Home
Isaac Ambrose Bradley
Sumner County, Tennessee
Perry County, Illinois
Mary T. "Polly" Jones (b. 27 Jan 1811, KY; d. 2 Sep 1855, Perry Co., IL)
Biography
Isaac Ambrose Bradley, son of Joshua Bradley and Nancy Gardner, was born on 3 March 1806 in Sumner County, Tennessee. On 22 April 1830, he married Mary T. "Polly" Jones in Randolph County, Illinois. Mary was born 27 January 1811 in Kentucky.
Perry County Farmer: Isaac was a farmer and lived in Perry County, Illinois. Perry County, formed in 1827, was located north of Jackson County where many of his Bradley relatives settled. Isaac's choice to settle in Perry County helped establish another Bradley family stronghold in Southern Illinois.
Public Service - County Commissioner
Isaac served as County Commissioner from 1842 to 1849, a seven-year tenure during which he helped guide Perry County through a period of growth and development. This lengthy service demonstrates the trust and confidence his fellow citizens placed in him.
Family Life: Isaac and Mary had at least seven documented children. Mary died on 2 September 1855 at the age of 44 and was buried in Jones Cemetery in Perry County. Isaac survived his wife by nearly 24 years.
Later Years and Death: Isaac died on 11 April 1879 in Perry County at the age of 73. He is buried in Bradley Cemetery near Denmark, Perry County, Illinois. This cemetery, which bears the Bradley family name, also serves as the burial place for his sister Elizabeth Bradley's husband, Reverend Richard Gilliam Davis, and other family members, reflecting the strong Bradley presence in Perry County.
The Bradley Cemetery Legacy
The Bradley Cemetery near Denmark, Perry County, stands as a testament to the family's deep roots in the area. The cemetery's very name honors the Bradley family's contribution to the community. Isaac Ambrose Bradley's burial here, alongside other Bradley family members and their relatives, demonstrates the family's lasting impact on Perry County.
Children of Isaac Ambrose Bradley & Mary T. "Polly" Jones
7 Children
Emily Bradley
(?) 21 Apr 1831 - 8 Nov 1839Gabriel Jones Bradley
Jul 1831 - 1900/1910Malinda Osborne (b. ca. 1832, IL; d. 1880-1900, Independence Co., AR)
Nancy C. Bradley
Jan 1833 - 1900/1910John H. Vann (b. Dec 1828, IL; d. 1900-1910, probably Eastland Co., TX)
William Theodore Bradley
14 Jul 1835 - 10 Feb 1907Elizabeth Sharp (b. 1 Oct 1839; d. 14 Feb 1866)
Mahala M. _______ (widow Lively) (b. 20 Aug 1837, MO; d. 6 Jun 1872, Perry Co., IL)
Cynthia J. Lamb (b. 7 Apr 1852, Dodge Co., WI; d. 22 May 1939)
James Turner Bradley
Sep 1841 - 27 Oct 1927Harriet L. Dunlap (b. Oct 1846, IL; d. 1922, Perry Co., IL)
Strother A. Bradley
Oct 1846 - 18 Aug 1939Martha L. McDonald (b. ca. 1851, GA; d. 1888-1896, Hood or Palo Pinto, TX)
Martha ______ (b. Dec 1867, TX; d. 1910-1920, Palo Pinto Co., TX)
Richard A. Bradley
May 1850 - 1920Esther Ann Lamb (b. Apr 1856, WI; d. 1920, Perry Co., IL)
Geographic Dispersion of Isaac's Descendants
While Isaac Ambrose Bradley spent his entire life in Perry County, Illinois, his children and grandchildren demonstrated the westward expansion typical of the late 19th century. Descendants moved to Arkansas, Texas, and possibly New Mexico, while others remained in Illinois, maintaining the family's presence in Perry County.
Two of Isaac's sons were named after prominent Bradley family members: Gabriel Jones Bradley (named after his mother's family and the Black Hawk War commander) and Richard A. Bradley (named after his legislator uncle).