradshaw, the former of English origin, born in Kentucky in 1771, and the latter of German stock, native of the same place, born in 1787, and deceased in 1858. The father was a brick mason, and afterward a farmer. In 1832 he came to this county, entered 640 acres and bought 480 acres, and four years later brought his family and settled on the latter. He died in 1868. He was in the war of 1812, under Gen. Harrison, at the battles of Defiance, Miami and Fort Meigs, Ohio. He was on a scouting party of about thirty-five, who were, all but two, either killed or captured by Indians. Our subject, the seventh of eleven children, was four years old when they came to this county, and he remained with his parents until about the age of twenty. He and eight others then started for California on an overland trip, which took them about three months. He farmed for about three years, and in 1857 returned by way of Panama. February 8, 1863, he married Mrs. Sarah Rousseau, a daughter of William Kendrick, and born near Bardstown, Ky., in 1829. Their children are Mary (wife of Samuel Brooking), Hugh and James. Her children by her first husband are James and Fannie. After marriage our subject located on his present estate of 244 acres. He is a Democrat, and in 1880 became associate judge of the county court, and served until 1886, when he became presiding judge. He is an able man, and is a Mason, and a member of the Christian Church. His wife holds to the Baptist faith.