DR. LENT BRISTOL BRADLEY, dental surgeon of Beloit, Wis., was born in Madison County, N.Y., July 21, 1820. His parents were John and Eunice (ANDRUS) BRADLEY, the former a native of Vermont and the latter of New York. They were married in Madison County, N.Y., and unto them were born nine children, two of whom are now living. In 1827 Mr. BRADLEY moved his family to Westfield, N.Y., and in 1839 they emigrated to what was then the far West, locating at Roscoe, Winnebago County, Ill. Few people today know of the hardships in traveling which the early emigrants experienced. Our subject drove a team over the mountains and across the wild and unsettled prairie to Roscoe, while the remainder of the family came by water. The parents both died in that city. They were members of the Presbyterian Church, in which Mr. BRADLEY held the honorable position of deacon for many years. As neighbors, they were accommodating; as Christians, true and faithful; as citizens, loyal, and they received the respect of all.
Our subject was educated at the academy of Westfield, N.Y., and when nineteen years of age began the study of dentistry with Dr. FELLOWS of that city, remaining with him for two years, when he opened an office and established business for himself. While residing in Westfield he was united in marriage, in 1838, with Miss Cornelia ABBOTT, a daughter of Asa and Eunice (WHITE) ABBOTT. She was a native of Albany County, N.Y., born in 1818. Three children blessed their union: Frances M., wife of S. F. JENKINS, a prominent business man of East Braintree, Mass.; James A., a dentist, in partnership with his father, married Miss Mary E. SMITH, and they have three children - Clare, Louis, and Mabel; Willis H., of Roscoe, Ill., married Carrie SHAW, by whom he has two children - Frank and Kate. In 1883 Mr. BRADLEY was called upon to mourn the loss of his wife, who died on the 19th day of April. She was a member of the Presbyterian Church, a sincere Christian and a loving wife and mother. The Doctor was again married in January, 1885, to Mrs. M. R. SMITH, widow of Major Daniel SMITH, who lost his life in the late war. They were the parents of one son - Eugene, of Benson, Minn.
In 1839, as before stated, Dr. BRADLEY came west and assisted his father in opening up a farm in Winnebago County, Ill. The country was then but sparsely settled, and as he had occasion to come to Janesville he was obliged to follow an Indian trail, as there were then no roads. A few years after coming west he went to Chicago, where he formed a partnership with Dr. William KENNICOTT, remaining with him for two years, when he returned to Roscoe. He has traveled extensively in nearly all the larger and more prosperous towns. He can well claim the honor of being one of the pioneer dentists of the northwest, as well as one of the pioneer citizens, for a half century has now passed since his emigration to the Mississippi Valley. He was the first dental surgeon in Roscoe and Rockford, Ill., and Beloit, Wis. At the time of his arrival the whole State of Wisconsin did not contain as many citizens as are found in one-half of Rock County today. Everything was in a wild state, few improvements had been made, and the future brightness of the country could scarcely have been dreamed of even by the most far sighted. The Indian trails have long been obliterated by a perfect network of railroads, the pioneer log cabins have been replaced by elegant residences. The wild prairies are transformed into beautiful farms, till now scarcely a vestige of frontier life remains to remind the people that but half a century has elapsed since this country was almost an unbroken wilderness.
From The Portrait and Biographical Album of Rock County, Wis - page 356, 357
Submitted by Carol