Verley R. Bradford
Mr. and Mrs. Verley R. Bradford and Family and their home.
Washington Township
Among the younger men of Washington Township who are successfully carrying on agricultural pursuits in this in this prosperous community is Verley R. Bradford, a member of an old and honored family whose members have been identified with the interests of this locality for more than seventy years. Mr. Bradford has been a life-long resident of Washington Township, where he was born April 30, 1882, on his father's farm, and is a son of Moses T. and Sarah E. (Creviston) Bradford.
George Bradford, the great-grandfather of Verley R. Bradford, was born in Virginia, and emigrated from that State to Ohio some time after his marriage, subsequently removing to Grant County, Indiana, and locating near Fairview Church, where he passed the remainder of his life in farming. Daniel Bradford was also a native of the Old Dominion, and accompanied his father to Ohio, from whence he came overland on horseback to the timber land of Grant County, Indiana, and during the early forties located on and entered from the government what is now the o. M. Creviston farm in Washington Township. Like his father he was engaged in tilling the soil, and became a substantial and highly esteemed citizen of his community. He was married in Ohio to Miss Louisa Romine, and they became the parents of six children: one who died in infancy; George, who died in the Union service at the battle of Nashville, Tennessee, during the war between the North and the South; Mrs. Mary Matilda Johnson, now a resident of Andrews, Indiana; Mrs. Emma Elizabeth Ebbert, who died while a resident of Illinois; Moses T., the father of Verley R. Bradford; and Jesse, who died at Monument City, Indiana.
Moses T. Bradford, father of V. R. Bradford, was educated in the old pioneer log school in the vicinity of the Creviston farm, where he was born December 6, 1845. He there grew to manhood, receiving a good training in agricultural matters, and on attaining his twenty-third year was married and embarked upon a career of his own. As the years passed he accumulated a large property, and although now living somewhat retired is still well known among the agriculturists of his community as an excellent farmer and capable breeder of stock. He now owns eighty-three acres of land in Section 4, this being now cultivated by his son, Verley R., and his home tract in Section 17, which consists of 160 acres, all of this property being under a high state of cultivation. Mr. Bradford is a Republican and a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal church. On November 8, 1868, Mr. Bradford was married to Miss Sarah E. Creviston, daughter of Daniel Creviston, and old pioneer of Grant County, and a native of Ohio, and to this union there have been born four children: Anna Dell, who died at the age of three years; Layton, who resides at home with his parents; Lydia A., the wife of Otto Thompson, of Huntington County, Indiana, and the mother of two children -Sherwood and Ethel; and Verley R.
Verley R. Bradford secured his education in district school No. 4, in Washington Township, and reared to agricultural pursuits, began farming for himself in 1906. At that time he purchased seventy-seven acres of land, for which he went partly into debt, but this indebtedness has since been cleared off, and the land is now valued at $125 an acre. Of this property fifteen acres are in timber. In addition Mr. Bradford farms eighty-three acres belonging to his father, and in 1912 his labors resulted in the raising of 1,000 bushels of corn, 965 bushels of oats, and twenty tons of hay. Like his father he is interested to some extent in livestock, and at this time has seven head of high grade cattle. In 1911, at a cost of nearly $1,000, Mr. Bradford erected a large modern barn, 38 x 50 feet, the timbers for which were cut from his property. This structure is so commodious that it can accommodate over twenty head of livestock, can store thirty tons of hay, and still have ample room for carriages, implements and machinery. The granary has a capacity of 1,500 bushels, and with the barn is painted white, the buildings presenting an especially attractive appearance. the residence and barn are supplied with flowing water from a windmill pump. Mr. Bradford has always been an adherent of the use of modern method is in his work, and the satisfactory results which he has obtained form his operations should be a strong and convincing argument in their favor. He is known as a young man of push and energy, and his numerous friends will testify to his universal popularity.
On November 8, 1905, Mr. Bradford was united in marriage, with Miss Effie Mae Hollowell, daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Hollowell, of Huntington County, Indiana. She was born September 26, 1882, in Huntington County, Wayne Township, and here she received her education, graduating from the common school at the age of fourteen. she then entered Bangor High School, form which she graduated. To the union of Mr. and Mrs. Bradford have been born two children: Maurice Thomas, born February 18, 1907, and now attending school; and Helen Elizabeth, born December 29, 1909, bright and interesting children who are being carefully reared to fill honorable positions in the world. Like his father, Mr. Bradford is a Republican in politics, but has found no time engage actively in public affairs. With his wife, he attends the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Centennial History of Grant County Indiana 1812-1912. The Lewis Publishing Co., 1914