Jehial Bradford

JEHIAL “Hial” BRADFORD  1804-1845

Ralph Otis Bradley's Great Great Grandfather

Born 25 July 1804, at Berkshire Lower Canada. (Lower Canada is now Quebec, and Berkshire is now in Vermont, the U.S. - Canadian border having been changed a few miles since 1804.) He was the eighth son of Joel Bradford and Tryphena Smith. His parents, along with his father’s twin brother Hosea and wife Parthenia, who was Tryphena’s twin sister, moved north from Springfield, Vermont. There seems two reasons for this move; politics and religious unrest in Vermont. 

Not long after Je Hial was born the two families started west. Next we find them in the 1820 Census in Switzerland County, Indiana. There the Bradford families became quite prosperous. Over the years they owned hundreds of acres of land near the Ohio River. Later, for some reason not known, Hosea and family moved up into Ohio. While living in Cotton Township, Switzerland County, Indiana, Je Hial (Hial) met and married Abigail Sprague in Vevay, Indiana 21 August 1830. There in Indiana five of their seven children were born. 

In or about 1839 Hial’s father-in-law met “Mormon” missionaries in Switzerland County. Soon the two families had joined the Church. While living in Switzerland Co., Hial became the legal guardian of his sister Lois’ son, James Washington Nicholes. In November 1842, Hial petitioned the court to be released from this obligations, the boy was almost of legal age.

We find that Hial and Abigail had already been up to Nauvoo, IL, and had their patriarchal blessings on 12 March 1841, from Hyrum Smith. So we assume that at least Hial went back to Indiana to this court proceeding and also to sell several parcels of land. 

In Hancock County, IL, Hial and Abigail bought a farm 6 miles south of Nauvoo on the Mississippi. A little while later he purchased another one from a neighbor. Hial’s son, Rausel, injured his wrist and they were taking him to a doctor, fearing the hand would have to be amputated. On the way there they met the Prophet Joseph Smith. He examined the child’s arm and hand and told them to go back home and promised them that it would be made well and strong. With faith in the Prophet they obeyed and the child was healed. 

Little is known of Hial’s activities while in Nauvoo, except that he was a faithful Latter-Day-Saint. He was ordained a Seventy on 15 Dec. l8.

Toward the end of Abigail’s seventh pregnancy she became very ill. Hial was called in from the fields where he had been working with his son, Sylvester, who was not quite six years old. Hial immediately went to get a sister-in-law to come help Abigail. Upon arriving back (after dark) the sister-in-law went right in the house to help and Hial took the horses to the barn. He was a long time coming in and as they went to look for him they found him trying to feel his way to the house. He had gone blind and was very ill. He died that night, a strong man cut down in his 41st year. (We recognize this age does not agree with that published in the “Nauvoo Neighbor” but it does seem to agree with other dates.) We suppose Hial died of a stroke of some sort. A small notice appeared in the newspaper, “Nauvoo Neighbor” of 3 Sept. 1845 under ‘Sextons Reports for week of August 24th. It states, “Died: Hial Bradford, age 39”. Thus ended the life of the first Bradford to join the Church. He died in the act of helping, being a good husband and father. 

(The material for this sketch was taken from: Patriarchal Blessings Records, Vol. 1 Church History films in Church Historian’s Office. 1920 Census of Indiana. Land records of Switzerland County, Indiana. Marriage records and court records of Switzerland Co., Ind. The last 3 records were extracted from originals in court house in Vevay in Oct. 1977 by Lavon B. Jones. Other material from stories handed down by Abigail to her grandchildren. Also from excerpts taken from book “Life of Archibald Gardner” in the genealogical library) This life sketch of Je Hial “Hial” Bradford compiled by Lavon Bradford Jones, his great granddaughter, June 1979