Moses Bradford
An old-time Quaker who in spite of his religion of peace held convictions with a moral and physical courage which sometimes led him to fight vigorously for their maintenance, Moses Bradford was one of the men who played a role of great importance in the early history and development of Grant county. In many respects he was one of the most interesting characters who has ever lived within the borders of this county. To only a few men can credit be given that they have definitely shaped the course of events in progress and one of these was the late Moses Bradford.
He was born in Hardy County, Virginia, and was married September 21, 1819, to Mary E. Vanhorn in Zanesville, Ohio. To this union were born twelve children -four sons and eight daughters. They came to Indiana in 1841, and located on the banks of the Mississinewa River in North Marion. But two houses stood on the north side of the river at that time, and he obtained a quarter section of good land, all of which is now embraced within the limits of the city and built over with hundreds of residences, shops and factories. To these factories he gave much of his valuable land without price or cost. there he devoted his energies to farming and butchering and is said to have been the second butcher in the town of Marion. Fort thirty-five years Moses Bradford was the largest stock buyer in Grant county, and his dealings he became known throughout this section of Indiana. His old home, which was erected by Riley Marshall in 1839, has been one of the historic landmarks of the city. And during the Civil War was many times the scene of thrilling preparation to resist capture by the Kuklux or border-ruffians abroad at that time, a reward having been offered for his capture.
To no other man is so much credit due for the promotion and construction of the first railroad through Grant County. The town of Wabash, twenty miles to the north, on the canal, was the only outlet for commerce except the irregular undependable route of the Mississinewa and all goods for Marion and all produce that went out from this city had to be carried over all kinds of roads, an in all kinds of weather to Wabash. It was a situation with which the pioneers had to cope the best way they could, but as soon as civilization had advanced beyond the pioneer stage, and especially after the great era of construction had begun in America, such means of transportation was looked upon everywhere as too primitive to be tolerated. However, in spite of a more or less general and deep-seated appreciation of the needs of improvement in transportation, Mosses Bradford almost alone possessed the practical insight and ability of leadership which were required to place the county within easy communication of the markets of the outside world. Secure in his own convictions in the matter, he made a thorough canvas of the opinions of all other citizens, and before long his enthusiasm had aroused the entire community on the railroad question. It was his leadership and aggressive action in the campaign which brought about the construction of the Panhandle Railroad through this county. He was the chief local promoter of the enterprise, and the right of way was obtained principally through his personal efforts. He freely gave the right of way through the entire length of his lands and bought and traded for the same between his home town and adjoining towns. His idea was to have a grand union depot and to have North Marion a live, progressive center. Hardly had this railroad been constructed when his commercial sense perceived the need of a competing line, and this led to his becoming president of the old narrow-gauge, now the reconstructed line of the Clover Leaf. As a matter of fact Moses Bradford was actual owner of about forty miles of the old narrow-gauge line running between Kokomo and Warren. The history of that railroad undertaking is too long to be detailed here, but it is sufficient to state that the litigation which finally arose among the officials and stockholders was eventually decided by the supreme curt adversely to Mosses Bradford, the chief grounds for the verdict being that it was against public policy for one man to own a controlling interest in any such important public utility. Mr. Bradford stood tenaciously for his rights, and made a vigorous fight for his property, but in the end lost it all. Thus there is a tragic phase to his career, as indeed there is in the careers of hundreds of patriotic and public spirited men who have devoted themselves disinterestedly to the promotion of some great and beneficial undertaking, only to see its control slip from their grasp. After years of effort in advancing the welfare of his community and struggling to retain the fortune he had amassed by the strictest legitimate methods, Moses Bradford died a poor man, others reaping of the harvest where he had cleared, broken and planted.
For many years he conducted a general store at Marion, and was constantly doing something in the way of building that tended to improve the town. He always manifested a firm faith in Marion, as a commercial and social center, an believed that it was destined to become a large city. Moses Bradford is remembered by all of the older citizens as a justice of the peace. In this minor judicial office many of his decisions bore the stamp of originality and even of genius, and where women and children were concerned his big heart always found a way. While he did much for the city's improvement, he never forgot the less fortunate and many baskets full of the necessaries of life found their way to them.
During the early years of his residence before the war he was an original abolitionist, not only consistently with the tenet of his Quaker faith, but also of the vigorous and uncompromising type of the William Lloyd Garrison kind. The cooperation of Northern abolitionists in assisting fugitive slaves to escape across the middle states into Canada had already begun, when Moses Bradford located in Marion. It was no uncommon thing to hear a soft scratch on the window pane or to hear the hoot of an owl, a signal that some black soul was asking for help on the road to freedom. He soon became one of the most helpful of the local organizations in forwarding this particular work, and was probably the most radical anti-slavery man in the entire county. It is noteworthy that his house on the north side of the river was a station of the famous "under-ground railway," and before the war many a runaway negro was sheltered somewhere about his premises during the day, and the succeeding night was never too dark or the danger too great for him to go out and attend and assist the fugitive along eh next stage of his northward journey. Fearless to a remarkable degree, he was not to be stopped by man or devil when he felt the cause of humanity needed his presence and help. During those times he was threatened again and again and violence was even offered him, but it never caused him to hesitate when once his mind was bent on the accomplishment of a definite task. such had no effect except to make his determination the more dogged and unyielding. He was outspoken in his opinion, and even harsh in his criticisms of others, since he could never entertain sympathy for those of a trembling and vacillating nature, whose hearts might be right, but whose fears kept them from action when action was most needed. Throughout his life he stood as a man of action, and at the same time he had the rare gift of inspiring enthusiasm for action and efforts, as was instanced in the building of the first railroad. In conversation he lacked all the qualities of smoothness and polite suaveness, but made up for these in strength and vigor of utterance.
In the early days, on one occasion while enroute from the east Moses Bradford came near being mobbed in the vicinity of Cincinnati. His reputation was quite widespread and word of his coming had preceded him, so that a reward was offered for his apprehension. By the kindly assistance of Quaker friends he eluded the parties in search of him, and thus came through without injury. He was also warned by the Knights of the Golden Circle, whose training grounds were at Van Buren, that he would be mobbed, but he kept on the even tenor of his way, though his home was fired into and other insults offered. Weighing two hundred and forty-five pounds, he had physical strength in proportion, and very few men were able to handle him.
While never an aspirant for public recognition, he was well qualified to fill any post of trust. He assisted in the building and maintenance of the old Wesleyan Church, besides which he erected a church building on a tract of his own, donating its use to the congregation. His home was known far and wide as one where ministers of the gospel would find a royal welcome and a bountiful table always ready. He platted two additions to the city, embracing about fifty acres, and which are now covered with desirable residences. Moses Bradford died January 10, 1898, full of years and honors. He was the father of twelve children, eight of whom reached maturity.
Centennial History of Grant County Indiana 1812-1912. The Lewis Publishing Co., 1914.