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WILLIAM BRADLEY is one of the well known pioneer citizens of Sprague. At the present time he holds a responsible position on the Idaho division of the Northern Pacific. He has risen to this position and held it for many years by reason of real worth and ability. An account of his life will be interesting and encouraging to many who are laboring to obtain success and it is with pleasure that we append the same.
William Bradley was born in Ireland, in 1859, the son of William and Mary (Feeley)
Bradley, both natives of the Emerald Isle, where also they remained until the time of
their death. The common schools of his native country furnished the educational training
for young Bradley and when twenty he started
for the New World, sailing for New York
where he arrived in due time. After three
months in that metropolis, he came on to Minnesota where he worked on the Northern Pacific. He was in the construction department
for three years and in the spring of 1883, came
to Sprague, taking a position in the same department and on the same road. For three months, he was an ordinary hand on the section, then was promoted to the position of section foreman. For six years he faithfully discharged the duties of that position before the
next step of promotion came and during this
time as during all the years of his service for
the company, he had been making an especial
study of everything connected with the construction department of the railroad. There
was no detail too small to escape his notice nor
was there any problem too great but that he
ultimately solved it and the result was that
when he was fully competent for his promotion,
he was called to take up the responsible and im-
portant position of road master. He was duly
installed in this position and since that time,
has continuously served on the Great Northern
Pacific railroad with ability and execution that
have made him a very important factor on this
division. Mr. Bradley has not only displayed
a thorough knowledge of everything connected
with his department but is also well acquainted
with the railroad in general. In addition to the
happy faculty of handling men to the best advantage, he is a man of excellent judgment and
very keen in observation. Very nearly a quarter of a century has elapsed since he first entered the employ of the Northern Pacific railroad and he is practically the only one of the
old railroad men with the company now who
were here with them when he came to Sprague. It is not merely chance that Mr. Bradley has
won and held the position that he occupies but
it is the result of painstaking labor and stanch
attention to business in every detail and those
who would emulate such a career must banish
the idea from the mind forever that it is "luck"
and a "pull" that bring success in the industrial world. On the contrary it is merit and
ability and a man who is handling large interests today, learned yesterday to care for every
detail of the affairs that were under his supervision however small they might be. All of
which is proof of the old proverb, "He that
is faithful in the least is faithful in much."
On November 6, 1894, Mr. Bradley married
Miss Mamie, daughter of Frank and Helen
(Morey) Wilcox, the wedding occurring in
Sprague. The father was born in Wisconsin,
followed merchandising, and now lives in Portland. The mother died in Portland a number
of years ago. Mrs. Bradley has the following
brothers and sisters, Guy R., Paul D., Gertrude, Elmer. Mr. Bradley was one of a family
of five children, those besides himself being,
James, Robert, Mrs. Norah Finan, and Mrs.
Annie Mahoney.
Mr. and Mrs. Bradley are both members of
the Catholic church and are devoted and substantial people. They own a handsome brick
residence on the top of the hill near the Catholic
church in Sprague and the grounds are beautifully laid out and supplied with lawn, flowers,
shrubbery, trees and so forth. Mr. Bradley
also owns a half-section of wheat land which
is well improved and the land rented. He
came here with no capital and is now a man
of means.
To Mr. and Mrs. Bradley, three children
have been born, Robert, Marie, and Loretta,
all at home and attending school.
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