| Birth | Stephen Bradley was born circa 1837 in Deal, Kent, England. |
| INFO | KANSAS STATE CENSUS 1875. 1 Mar 1875 = Stephen is in the same household as brothers Henry and Charles.= Kansas, Republic County, Courtland Township. Bradley, H.H., 49, M, Farmer & Miller, real estate value 560, personal property value 328. Bradley, Stephen, 32, M, farmer, real estate value 0, personal property value 2. Bradley A., 30, F, Farmer's wife. Bradley, Chas E. 31, M, farmer. All in household born England and came from England to Kanas. (KansCensAnc.) |
| Exhibit | PHOTOGRAPH. Formal portrait of Stephen Bradley. From Barrett family album, labeled "Stephen Bradley Farmer (Kansas) U.S.A." (Corres RHBRT 28May2013.)  |
| INFO | US CENSUS 1880 (1 Jun 1880) Kansas, Republic County, Elk Creek Township. Bradly, Stephen, W, M, 35, single, farming, self and parents b. England. Bradly Charles E., W, M, 31, brother, single, work on farm. Self and parents b. England. (USCens1880 roll 394, ED286 p.166C.) |
| INFO | BRADLEYS STORE IN AGENDA, KANSAS. Newspaper story on the history of Agenda published in the Belleville (Kansas) Telescope 20 Apr 1961. "The first building erected on the [Agenda] townsite was a store 28x50 feet built by Joseph Cox in the fall of 1887. The building was rented to Stephen Bradley who commenced selling merchandise in November of that year, and whose store was continuously known as Bradleys Store for many years. . . . The post office was kept at the depot for some time, then it was moved to Bradleys store and Bradley was appointed postmaster. . . . The Agenda M.E. Church . . . was chartered August 29,1891, with . . . and Stephen Bradley as Charter Members." (BelleTeleDig.) |
| INFO | KANSAS STATE CENSUS 1895 (1 Mar 1895) Republic County, Elk Grove Township, Agenda. Bradley, 51, male, white, b. England, to Kansas from New York, merchant. Also in household, D.H. Brown, 25, a clerk, and H.A. Smith 22, a minister. (KansCensAnc.) |
| Marriage | He married Lolela E. Malaby 4 October 1898 in Kansas. |
| INFO | US CENSUS 1900 (1 Jun 1900) Kansas, Republic Co., Elk Creek Township, Agenda. Bradley, Stephen, head, w, m, b. Nov 1843, age 56, married, 2 years, self and parents b. England, to US 1870, in US 30 years, naturalized, grocrie [sic] merchant, can read and write, can speak English, owns a house. Wife Lolela E., w, f, b. May 1867, age 33, married 2 years, no children, self and parents b. Ohio, can read and write, speaks English. Servant Joseph Webb, w, m, b. Apr 1882, age 18, single, b. Missouri, father b. Ohio, mother b. Wisconsin, salesman, can read and write, speaks English. (USCens1900 roll 497 ED0090 page6A.) |
| INFO | KANSAS STATE CENSUS 1905. (1 Mar 1905) Republic County, Elk Creek p.23 Family #40 Bradley, S, 60, male, white, owns house free of mortgage, merchant, born England, from NY to Kansas. Bradley, L E, 37, female, white. born Ohio, from Ohio to Kansas, milliner. (KansCensAnc) NOTE: Stephen's brother Henry is listed next on the census page. |
| INFO | US CENSUS 1910 (15 Apr 1910) Kansas, Republic Co., Elk Creek Township. Bradley, Stephen, head, m, w, 65, 1st marriage, 11 years, self and parents b. England, to US 1870, naturalized, speaks English, retail merchant in general store, employer, can read and write, owns a house free of mortgage. Wife Lolela E., f, w, 42, 1st marriage, 11 years, no children, b. Ohio, father b. Delaware, mother b. Virginia, speaks English, a milliner, own store, on own account, can read and write. (USCens1910 T624-454 ED0099 sh1B.) |
| INFO | KANSAS STATE CENSUS 1915 (1 Mar 1915) Kansas, Republic County, Agenda. Stephen Bradley Sr, 71, male, white, owns a home free of mortgage, b. England, to Kansas from New York, retired merchant. Lolela E. Bradley, 45, female, white, b. Ohio, to Kansas from Ohio, housekeeper. (KansCensAnc.) |
| Death | Stephen Bradley died 9 January 1919 in Kansas. |
| INFO | CEMETERY DATA. Agenda Cemetery, Republic County, Kansas, USA. Stephen Bradley, birth: 1837; death: 9 Jan 1919. FindAGrave memorial #87803236. (FindAGrave.) |
| INFO | OBITUARY. Belleville (Kansas) Telescope. 16Jan1919, page1. Deaths Stephen Bradley. "Stephen Bradley was born and reared in Deal, near Dover, England. . . . he came to America while still a young man, and a year later was followed by his brother Harry and wife. In 1870 the two brothers came to Kansas and took up homesteads near Brantford, Kansas, and were very prominent in the development of the new state. . . . he taught school . . .. Later he, together with W.G. Robinson, opened a store in Brantford, Kans. . . . When in 1888 the Rock Island railroad came through, and Agenda . . . was made a station, Mr. Bradley opened the first store in the new town. For about 40 years he held the position of postmaster, either in Brantford or Agenda. He was very prominent in all the activities of the commonwealth, and whether as store-keeper, postmaster, director of the bank, or trustee of the church, he could always be depended upon to do his part and do it well. . . . . . Many a family in the early days could testify to the help and relief which was given them by his generous dealings. . . . October 4, 1898, he was married to Lolela E. Malaby, a successful teacher in the public schools of Clay Center. Their home-life was ideal, each proving a congenial companion to the other. He has been in declining health for several years. . . . November 21, 1918, when he was suddenly stricken. The doctor pronounced him in precarious condition . . . January 9, 1919, at his home in Agenda, Kans., the spirit of this brave soul took its flight to God who gave it. He leaves to mourn his departure his wife and one brother, Charles Bradley of Agenda, and one sister, Mrs Selina Gooderson, of London, England, together with other relatives and many friends." . . .. (BelleTeleDig 16Jan1919, p.1.) |
| INFO | ESTATE DISPUTE IN COURT. report in Narka News (Belleville and Narka Kansas) 24 Feb 1921, page 1. Bradley Case Attracts Attention. " The Bradley case from Agenda, involving the estate of the late Stephen Bradley, Sr., estimated at upwards of $75,000, was being tried in the district court Thursday and Friday, and a large number of witnesses and others were in attendance from the east part of the county. The case was instituted by Stephen Bradley, Jr., a nephew of the deceased against the latter's widow and administratrix, Lolela Bradley, for specific performance. In 1897 Stephen Bradley, the uncle, 57 years of age and then a bachelor, was engaged in the mercantile business operating a store in Agneda and another in Brantford. Early in 1897 the uncle wrote to his nephew's mother, in England stating he was getting old and wanted one of the nephews to come out and assist him in his stores. According to the petition the suit was based on the uncle's alleged promise in a letter to theyoung man's mother in England to pay all expenses of the trip and make him heir to all the property he then owned and which he might later acquire. The plaintiff Stephen Bradley, Jr., further alleged that his un- [sic] uncle in America and the latter promised to furnish him a home and treat him as his own son. Afterwards the uncle married Loela E. Bradley who was made defendant in the case. The plaintiff Mr. Bradley made a trip back to England a year ago. Attorney Chas. Hunt of Concordia, represented the plaintiff and Vance and McTaggart the defendant. Some of the evidence was from depositions of witness taken in England. Judge Hagin decided in favor of the defendant." (NarkaNewsDig 25Feb1921.) |
Stephen Bradley