Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-01-11

One of the companions of VIM. Penn to the
banks of the Delaware was VIM. Bradford. n
native of Leicester, who, in 1885. established at
Philadelphia the first printing press south of
New England and the third in the colonies. In
1890 he built on the banks of the Schuylkill the
first paper mill in America. He man of
independent thought, and having issued from
his press a series of poIemical tracts against
the New England churches. he became involved
with q disturbing element in the Quaker meet
ing which led to his press being contiscated
and himself arrested. He managed his own
case and routed the provincial authorities.
1896. he set up the first printing press
in that colony. lie was made public printer
for New York at salary of ESQ year, a
position he retained for fifty years, and during
much OF the same time was public printer for
the province of New Jersey. In 1925 he
founded the New York Gazette. the fourth news
paper in the colonies. The two sons of this
pioneer printer, Andrew ard William, were
equally distinguished in the same art. In 1719
Andrew established the Anaeacon Weekly Me''-
curry at Philadelphia, and it was with him that
Benjamin Franklin found employment when,
i'll 1923, he arrived hungry and pennyless in
that city. The brothers were associated in the
work. son of william. being the third of the
name, became involved in love affair and
went to England. but returned in 1742 with ma
terials for founding the Pennsylvania Journal.
He was an able writer and welded his pen vigor-
ously for the colonies. He left his press to
serve in the war of independence and
fought vaiantly at Trenton, Princeton and
Fort Mifflin. being seriously wounded at
Princeton. Ill health forcing him from the
field he became attorney general for Pennsyl-
vanIa in 1873 at twenty-five years of age, JUS
tice of the supreme court in 1871. and Attorney
General Of the United States in 1894, succeeding
Edmund Randolph. His son. Thomas Bradford,
born in 1745 was associated in the editorship
of the Journal. which in 1901 was merged into
the True American. He was cOmmssary gen
eral OF the Pennsylvania division of the CONT
mental army during the revolution and was
afterward printer to Congress. His son Thomas
distinguished member of the Philadel-
phia bar, and the latter's son, Benjamin
Rush Bradford, born at Philadelphia in
1918. settled when young man in
Beaver county, Pa. where his daughter, Matilda
Bradford the seventh generation from VIM.
Bradford, the friend and companion of Vim.
Penn, was born about forty-fve years ago.
Miss Bradford was a great belle among the
young ladies of New Brighton and the pictur-
esque industrial regions along the lower valley
of the Beaver. She had the benefit of the
highest education. In 1865 she became the
wife Of Charles Champlin Townsend, who en-
tered the army as private and had just left it
as adjutant of cavalry. Mr.. Townsend soon
after established himself in the manufacture
of wire rivets and wire nails. and never held
any place of public duty until he entered the
Fifty-tirst Congress. Mrs. Townsend presides
over her attractive home on Vermont avenue,
which is rendered additionally interesting by
the presence of two daughters and five sons.