My Genealogy Hound

DAVID BRADFUTE. This gentleman has the reputation of being the best stock-raiser in Greene County, his business being conducted under the firm name of D. Bradfute & Son, the junior member of the firm being Oscar E., a young man of considerable ability and much energy. The estate of Mr. Bradfute is finely situated about half way between Cedarville and Yellow Springs, and the five hundred acres of fine land which comprise it have been brought under a high state of cultivation by his efforts. On the land are three barns for the protection of stock, besides a number of sheds, cribs and other edifices, all being of the best construction and models. The stock includes a herd of thoroughbred Polled Angus cattle, the six cows being imported, and the bull from the celebrated herd of W. M. D. Lee of Leavenworth, Kan. The animal is named Don Cameron and is registered No. 6295; he takes the first premium in all the local county fairs and is one of two animals that were selected at the State Fair, the prize finally being awarded to the Short-horn. Among the cows is the celebrated prize animal, Lilly Third of Wester Lochiel, No. 6055, which came from the herd of Peter Dunn of Wester Lochiel, Scotland, and in the Scotch registry is numbered 6800. At the State Fair in Columbus in 1889, she took the grand sweep stakes prize for cows in the beef-producing class, six of the best cows in the world being entered. Many other cattle of fine stock, among them twenty-two head of registered Polled Angus animals, are on the place. Some fine Chester-white hogs and about three hundred head of sheep are also to be seen.

The subject of this notice is a son of William and Elizabeth Bradfute. His father came to this county from Kentucky when but a small boy, in order to become an inmate of the family of his uncle, John Knox. He learned the trade of a carpenter and built many of the old houses now standing in this vicinity, among the monuments to his skill being some fine buildings yet standing on the place adjoining that occupied by our subject. He acquired considerable reputation as a stock-raiser, being among the first men in this county to import Short-horn Durham cattle. This was about forty- five years ago, when our subject was a small boy. About the year 1827, William Bradfute married Miss Elizabeth, daughter of John Anderson of Scotland, in which country Miss Elizabeth was born in 1806. Her parents came to this county in 1818, settling on the place adjoining that on which our subject now lives, but afterward removing to Clifton. where she was married and began her wedded life. Two years after their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Bradfute moved to his farm, where his widow is still living, his death having occurred in 1872.

James Anderson, the eldest brother of Mrs. Bradfute, came to this neighborhood, walking from Cleveland to this place, and after securing land returned the same way. He then went back to Dundee, Scotland, and induced the rest of the family to come across the ocean. He lived to be eighty-six years of age and was noted throughout this region for his powers of endurance. When he was coming to the county the boat on which he had taken passage left him at Buffalo and he started off on foot, reaching the next station in advance of the craft. At one time, being in Cincinnati and having lost all his money by the failure of a firm there, he started after breakfast one morning and walked all the way home, a distance of a little more than sixty miles, reaching his destination in time to take supper. There was snow on the ground and his shoes giving out, his feet bled so that he could have been tracked by the blood on the snow.

David Bradfute was educated for a farmer and stock-raiser, in which occupations he has gained so wide a repute. He was married March 19, 1861, to Miss Martha E., daughter of William Collins, who was one of the very oldest settlers in this county. The estimable and devoted wife and mother died September 6, 1879, leaving two children, Oscar E. and Lydia. The son is finely educated, being a graduate of the University at Bloomington, Ind., and brings his knowledge into excellent use as a partner of his father in the stock business, he is a member of the County Board of Agriculture, having been elected when his father refused to serve longer in a capacity in which he had acted for twenty years. Miss Lydia who still remains with her father, is also educated and accomplished being a graduate of Washington Female Seminary. The second wife of Mr. Bradfute was in her girlhood Miss Hannah M. Nesbit. She is an estimable woman having been carefully reared and educated. Her father, Samuel Nesbit was well known as a merchant in Cedarsville for many years.

Her union with our subject has been a childless one. She and her husband belong to the United Presbyterian Church attending at Clifton, the father of our subject belonged to the old Seceder Church. Mr. Bradfute has been a Republican for many years. The enterprise, intelligence and upright characters of the members of this household are such as to entitle them to that which they receive, a high degree of respect and admiration.