Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-01-07
HON. J. W. BRADBURY
Continued from page ~

mefnbered D! an the Augusta people how
glad everyone was 70 hear the venerab c
Gentleman on public occasions Ills mimi
seemed To broaden with lime rather than
to shrink. HIS IDEAS Of topics OF nation .
though be was back in the l0s a lead :
ing statesman of the day He vas ever
consulted upon Important matters and
here i, was found his broad experience
and retentiTe memory served himself and
his friends with unerr.ng steaGfasl ness
He could tell OF every public. movement
since the days of Madison and Monroe
and his mannc" Of explaining tine pros
full to his hearers. a.
When asked to address the meetings
either of Il local OF Of a state nature ne
would ever demnr; 50 greatly had he re
DAYS that he remembered how in times
past he had been bored by ord gentlemen
in long speeches; On this account he
was ever alfaiH ne would trespass upon
the time Of his hearers and that they
would not be interested in his ideas,
which he said were Old. fashioned ami not
Of the nature the people of today would
like TO listen. When pressed 10 address
the meetings he would consent but every
one knows how BRIEF he wguIJ MAKE ev
.rything, leaving the right lind III 4 tas o
IN the mouths or MS hearers. and doing
,1IaethinS that many If TIE younger ora
to-s cannot get the habit OF doing. gave
hem enough 50 they wanted more, then
stopped, always, as he expressed II,
AFRAID re Wouiu take up too mucn time.
The life's history of this connecting link
between The early part Of the 1gtn cent
cry and that Of the l5,h century is one
t interest IRON It's usefulness 10 the pab
man OF ahiI'y and one who made TIE
most of the best there was in him.
He attended the public schools Of Par
sonslield, Saco, Limerick, kifingham and
Gorndm Academy and then entered the
sophomore class Of BGwdo!n College, in
1922, graduating tE.Id IN the class Of 1873.
he celebrated c.ass IN which were Henry
". Longlelow, Nathaniel Hawthorne
Jonathan Cilley. John s. {. Abbott,
George +. Cheever and HCratio Bridge
He was the Iast survivor Of his class
and the Oldest living graduate OF Bow
dom College.
After graduation lie taught school ut
The HalloweIl Academy for one year after
which he stLcied law with Hv.l. Rufus
Mclntire Of parsonsfleld, and Hon. Ethan
Shepley Of Saco. He opened a school AZ
Dillingham;. n. H.. in 1879 for the instruc =
lion Of teachers. He, il is believed in do
ing this. instituted the first normal school
chat are in existence and doing such
great good for the preparation of teach =
ers. II was partially on this account that
the teachers of the State always included
him as one OF their honorary members OF
the Pedagogical Society
1t was in 1880 thai he first came to Az
gusta and opened his law office. and ~
Augusta he resided for the rest of his
life. Thus the year 1880 marks the time
from which Mr.. Bradbury's career as Il
lawyer. a business man. a public ser
want, and philanthrop:st began within
the limits of the city. The energies If
his magnificent intellect and the impulses
If his noble heart were ever unsclfishly
devoted to the welfare of his fellow cit
zens and the advancement OF his adopted
city.
In the law practice of the county at the
time Of his settling in Augusta were Pc
leg SpragUe, Reuel Sprague and George
40, g-.air - hfI trrfFi n . "a
quired skill but Mr. Bradbury was equal
TO it and soon built up a large practice,
he largest in Maine ii was said 1t was
said or him that he was a sklllful lawyer
ana an eloquent advocate and never
failed to do justice TO one Of his clients.
He went into partnership with Horatio
Bridge in 1883 Richard u. Rice who read
law with him was later taken into the
firm and he rema4ped until in 1888 when
lie went upon TIE benchs At this time
the firm of bradbury q Mcrrill was be
gun and this lasted until Mr.. Morrill, was
elected to the Senate.
Mr. Bradbury wss appointed in 1885 by
Governor Dunlap, as attorney Tor kenna r.
bee county. and re held this position for
from conviction in that lie. His election
10 The United States Senate was in 1915
for the term beginning March l. 1871. In
the Senate at that time were Webster,
Clay, Calhoun, Benton, Cass, Douglass,
Seward, Chase ana others u great dis
tinction. 1t seemed very odd i'll tie last
days of his life 10 hear him talk of these
men with whom he was associated in
Congress, for they are all looked upon
as men OF another age. but to be talk
ing with a man WAC on the floors Of Cen
Sress held debate with them, was indeed
Il privilege to be esteemed.
lie had in 1874 been delegate to the
Democratic convention in which he thre "
the vote from Maine that resulted in the
nomination of James *. Polk. lie then
took the stump in Maine for Polk. When
he entered the Senate he gave the Pres
idert his heartiess support. This was dur
ing the time of the MEXICAN war and 1T
the time when the Presidents opponent 5
voted against the men and supplies for
the army and later against the rdtliica
ton Of the treaty with Mexico. Through
it all Mr.. Bradbury stood staunchly by
the President.
In 1850 when Clay presented his com
promise measure to prevent the clash be
tween the North and the South, Mr..
Bradbury supported it and he ever after
said he was glad he did it. He was on
he judiciary, the claims. and TIE PRINT
ing committees and then WAS placed on
the special French spoilation committee.
Ii was in 1852 when he made the leading
argument for the French spuiiation act.
He always looked well after the inter
ests of his constituents and the first al
propriat ton for the improving Of the Ken
nebec river was through him. lie also Sc
cured interest on the money advanced IN
the Eastern boundary DISCUSSION. lie
was responsible for the bill that estab-
lished the court of claims. He declined
a recollection ana in 1888 Sc tied down in
Augusta once more. IN 1876 ne was one
of the first Democrats to refuse to sup
port Bryan. and his firm stand for the
yold standard and Mckinley mad q wide
influence 1t showed a remarkable
strength Of character and conviotlon Tor
a man so Old and 50 long i partisan,
He ever took a'deep interest in boWdoln
College and seldom missed a commence
ment He was elected on the board OF
pyerseers in 1916 and to the board Of
trustees in 1861 where he served until his
death. For years he was on the finance
committee. He was president of the new
ly founded Kennebec Alumni Association.
| lie joined the Maine Historical Society IN
| 1916, and was its president from 1850 to
| 1887. He was given a complimentary ain
ner in Portland, June 10. 1877, on the date
| of his S5th birthday.
| He put through the Maine Legislature
| the charter for the first railroad ~
Maine. the Portland, Saco & Portsmouth
| This was in 1885. He also secured the
| charter for the Atlantic & St. Lawrence
| railroad. He was president of the Lith
| COW library since its establishment III
| 1851
| He has ever been constant attendant
| at the Congregational church ana acuv>
| in all work of the church and PARISH. ii
| 1879. greatly mourned and by none NOR
| than bv hic. self, his wife died in whose
| memory beautiful memorial window
| has been placed by him III the church
His wife was Eliza Ann, daughter OF
Thomas w Smith of this city, and tins
marriage occurred in November, GS,i
-Four sons were born, Henry WestbrOok
James Ware, Thomas Westbrook Smiti
| and Charles, of whom only the las
named survives.