Jefferson County Historical Society

Home - Biographies Menu

 

Joseph Bradford, superintendent of the Mammouth Mines, Valle Township,
and gravel road contractor, was born in Liverpool, England, June 10,
1850, and is the son of John Bradford, also a native of Liverpool. The
parents immigrated to the United States in 1857, and settled in New
York City, where Joseph was reared and educated.  They subsequently 
returned to their native country, but Joseph remained in his adopted
home, and has been engaged in contracting on public works for several
years.  He was one of the foremen in the construction of the Hoosac
tunnel, built the Bloomingburgh tunnel, New York, and also the Fourth
Avenue tunnel in New York City.  He was foreman in the construction of
the Beacon Street tunnel, which supplies Boston with water, and, with
a partner, did all the rock work on the Northern Missouri Railroad 
between Ferguson and the Union Depot, St. Louis.  In 1876, he sunk a 
shaft 170 feet deep in Mammoth Mines, Jefferson County, Mo., and one
at the Virginia Mines, Franklin County, to a depth of 300 feet.  In
January, 1870, Mr. Bradford married Jane, daughter of James Mercer.
Mr. and Mrs. Bradford are the parents of the following named children:
John, Charles, Mary E., Joseph, Jennie and an infant.  Mr. Bradford 
owns ninety acres of land.