Notes for Edwin Bradbury: Edwin Bradbury = Bradbury Memorial #680
In addition to the primary evidence below (#1), here is a list of secondary evidence showing Edwin Bradbury (#680 in Bradbury Memorial) to be the father of John T. Bradbury and his mother to be Mary Ann McPhetres. This analysis should be read along with the notes under Edwin's wife, Mary Ann McPhetres.
1. John T. Bradbury's death certificate, obtained from the National Archives during a search of Civil War records, lists his father's name as Edwin Bradbury and his mothers maiden name as "McPhetres". (Directly links John T to Edwin and McPhetres) ----------------------------------------------------------
2. The Bangor Historical Magazine writes of Historical Bangor Families (Vol 8, page 40):
"Thomas Bradbury, son of Moses Bradbury of Saco (Moses name does not agree with the Bradbury Memorial, which has Jacob as his father's name but everything else is consistent - birth year, moving to Limerick...) born June 17, 1775. Family moved to Limerick. The son (Thomas) came to Bangor in 1802. He was constable 1804, Town Clerk 1807-1815, except 1809. He built the house on Broadway now owned by Gilbert Howell. He has for many years a worthy member of the First Baptist Church. Near the close of his life he removed to Charlestown, Mass. where he died in June 1849. Children:
Amanda b. 5/22/1805 Charles Webster b. 10/30/1807 d. in California John Thomas b. 11/13/1809 d. young Horace b. 12/7/1811 said to have been a Universalist minister in the Western part of the State Edwin b. 10/16/1814. "
(Note: 10/16/1814 is an ideal age to be the father of John T. born in 1840.)
(Directly links Edwin to Thomas) ------------------------------------------------------
3. The Bradbury Memorial (p. 128) links Edwin to Thomas saying the children of Thomas Bradbury and Sally Webster were:
Amanda Charles Webster, b. Oct 30, 1807 John Thomas d. at age 10 years Horace James, b. Dec 7, 1811 Edwin lived in Georgetown, Cal and died there.
(Directly links Edwin to Thomas) ----------------------------------------------------------
4. From the book "The Allens" (from William Allen (1602-1679) of Manchester, England, and of Salem and Manchester, Massachusetts, in the direct line of descent through Nathaniel Allen (1744-1789) of Beverly, Massachusetts and Sedgwick, Maine - to - Lt. Raymond Frederick Allen, Jr. (1931- ) of Rochester, New York, with certain other descendants and collaterals.), Complied by Raymond F. Allen, of Rochester, NY Printed by The Reporter, Inc. Walton, N.Y. - 1958: Pages 91 and 92 lists the children of Thomas Bradbury and Sally Webster as:
Amanda Rev. Charles Webster, b. Oct 30, 1807 John Thomas, d. at 10 years of age Rev. Horace James, b. Dec 7, 1811 Edwin "He lived and died in California. He had one son".
(Note: Having one child and that child being a son is consistent with John T being Edwin's only child.) (Directly links Edwin to Thomas and indirectly links John T (his son) to Edwin) ------------------------------------------------------------------
5. The following census records track the Thomas Bradbury (Edwin's father) family.
1800 None around Bangor 1810 "Hancock Cnty", Bangor, p. 560 1820 Penobscot Cnty, Bangor, p. 6 1830 Penobscot Cnty, Bangor, p. 355 (none in Hermon) 1840 Penobscot Cnty, Hermon, p. 106 (none in Bangor) (M704 Sixth Census of the United States, Maine 1840, Penobscot County (part 1 of 2) Roll #148
Of particular interest is the 1840 census. First, the census taker for Hermon was Thomas Bradbury himself. The census page is signed with the census takers name - Thomas Bradbury. The census for Hermon contains a note that says "The annexed return of enumeration made by Thomas Bradbury assistant Marshall appointed to take the census of Hermon and Carmel. I have examined and hereby certify to be corrected. ... Total 1562 s/Thomas Bradbury". It further states "I hereby certify that the number of persons within my division consisting of the towns of Hermon and Carmel appears in the forgoing schedule subscribed by me, this 27th day of July in the year one thousand eight hundred and forty. s/Thomas Bradbury"
The fact that Thomas Bradbury was the census taker is consistent with his previous occupation - the Thomas Bradbury listed in the 1810, 1820, and 1830 census' in Bangor, was the Town Clerk in Bangor 1807-1815. The fact that there is no Thomas listed in the 1840 census living in Bangor - where he had been the previous 30+ years, and that this Thomas was the census taker, suggests this is the same Thomas and he moved from Bangor to Hermon (on the outskirts of Bangor) between 1830-1840.
The census taken July 27, 1840, and was "as of" April 1, 1840. It lists the following individuals living in the Thomas Bradbury household in 1840:
1) One Male under 5 years of age (presumably John T Bradbury b. Jan 14, 1840 in Hermon, he would have been less than 1 year old) 2) One Male at least 20 but less than 30 (presumably Edwin Bradbury born Oct 16, 1814 in Bangor, he would have been 25-26) 3) One Male at least 60 but less than 70 (presumably Thomas Bradbury, born June 17, 1775, he would have been 64-65) 4) One Female at least 15 but less than 20 (presumably Mary Ann McPheters, born 30 May 1819, the mother of John T Bradbury. She would have been 20 on the "as of" date) 5) One Female at least 60 but less than 70 (presumably Sally Webster, Thomas' wife, born about 1775, she would have been 64-65)
These are all the people living in the Thomas Bradbury household in 1840. From this we can conclude that the older children - Amanda, 34-35 years old, Charles Webster 32-33 years old, John Thomas (died in 1819), and Horace James 28-29 years old, had all moved out. In fact, Horace is listed in the 1840 census (page 193) in Hamden (next to Hermon) with his family. It seems reasonable to conclude that the 20-30 year old male listed in the 1840 census was Thomas' youngest son Edwin, and that the female between 15-20 was NOT a child of Thomas Bradbury, and was probably Edwin's wife (Mary Ann McPhetres) and the mother of the male under 5 (John T).
Also listed in the 1840 census in Hermon is an Abner Burbank (Thomas Bradbury was the census taker for his information also ). See a similar analysis of the Burbank (and McPheters) family listed under Mary Ann McPheters.
(This indirectly links Thomas, Edwin, John T and Mary Ann McPhetres, and validates all were living in Hermon in 1840) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6. Edwin's mother, Sally Webster, died in 1840 "perhaps in Bangor" (per Bradbury Memorial). The Bangor Whig & Courier, Dated December 11 1840, reads: "Died in Hermon on 5th (of December) Mrs. Sally Bradbury, wife of Mr. Thomas Bradbury aged 65."
Edwin's father, Thomas, "removed to Charlestown, Mass and died there in 1849." (per Bradbury Memorial)
(This presents a motive for Edwin, who was living with his parents in 1840, to have made some major change in living arrangements between 1840-1850) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7. In Old Town, ME Marriage Intentions/Marriages - Book B: 1827-1839 It says: "Burbank, Abner G. & Mrs. Anna McPhetres i(ntentions) 20 Sep 1829 (p. 205).
This indicates Anna was married to a McPhetres before since she is referred to as "Mrs.".
8. On Fuller Road in Hermon Maine is a Cemetery named Snow's Corner (Snow was also the maiden name of John T.'s second wife, Emma Snow.) In Row 2, Lot 9 the following people are buried: Moses W. McPheters d. 1852, Sanford McPheters d. 1855, Roxanna McPheters d. 1854, Eunice Anna McPheters d. 1862, Abner Burbank d. 1876, Annie Burbank d. 1876, Sarah Murphy d. 1866.
(All the people buried in the "Burbank" plot are named McPheters (also spelled McPhetres). Clearly, these are Ann's blood relatives (and spouses thereof) since her previously married name was McPhetres. John T. is buried only a few miles from here.) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9. In the Old Town, ME Vital Records "First Town Record Book, 1806-1827" It says: "Children of Moses & Ann McPhetres: Mary Ann McPhetres, b. 30 May 1819; Sanford J. McPhetres, b. 11 Jan 1822."
This is the same Sanford J McPheters buried in Snow's Cemetery. Born Jan 11, 1822 his tombstone says he "died June 27, 1855 Age 33 years 6 months". This further validates that the Ann (McPhetres) Burbank buried there is his mother and Mary Ann his sister. This makes Ann McPheters Burbank the mother of Mary Ann McPhetres and the maternal grandmother of John T Bradbury. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10. In the 1850 Maine Census, taken July 25, 1850, , John T. (10 years old) is listed as living with Abner Burbank and Annie - not this his mother and father.
(This implies something happened to John T's parents between 1840-1850. It is unlikely both parents abandoned John T. We know that Edwin "moved to California" and it may have been during the gold rush (1849). With the possibility of Edwin's wife death, along with the certainty of both of Edwin's parents deaths, between 1840-1850, Edwin may have decided to start a new life elsewhere. The 1850 census indicates a close connection to the "Burbank/McPhetres" family in which John T was living - all named McPheters except Abner. It is clear John T was living with his maternal grandmother Ann McPheters Burbank. It is likely that John T's mother (Mary Ann McPheters) died between 1840 and 1850 and his widowed father, Edwin, left his young son with his mother-in-law Annie McPheters Burbank (See Mary Ann McPheters notes for connection of Annie Burbank to the McPheters). --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11. The Bangor Historical Magazine says that Horace (Edwin's brother) was a Universalist Minister.
All the Bradbury Family, (known to Charles E. III b. 1944) from Charles I (John T.'s son) to Charles E. III were of the Universalist/Unitarian faith. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12. Edwin had a brother (2nd closest to him) named John Thomas who died at ten years of age. Both Edwin and his brother Charles Webster Bradbury named one of their sons John Thomas Bradbury, after their deceased brother. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
13. Horace, Edwin's brother, had a son he named Charles Edwin - possibly John T. named his son Charles Edward after him. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
14. Horace's wife, Harriett Newall Ulrick Bradbury, and his daughter Harriett L., son Louise P, and son Horace W. are all buried in Hampden (Locust Grove Cemetery, Section 4, Lot 431) not far from where John T was raised and is buried. Hampden, Hermon, Glenburn, and Bangor are all adjacent to one another - where many of these families, births, marriages, and deaths took place. (This shows John T living and buried near Edwin's brother's family) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
15. Edwin had a brother - 3rd closest to him - named Rev. Charles Webster who, according to the Bangor Historical Magazine, "died in California." (In the book, "The Allens" it indicates Charles Webster died in Amesbury, Mass on May 4, 1877). Charles Webster served as missionary in California for 10 years. (Source Allens, The). Since all of Rev. Charles Webster Bradbury's children were born between 1839-1848 and they are in the 1850 Amesbury, Mass. census. It is likely his 10 year mission in California began after 1850. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
16. Abner Burbank "presented" John T. for enlistment in the Army to fight in the Civil War Mar 16, 1864, 14th Maine Infantry, Co. E.
Although there is not more primary evidence, there is overwhelming secondary information that corroborates, beyond a reasonable doubt, that John T. Bradbury's father was Edwin Bradbury (#680 in the Bradbury Memorial).
Notes/Follow-up/Further Research:
There is an 1860 "Edwin Bradbury" census record for Eldorado County in California - Diamond Springs, page 79. (Diamond Springs is only 22 miles from Georgetown, CA - both in the heart of Gold Rush country). However, per phonecon between Charles E. Bradbury III and Nora Seery May 1, 1998, who had just returned from a genealogy trip looking for Edwin Bradbury in Georgetown and Diamond Springs California: She found an Edwin J. Bradbury who died 30 April 1881 Aged 54 years, in Diamond Springs. This would make his year of birth around 1827. The Edwin Bradbury (#680 in Bradbury Memorial) I'm looking for was born October 16, 1814. His Obit was in the paper May 7, 1881. He's buried in Odd Fellows Cemetery. (This is NOT be the same Edwin Bradbury however, since there are significant differences in his alleged date of birth / age at death. More research is necessary).
George Worcester (Hannah Staples uncle on her mothers side), d. in Marysville, Cal, Sep 12, 1853 AE 28 yrs He was in Edwin's generation and a brother of John T's mother-in-law. Shows more movement of "Mainers" to California during this time period. Check out Marysville for Edwin.
More About Edwin Bradbury: Bradbury Memorial #: 680.321 Charlemagne: Descendant. Occupation: Lumberman.322
More About Edwin Bradbury and Mary Ann McPhetres: Marriage: Abt. 1839323
Children of Edwin Bradbury and Mary Ann McPhetres are:
Edwin Bradbury (b. October 16, 1814, d. date unknown)
Notes for Edwin Bradbury: