John Bradford was an American pioneer printer of Kentucky. He is noted for the establishment "The Kentucke Gazette", the only newspaper in the area of Lexington at that time, and for also for his political and business ventures.
Background
John Bradford was born on June 6, 1749 in Prince William (later Fauquier) County, Virginia, the son of Daniel and Alice Bradford. His father was the eldest son of John Bradford and his wife Mary. His grandfather of the same name is said to have been born about the year 1680 and to have married in 1710. Beyond this his lineage is uncertain. It may be added, however, that he was not related to the Bradfords of Massachusetts unless very remotely.
Career
After his marriage in 1771 to Eliza James, he evidently went to Kentucky in 1779, but the rest of his family did not join him there until six years later. Before the arrival of his wife, there is evidence that he served in Bowman's campaign against the Indians and as a deputy surveyor under George May, the chief surveyor of what was then Kentucky County, Virginia.
He first settled on Cane Run, but in or about the year 1787 he moved with his family to Lexington where he thereafter made his home. At the third--sometimes called the fourth--convention which assembled at Danville on September 4, 1786, to discuss the separation from the State of Virginia and the establishment of a new state, a committee appointed to induce a printer to settle in the territory finally selected Bradford, even though he was without practical experience.
The first number of his paper, the Kentucke Gazette (spelling changed to "Kentucky" in March 1789), came from his log cabin print shop on August 11, 1787.
Associated with him in the enterprise was his brother Fielding--a partnership which lasted until June 7, 1788. Greatly handicapped in getting paper, ink, etc. , Bradford produced a newspaper that compared very favorably with the precursors of the press in other territories. From his shop in 1788, he sent forth the Kentucke Almanac, the pioneer pamphlet of the West.
In connection with his duties as Printer of the Territory he published in 1792, the acts of the first session of the Kentucky legislature, the first book printed in Kentucky. In addition to his printing, he continued at times his work as a civil engineer and served as a deputy under Colonel Thomas Marshall, first chief surveyor of Fayette County and father of Chief Justice John Marshall.
He was in turn clerk of the board of Transylvania Seminary, a member of the board, and then chairman. Resigning the chairmanship in 1795, he became, with the founding of Transylvania University in 1799, the first chairman of the board. Resigning again in 1811, he became chairman again in September 1823 and held that office until November 1828.
He was instrumental in founding the Lexington Library which he often served as one of its trustees. He held numerous offices connected with the county of Fayette and represented that county in the House of Representatives of Kentucky in 1797 and again in 1802. In his early newspaper days he was somewhat litigious, as were most pioneer printers, but in later years he became more charitable in his views, and in his respect for the rights of others.
On August 25, 1826, he began the publication of his "Notes of Kentucky" in the Kentucky Gazette which in 1802 he had transferred to his son Daniel, but which in 1809 had been sold to Thomas Smith who in turn in 1814 had returned the paper to Fielding Bradford, Jr.
In this series John Bradford contributed sixty-two papers, the last of which appeared in January 1829. Because he had been so closely associated with the Kentucky pioneers, he knew intimately about the struggling days of Kentucky and could therefore write with authority. At the time of his death he was high sheriff of Fayette County.
Achievements
Religion
In politics Bradford was a Jeffersonian Republican and was a member of the Democratic Society of Lexington which was modeled after the Jacobin Society of Philadelphia. He was never so partisan, however, but that he was willing to admit to the columns of his paper the contributions of those who were opposed to him in political matters. Through the pamphlets which came from his press he did much to promote public discussion of political affairs.
Views
The epithet, "the Kentucky Franklin, " was sometimes applied to Bradford, for he was both a printer and a philosopher, and was also interested in mathematics and astronomy. Like Franklin he did much to promote education.
Membership
Bradford was a member of the Democratic Society of Lexington.
Connections
John Bradford was married in 1771 to Eliza James, a daughter of Captain Benjamin James of Fauquier County.