Person:Josiah Bradley (1)

From Ancestors and Descendants of Morris A. Bradley

... He probably grew up in Tolland, but later moved to East Windsor, where we find him in 1753, when his first child was born. On March 26, 1755 he bought land in Ellington, in which deed he is said to be "of Stafford." This parcel contained fifty-one acres, and became known as the "home farme." It lay on the west side of "Square Pond", now called Crystal Lake. Evidently he did not occupy this at once as he resided in East Windsor from 1753 to 1779; toward the end of his life he spent some time in Tyringham, Mass. His land interests seemed to lie largely in Stafford, Tolland, Ellington, and Tyringham. Josiah Bradley must have handled a lot of money in his day, as his land transactions were many. From his father's will he inherited one hundred acres in Stafford, and several parcels in Tolland as well.

From 1788 till the time of his death in 1826, he appears to have lived in Ellington on the "home farme", on Square Pond. In a deed dated at Ellington March 17, 1789, he sold to his sons Eli and Elisha:

"Three quarters of my home farme on which I now live in said Ellington with a reserve nevertheless of the West room in the house on said farme and one quarter of the cellar for my and my wife's use during our natural lives and at our decease to be and belong to the said Eli and Elisha. Keeping the West room in good repair for my and my wife's use during our natural lives three quarters of said farme being set off to them the said Eli and Elisha off the north end of said farme of quantity of land only this also includes our full and complete support." The sons Eli and Elisha, paid for this two hundred pounds.

The following year on February 7, Eli sold his share in the above deed to his older brother Reuben, for twenty pounds, "and also for the said Reuben taking my place and fulfilling the contents of the deed which my honoured father Josiah Bradley gave me and Elisha." Seven years later on April 19, 1797, Elisha also deeds to Reuben "all my right title and interest in a certain farme of land joining on the west side of square pond and is part of that farme of land which was my honoured father's Josiah Bradley's home farme containing about forty eight acres." The consideration was one thousand dollars.

There is no way of determining why Eli and Elisha sold out to their brother Reuben, unless it was that they left Connecticut about that time and so could not remain on the home farm and take care of their aged parents. In the census of 1790 we find both Eli and Elisha, in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, but later back in Connecticut.

Judging from the above transactions it is conclusive that Reuben Bradley became owner of most, if not all, of the "home farme", and that Josiah and his wife Elizabeth spent their last years in the "West room" in the old home, with their son Reuben.

Although Reuben must have been fairly well to do at one time, yet his will dated December 1, 1815, reveals no degree of wealth, and mentions no real estate.

Josiah Bradley was one of the earliest members of the Baptist church which was organized in Tolland in 1807. Like all the other members he had to file the following certificate:

"I now certify, according as the law requireth, that I belong to the Baptist Society."

This Baptist Society was comprised of people from Stafford, Tolland, Enfield, and Somers, who had revolted against the forced system of taxation in operation for the support of the established Congregational church, and joined or created other organizations.

... the [fravestone's] inscription states that he was one hundred years old. Like his father's monument, this gravestone is not to be depended on, as the Vital Records of East Windsor and Ellington prove his age to be ninety-six.

1. ↑ Mrs. Grant Rideout. BRADLEY: Ancesters and Descendants of Morris A. Bradley. (privately printed Cleveland 1948).