Transcript:Indiana, United States. Biographical and Genealogical History of Wayne, Fayette, Union and Franklin Counties/B/Bradrick, Asa V.

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Asa V. Bradrick (p 958)

The present century has been an age of progress, which has been manifest in no line of business in a more marked degree than in stock raising. The interests of the farmer have been greatly promoted; old methods have been done away with, and enterprise and progress have been manifested in many ways. There are always men who take the leadership in the work of advancement, and among those to whose efforts is attributable the agricultural progress of Fayette County is the gentleman whose name introduces this review. He was, until a recent date, prominently connected with the dairy interests of Connersville, being also the publisher of two journals devoted to the improvement of farming and stock raising interests. He has spent his entire life in Indiana, and is one of its worthy citizens, highly esteemed by all who know him.

Mr. Bradrick was born in Brownsville, Union County, August 26, 1864, his parents being Mahlon and Sarah A. (Worman) Bradrick. His grandfather, William Bradrick, was likewise a lifelong resident of the Hoosier state, spending many years in Union County. The father of our subject was born in Indiana, in 1825, and during the greater part of his business career he engaged in merchandising in Brownsville. In later years he returned to Liberty, this state, and served as deputy county clerk under his son, Asa. He is now living a retired life in Indianapolis, and his wife also survives. They were the parents of six children, three sons and three daughters, but one of the sons was drowned and another died in childhood, so that our subject is the only surviving son.

Asa V. Bradrick was reared in Brownsville, acquiring such education as the town schools afforded, and at an early age took up the study of telegraphy. When a young man of eighteen years he was appointed to the position of operator and agent at Brownsville for the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railroad Company, and there continued for five years, when he was transferred to College Corner. He acted as operator at that place for four years, and during that time was elected on the Democratic ticket to the position of clerk of the circuit court of Union County, serving from 1890 until 1894, inclusive. This election was certainly a tribute to his personal popularity and worth, for no other candidate of the Democratic Party has been chosen for that office since the war, the county usually giving a Republican majority of about three hundred and fifty. To those who know Mr. Bradrick it is needless to say that he discharged his duties with great promptness and fidelity, for he is always loyal to every trust reposed in him.

After removing to Liberty, and while serving as clerk, the railroad company offered him the position of freight agent, which he accepted, continuing to serve in that capacity for three years. He severed his connection with the corporation in order to engage in the life insurance business, but not finding it congenial he relinquished it after two years and, in 1895, embarked in the dairy business, operating the Broaddus farm near Connersville. Here he had forty head of fine Jersey cows and the largest dairy route in Connersville. He also bred Duroc-Jersey swine on this farm and did much to improve the grade of swine raised in this part of the state, realizing the necessity of having good hogs if one would put upon the market the best quality of pork. In 1897 Mr. Bradrick took up his residence in Connersville, in order to better superintend his dairy and stock raising interests. His opinions are largely taken as authority in regard to questions of stock raising, and he is now secretary of the American Duroc Swine Breeders' Association. In 1897 he began the publication of the Jersey Hustler, an excellent stock journal, setting forth the merits of Jersey cattle and Duroc-Jersey swine, and presenting many valuable articles both interesting and instructive to the stock raiser. The paper is national in the scope of its usefulness and enjoys a wide circulation throughout the country. On the 1st of January, 1899, Mr. Bradrick also began the publication of the District Farm Item, in which enterprise he was associated with A. G. Stewart, and a contemporary publication spoke of the new venture in the following manner: "The first issue of the District Farm Item was published December 8, 1898, since which time it has had a rapid growth by way of subscriptions thereto throughout Fayette and adjoining counties, surpassing the most sanguine expectations of the editors. It is independent in politics, and a strong advocate of good roads, honest taxation and farmer representation in lawmaking. Messrs. A. V. Bradrick and A. G. Stewart, proprietors and editors, are both wide-awake, progressive men. The principal feature of this paper is the gathering and publishing of county news in Fayette and adjoining counties, thereby making it a district paper. The idea and plan are new and original and open up a novel field of work. The method is to solicit items of news from each township school district, secured and written by the pupils, and to award prizes for the best service. It furnishes practical education to the pupils in composition writing and makes an exceedingly interesting paper. This characteristic of the paper seems to be greatly appreciated by its supporters."

Mr. Bradrick is a man of resourceful business ability, enterprising and progressive, and has not confined his efforts to one line of business. About two years ago he engaged in the fire insurance business, and eventually merged his interests into the Connersville Fire Insurance Company, which is incorporated and is doing most of the business in that line in the city. The officers are Joseph E. Huston, president; E. W. Austin, vice-president, and A. V. Bradrick, secretary and treasurer. His executive ability and keen foresight proved important factors in the success of this enterprise, and have brought him prosperity along the other lines of endeavor to which he has directed his efforts. Since the preparation of this sketch in its original form Mr. Bradrick has made another progressive step, having removed to Shelbyville, Shelby County, Indiana, where he is associated with Mr. A. G. Stewart, who had previously been his coadjator, in the publication of the Jeffersonian, which is issued in both daily and weekly editions, holding rank as one of the leading newspaper enterprises in the state. Mr. Bradrick is editor and Mr. Stewart assistant editor. The former has disposed of his Fayette County interests altogether, but such was his prominence and such the value of his labors in the section with which this work has to do, that this review of his career is most appropriately placed in the edition.

On the 13th of May, 1895, Mr. Bradrick was united in marriage to Miss Harriet McDougal, of Union County, Indiana, and now has two children, Quincy M. and Asa W. Socially he is connected with Liberty Lodge, Knights of Pythias, of which he is past chancellor. In manner Mr. Bradrick is entirely free from ostentation, but his sterling worth is such as commands recognition unsought. His success is the merited reward of his own labors, and being thus acquired it entitles him to the proud American title of a self-made man.