Tom Bradford of Warsaw
Tom Bradford was born November 5, 1888 and died March 27, 1956. His father was Jackson Bradford, born 1847. His Mother was Harriet M. Woodall, born December 15, 1847, died March 15, 1919. Tom had a brother James F. Bradford born March 14, 1878 , died February 11, 1949
Tom's first wife was Mary. Mary died from rabies around 1920. There were six or more children from this marriage.
Lillie Mae Bradford, born 1910
Jim C Bradford born 1912
Lela B Bradford born 1913
Jim Bradford born1915
Paulene Bradford born 1918
Leon Bradford born1920
Tom then married Rosa Etta Childers. There were 13 to 14 children from this marriage. Mary and Etta could have been sisters.
Their children were:
Hazel Bradford May 25, 1922 – October 14, 2006
Homer Bradford November 12, 1923 – November 9, 1965
Willie Jackson Bradford June 4, 1925 – September 26, 2002
Jesse Bradford December 16, 1926 – June 27, 1997
Olin Bradford March 19, 1929
Curtis Eugene Bradford December 19, 1931 – September 4, 2002
Calvin Bradford March 21, 1934 – November 2, 1995
Benny Roger Bradford May 30, 1935 – June 15, 2007
Tom Ed Bradford June 24, 1937 – November 28, 1995
Charles Everett Bradford July 1, 1939
Rosa Gail Bradford February 10, 1941 – February 10, 1941
The Bradford's were sharecroppers and tenant farmers. Tom could barely read or write but was good with mental mathematical calculations. Tom and Etta's children were all mostly successful.
Willie had a successful furniture shop and Benny Roger Bradford had a successful floor covering store in Chamblee for over 25 years.
Tom's son, Benny Roger Bradford, loved the Andy Griffith shows. He always mentioned that the character Briscoe Darlin on the show reminded him of his father, Tom. And a quote from the show delivered by the character Briscoe sums up the Bradford family, 'you got time to breathe, you got time for music'. Tom played the fiddle, Benny played the fiddle, Charles plays multiple instruments and has recorded many a tune. Willie and Curtis played the guitar, and on and on. I guess due to their economic situation early on, music was their entertainment and they were quite accomplished.
Benny was a champion fiddles player. He performed on the stage of the Grand 'ole Opry as a young man with Bill Monroe, but selected family life instead.
Barron Bradford, son of Benny, calculates that he is the 65th grandchild of Tom and Etta Bradford and thinks he is the second to complete college. A cousin, Nelson Anglin, was a pharmacist in Duluth.
Family folklore states 13 boys and 6 girls...one or two still births. Family joke regarding the above list…Tom farmed part-time…fathered children the other time.
Submitted by Barron Bradford
