JOHN W BRADSHAW

 JOHN W. BRADSHAW was born in Fulton county, Illinois , August 14, 1856 , a son of Samuel and Martha (Walton) Bradshaw. The paternal ancestor of the family was Thomas Bradshaw, of Oxton, Nottinghamshire, who presented a certificate at Darby Monthly Meeting, Chester county, 5 mo. 6, 1683, from Farnsfield Monthly Meeting, Nottinghamshire , England . On 3 mo. 12, 1687, he proposed intentions of marriage with Sarah Levis, of Darby. They were the parents of four children, born at Darby: Hannah, Mary, John, and Sarah, John being born 10 mo. 30, 1690.

            James Bradshaw, son of John, married about 1740, Ruth Lowther, daughter of William and Martha Lowther, of Buckingham, Bucks county, who had brought a certificate from Abington Meeting, a few years previously and settled near Mechanicsville, in Buckingham. James Bradshaw purchased of his father-in-law in 1741 a portion of the Lowther homestead, and at Lowther's death in 1750 purchased the balance of the 150 acre farm, and resided thereon until his death in 1776. James and Ruth (Lowther) Bradshaw were the parents of twelve children, seven sons: John, William, James, David, Amos, Joel, George, and five daughters: Rachel, married Isaac Child; Sarah, married David Gilbert; Ruth, married Watson Welding; Mary, married Isaac Kinsey; and Martha. William, second son of James and Ruth, settled in Plumstead, where he became a large landholder. He was twice married, first on 4 mo. 19, 1769, to Sarah Preston, and second to Mary Shaw of Plumstead, 12 mo. 22, 1774.

            William Bradshaw, Jr., was born in Plumstead township on the old homestead purchased by his father soon after his first marriage, and lived and died there. He married Rachel Lewis, and had a number of children, among whom was Samuel, the father of the subject of this sketch, who was born in 1814. He married Martha Walton, daughter of Jacob and Hannah (Armitage) Walton, the former a native of Buckingham, and the latter of Solebury township. Martha was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania , October 12, 1812 .

            Samuel Bradshaw and wife removed to Fulton county, Illinois , about 1855, and remained there about four years, returning to Plumstead township in 1859, where he died the following spring at the age of forty-five years. He was a justice of the peace in Plumstead for fifteen years, and followed surveying, conveyancing and civil engineering. In early life he had also been a school teacher. His widow died in Solebury in 1882. The families of both the father and mother of the subject of this sketch had been members of the Society of Friends since their arrival in this country. His maternal ancestor, Samuel Armitage, brought a certificate from Yorkshire , in 1739, and settled in Solebury township where he has left numerous descendants.

            John W. Bradshaw, from the age of six years, was reared by his grandmother, Rachel (Lewis) Bradshaw, in Plumstead township. After the death of his grandmother, his aunt, Mary Bradshaw, purchased the farm where Mr. Bradshaw lately resided, at Peter's Corner, in Solebury township, and he came there to live with her, and conducted the farm for her until her death in 1889, when he purchased the farm and continued to reside there until the autumn of 1904, when he removed to Philadelphia. On March 17, 1884 , he married Anna J. Betts, daughter of William and Emily (Walton) Betts, of Solebury, and, having purchased a small lot across the road from the farm, resided there until after his aunt's death. He is a Republican in politics, and in religion a Friend. He is a member of Doylestown Lodge No. 245, F. and A. M., and of Paunnacussing Lodge No. 221, K. of P., at Carversville. Mr. and Mrs. Bradshaw are the parents of three children: J. Watson, Emily, and William, all of whom are filling responsible clerical positions in Philadelphia . Another son, George, died in infancy.

Text taken from page   of: 

Davis, William W. H., A.M., History of Bucks County, Pennsylvania [New York-Chicago:The Lewis Publishing Company, 1905] Volume III

Transcribed 2003 as part of the Bucks Co., Pa., Early Family Project

Published December 2003 on the Bucks County, Pa., USGenWeb