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JOHN S. BRADFORD was born June 9, 1815, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His father was a native of Delaware, and died in Philadelphia in 1816. John S. learned the trade of a book binder in his native city, and in 1835 started on foot for the City of Mexico. He walked to Pittsburg, thence to Cincinnati by steamboat, from there to Dayton, Ohio, and Richmond, Indiana. At Richmond he was induced, in 1837, to join a corps of United States engineers who were then engaged in constructing what was called the National Road. It was a wagon road, built at the expense of the Unites States government. The road commenced at Cumberland Maryland, crossed the Ohio river at Steubenville, passed through Columbus, Ohio, Richmond, Indianapolis and Terre Haute, Indiana, and ended at Vandalia. The corps of engineers disbanded at the latter point. The State Capital was then in transit from Vandalia to Springfield, and Mr. Bradford came here, arriving December, 1840. In the spring of 1841 he bought the interest of Mr. Burchell in the book bindery of Burchell & Johnson, and became one of the firm of Johnson & Bradford.

John S. Bradford was married July 15, 1841, in Bradenburg, Kentucky, to Miss Adaline M. Semple, who was born October, 1817, in Cumberland county, Kentucky. Her brother, Hon. James Semple, was at that time Charge de Affaires to New Grenada, afterwards United States Senator from Illinois, and still later one of the Judges of the Supreme Court of the State.