Family Biographies
Generation 1
Joseph Bradley (1809)
Generation 2
Joseph Bradley (1837)
Barbara Robertson Bradley
Joseph Bradley (1837)
JOSEPH BRADLEY was born 1837 in Simmondley, Derbyshire, England. He emigrated from England with his parents in 1842 while just six years old. He led an uneventful life as we know it.
In 1863 at the age of 26, he registered for the Civil War Draft in Racine County and never had to go to war.
He was married to Barbara Robertson on Dec. 28, 1871 in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Six children were born to them with Joseph Franklin or Frank as we all know him being the youngest.
Joseph Bradley was an inventor. He invented a hay- fork in 1869 and received patent number 91, 078 for it. He sold the patent and purchased a 160 acre farm near Williamsburg, Iowa (north of Ames). He never lived there, but it was part of his estate in 1889. He rented it out for 16 years until his son, Frank, went to Iowa to see about relocating there.
Joseph died in 1889, two and half months after his wife died. I believe that they both had pneumonia. They were in their early fifties and left the children to be cared for by the older ones of the family. Our young Frank was only 3 years old when his parents died and thus didn’t ever remember them.
In 1863 at the age of 26, he registered for the Civil War Draft in Racine County and never had to go to war.
He was married to Barbara Robertson on Dec. 28, 1871 in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Six children were born to them with Joseph Franklin or Frank as we all know him being the youngest.
Joseph Bradley was an inventor. He invented a hay- fork in 1869 and received patent number 91, 078 for it. He sold the patent and purchased a 160 acre farm near Williamsburg, Iowa (north of Ames). He never lived there, but it was part of his estate in 1889. He rented it out for 16 years until his son, Frank, went to Iowa to see about relocating there.
Joseph died in 1889, two and half months after his wife died. I believe that they both had pneumonia. They were in their early fifties and left the children to be cared for by the older ones of the family. Our young Frank was only 3 years old when his parents died and thus didn’t ever remember them.
Barbara Robertson Bradley
Barbara I. Robertson was born in Lonmay, Aberdeenshire, Scotland on Nov. 09, 1841 to Wm. & Barbara (Smith) Robertson. She arrived in Buffalo, New York in June 1844. She was 3 years old when they settled in Kenosha County, Wisconsin.
Her father was active in politics and signed a petition to repeal the Fugitive Slave Law in 1851 in Pike or now Somers, Wisconsin. This meant that all slaves were to be returned to their owners.
Not much is known about Barbara, herself. She was the fourth child of seven children. The Robertsons were well known in Somers and active in the Presbyterian church before it became a Congregational church. They were known to have brought their “brood” of children and sit in the second row on the left. Wm. Robertson had the first Kenosha observatory tower on his farm. Before the tower was built, he would measure Lake Michigan levels from his kitchen roof at this home.
When Barbara died in 1889 at the age of 50, her obituary stated that was a strong, religious person with God as the center of her life
Her father was active in politics and signed a petition to repeal the Fugitive Slave Law in 1851 in Pike or now Somers, Wisconsin. This meant that all slaves were to be returned to their owners.
Not much is known about Barbara, herself. She was the fourth child of seven children. The Robertsons were well known in Somers and active in the Presbyterian church before it became a Congregational church. They were known to have brought their “brood” of children and sit in the second row on the left. Wm. Robertson had the first Kenosha observatory tower on his farm. Before the tower was built, he would measure Lake Michigan levels from his kitchen roof at this home.
When Barbara died in 1889 at the age of 50, her obituary stated that was a strong, religious person with God as the center of her life
Generation 3
J. Frank Bradley
J. Frank Bradley was born on June 5,1886, the sixth child of Joseph and Barbara (Robertson) Bradley. Joseph and Barbara’s first child, William, was named after Barbara’s father. It was understood that the next son would carry on the Joseph Franklin name into the 4th generation. However, four girls were born over the following nine years (Carrie, Margaret, Sarah and Eunice). Four years later, at the age of 44, Barbara gave birth to a son who was welcomed with much joy and their family was complete.
When J. Frank was two years old, his parents traveled to Mundelein, Illinois, where Barbara’s relatives lived, to attend a funeral. It was a 30 mile trip from Kenosha, which they probably traveled by wagon in cold, wet March conditions. In less than three months they both were dead. Joseph Bradley’s death certificate says he died of blood poisoning, but it is likely they both died of pneumonia. Interestingly, a worldwide flu pandemic in 1889 had reached the Chicago area. "During March and April there were 3,400 deaths in each month largely due to pneumonia and influenza which seemed to be epidemic.” (The1890 Epidemic of Influenza in Chicago, Its Influence on Mortality 1890 to 1893. W. A. Evans, M. D. and M. 0. Heckard, M. D., Chicago Department of Health.)
Joseph and Barbara Bradley’s children continued to live on the Bradley farm with William (age 16) and Carrie (age 14) in charge of the younger children (Sarah, or Sadie - age 9; Eunice - age 7 and J. Frank - age 3). Twelve year old Margaret went to live with Uncle James and Aunt Nettie Robertson in Whittier, California for a time. Joseph Bradley’s sister and brother-in-law, Thomas and Lucy Lewis, lived across the road and checked on the children daily. Thomas and Lucy had a daughter, Eva, who was the same age as J. Frank and they were very close. Years later, J. Frank came to see his sister Carrie on Mother’s Day, bringing a beautiful rose plant. Attached to it was, in his writing, “To the only mother I have ever known.”
When J. Frank was 17 he planned to move to a farm his father had bought years before at Williams, Iowa. He went to look at the property in March of 1903 during a snowstorm and decided he didn’t want it so it was sold. Later, he said that he had made a mistake because the farm was not far from Ames and had some of the best land in Iowa.
He received his education at Herzog School, the College of Commerce and was a graduate of the University of Wisconsin farm course in 1908. J. Frank came home to farm and was involved in many community groups. The Racine Journal published a letter in 1911 written by J. Frank expressing his opinion on Tuberculin testing of cattle and defending the state law.
On December 28, 1911, J. Frank Bradley and Jeannette Powell Holloway were married, choosing the same wedding anniversary as his parents. Their wedding took place at her parent’s home in Paris with 25 guests present. Katherine Minto and Marjorie Bullamore were ribbon bearers. J. Frank bought a Sears “kit” house and built it for his bride. Later, he managed the “Farm on 38” for C. C. Gittings, a prominent attorney in Racine, eventually purchasing the property. The farm was sold in 1955 and J. Frank and Jeannette moved to Somers.
J. Frank had an excellent singing voice and was often requested to provide music for events. At the annual meeting of the Master Farmers organization, “Mr. Bradley offered two vocal selections and was accompanied at the organ by his sister, Mrs. A. E. Bullamore.” He sang in the Plymouth Congregational Church choir for 40 years, also singing in a quartet for funerals and weddings.
He was a director of the Elkhorn Production Credit Association, director of the Caledonia Mutual Fire Insurance Company, a member of the Somers Board Sanitary District and the Oakwood Cemetery Board. He was elected a master farmer in 1934.
After Jeannette died in October of 1965, Frank declined and nine months later, at the age of 80, he passed away on July 8, 1966.
He was a director of the Elkhorn Production Credit Association, director of the Caledonia Mutual Fire Insurance Company, a member of the Somers Board Sanitary District and the Oakwood Cemetery Board. He was elected a master farmer in 1934.
After Jeannette died in October of 1965, Frank declined and nine months later, at the age of 80, he passed away on July 8, 1966.
Jeannette Powell Holloway Bradley
Jeannette was born on August 27, 1881, the firstborn child of Morris and Katherine (Powell) Holloway. She was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, at the family home at 178 14th Street. Aunt Mary Parsons lived with them at the time and said that Jeannette would have been named Minnie, if she could’ve had her way.
Fourteen months later, Jeannette’s sister, Edith Mildred, was born. Three brothers followed: John in 1885, Edward in 1886 and Charles in 1893.
In 1883, Morris and his father, William Holloway, bought a farm on old Highway 40 in Kenosha County. Morris and Katherine moved in April with their two little girls. Jeannette attended school in Kenosha County.
Later in life, when writing her memories, she recalled her grandparents, William and Elizabeth (Morris) Holloway, living with them. She wrote, “What religion I have, came from them. They kept this old Bible on a table and Grandpa read from it every morning and we all had to kneel down while he prayed. They honestly believed that little Harvey (a son who died at age 7) would be waiting for them inside the gate.”
After graduating from the Rochester Academy in 1899, Jeannette went to Milwaukee. She lived with her Uncle Edward and Aunt Mary Jane Holloway on 26th Street and worked somewhere in the city for about three years. It seems Jeannette was needed at home to help prepare for her sister’s wedding, so she moved back to help Mildred, age 23, plan her wedding to David Minto.
There was some grumbling among the family as to what was taking J. Frank Bradley so long to propose. In a letter from Jeannette’s grandmother, Harriet Powell, she wrote, “I should think Jeannette would get out of patience waiting for her fellow.” But wait she did. In the meantime she learned to be very “handy with the needle” and started a chicken business, raising chickens and selling eggs.
When Jeannette’s mother Katherine went to Montana in 1908 to visit her parents and brothers, Jeannette was left in charge of her younger brothers and the housekeeping. In a letter from Katherine to her daughter, she said, “Jeannette, do not try to do everything, but slight some things. Tell Charlie (age 15) to help all he can.” Jeannette returned a letter to her mother: “Dear Mama, they brought the cutter over here Saturday afternoon and began to fill the silo. There were 11 men. I got through all right and got dinner on time.” Also, “Frank came up Sunday. It rained so we didn’t go to church and he stayed all night.”
Finally, J. Frank Bradley, age 25, asked 30 year old Jeannette to be his wife and they were married on December 28, 1911. Their home was often the gathering spot for family dinners, reunions and Rook club. They also hosted several family weddings. In 1961, J. Frank and Jeannette celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.
Jeannette was passionate about recording family history in her later years. Many notebooks contain her attempts to write down her memories. In July of 1965, three months before she died, she wrote, “Elinor was here. She went through the old Bible and put things together that I had missed. I am still working on the family tree. I was trying to clear out the house so the children would not have so much trouble doing it after we are gone, and also making crochet rugs to keep myself busy. But Elinor thinks they would rather do the clearing out and know more about their background.”
Occasionally in her journals, Jeannette would interrupt the history to give advise. Here are two excerpts:
“To my grandchildren: I do not want to find husbands and wives for any of you, but I surely hope I can hover over you all while you are thinking things over. The right husband or wife apparently makes for success of failure.”
“I, Jeannette, the oldest child of Morris and Katherine Powell Holloway, was warned never to mention this to my father — and my mother was warned not to marry that Morris Holloway — because his grandfather Morris had died in a passion on the street of Wiltshire because a friend had said something to anger him. This I am writing into the family history to show the present generation and generations to come what to expect of their children. I know that I have a fair share of that old Morris temper and I know some others of my generation who also have more or less of it. But it also seems that everyone has to have little temper to get there.”
Grandma Bradley died on October 28, 1965 at the age of 84.
Generation 4
Franklin Bradley
Morris Bradley
Elinor Bradley
Generation 5
Dan Biddick (Son of Roger and Elinor Biddick (Bradley))
School: Attended Iowa Grant High School, UW-LaCrosse & UW Platteville.
Bio:
Grew up on family seed farm. Silent partner in family seed business for many years. Worked in seed sales and distribution for a lifetime. Master’s Degree from UW Platteville in Guidance & Counseling. Former President Wisconsin Turfgrass Association and board member for many years. Served on church, insurance, foundation boards. Founder & owner of Go For Folks, LLC. Former employee of: Trelay, Inc (Biddick, Inc.) Livingston, WI, Simplot Boise, ID, National Seed Downers Griove, IL, Deer Creek Seed Ashland, WI.
Independent seed sales agent, Published author and Pastor of Lima Union Congregational Church Platteville, WI for 26 years.
Jerry Bradley (Son of Morris and Phyllis Bradley)
I was one of four brothers growing up on a dairy farm, first in Racine, Wisconsin and later in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin. I was born in 1946, the second of four boys. I loved everything about growing up on a farm, except milking cows. Milking was not bad work, just relentless. Twice a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, the cows controlled our lives. As my dad would frequently point out to me, they also supported our lives. So I tolerated the milking and liked the other chores and field work. We were a close knit family with a primary focus on getting the farm work done. Dad loved dairy farming, and love it or not, the Bradley boys did their part. By age 10 I became a sports nut. I never missed an opportunity to play baseball, football, or basketball. I followed Braves’ games, Packers’ games, and Badgers’ games on the radio and later TV.
For me, high school, Fort Atkinson, and college, Whitewater, was centered on sports, while recognizing the need to attend classes. I played football and baseball. At Whitewater, I met Lynda Zimmerman, from the Chicago area and we were married in 1969. Over the next 13 years we were blessed with Paul, Deanna, and Pamela. While raising our children, Lynda and I began a corporate journey through Chicago, Houston, Philadelphia, Connecticut, Dallas, Houston, and Dallas.
With my first job I entered the field of labor relations. A farm boy negotiating over two hundred labor agreements, quiet a transition. My first job was at an AT&T plant in Chicago with over 25,000 employees. That was over half the population of Jefferson County. I spent 40 years working in labor relations and human resources. I enjoyed going to work every day. (It was inside work, with no heavy lifting) When I told my Dad that I was going to work for AT&T in Chicago, he made a statement I’ll never forget, “Never be intimidated, unless you meet another farm boy, no one will be able to out-work you.” I did meet some farm boys in my career, and Dad was right, no one could match the work ethic and persistence that a farm background engenders. My career passed through AT&T, Wilson Sporting Goods, Occidental Petroleum, and Pioneer Companies, a Houston based chemical company.
Paul became a plumber, and Deanna and Pam became teachers. Deanna and Pam have blessed Lynda and me with five wonderful grandchildren. We retired to the Dallas area several years ago and live a mile from Deanna, her husband Michael, and their three children. Pam, and her husband Danny, live in Indianapolis with their two children. Grandfathering has become my primary occupation. I love this work also. I do wish our grandchildren could have some of the wonderful experiences I had growing up on the farm.
Paul never married and regrettably passed away on February 1, 2017. Life is always mixed with joy and sorrow. Mom and Dad always taught us to take both with a measured balance.
Joseph F. Bradley (Son of Franklin & Ardith Bradley)
Quick summary of life so far.
Born in Racine and came home to the Bradley original homestead on the County line NE of Somers. Our family moved to Edgerton where younger sister Kathy was born and then in the winter of 1949-50 we relocated to Tuttle Rd in Evansville. I am still here. I attended the White Star School, a one room country school, Evansville High School and graduated from the University of Wisconsin – Platteville in 1968.
One very important date in my life was June 8, 1963. I met a pretty young lady and we are still sharing our lives together 54 years later.
Growing up on a dairy farm gave me a great respect for agriculture in general and the dairy industry in particular. Have been invalid with agriculture my entire life. I entered the military shortly after graduating from college and served in Vietnam. I came home to having the experience of being called a “baby killer” and had my auto insurance cancelled for wanting to take my car to Ft Hood, Texas to finish my military obligation. Great time in American history.
That pretty young lady, Bobbie, and I have had the privilege of bringing four wonderful people into the world and have watched in total amazement as they have grown. They all are contributing in their own special ways to their communities, and to this great nation and world. Bobbie and I are now having a lot of fun watching the grandchildren start to become members of this society.
In my professional life after the Army, I was a fertilizer location manager in Monroe, Wisconsin, farmed with my parents for many years, owned and operated a feed/fertilizer business, did dairy nutrition for many years. I am trying to finishing my working career as an owner/broker of a real estate firm that deal primarily in dairy farms and agriculture land. I still enjoy a lot of it, but would like and will back away from about 80% of it.
Life has been good. I would like to pass on to my grandchildren my faith in God, respect in their fellow man, self confidence in themselves and a solid work ethic.
Quick summary of life so far.
Born in Racine and came home to the Bradley original homestead on the County line NE of Somers. Our family moved to Edgerton where younger sister Kathy was born and then in the winter of 1949-50 we relocated to Tuttle Rd in Evansville. I am still here. I attended the White Star School, a one room country school, Evansville High School and graduated from the University of Wisconsin – Platteville in 1968.
One very important date in my life was June 8, 1963. I met a pretty young lady and we are still sharing our lives together 54 years later.
Growing up on a dairy farm gave me a great respect for agriculture in general and the dairy industry in particular. Have been invalid with agriculture my entire life. I entered the military shortly after graduating from college and served in Vietnam. I came home to having the experience of being called a “baby killer” and had my auto insurance cancelled for wanting to take my car to Ft Hood, Texas to finish my military obligation. Great time in American history.
That pretty young lady, Bobbie, and I have had the privilege of bringing four wonderful people into the world and have watched in total amazement as they have grown. They all are contributing in their own special ways to their communities, and to this great nation and world. Bobbie and I are now having a lot of fun watching the grandchildren start to become members of this society.
In my professional life after the Army, I was a fertilizer location manager in Monroe, Wisconsin, farmed with my parents for many years, owned and operated a feed/fertilizer business, did dairy nutrition for many years. I am trying to finishing my working career as an owner/broker of a real estate firm that deal primarily in dairy farms and agriculture land. I still enjoy a lot of it, but would like and will back away from about 80% of it.
Life has been good. I would like to pass on to my grandchildren my faith in God, respect in their fellow man, self confidence in themselves and a solid work ethic.
Bradley Biddick
I was born into a seed corn family. My Grandfather sold seed corn from our present day seed company in 1906. We have sold seed every year since. I have always been involved with the seed business. My formal education included a BS degree from the University of Wisconsin, graduating in 1969. Informally reading, building and searching “for a better way” has expanded my awareness lifelong.
I joined the family seed business in 1970 in seed production and enjoyed the rapid expansion of our seed business through the 1970’s. During that time I designed and built planting equipment, two conditioning facilities, seed dryers and a house. I began my involvement with the Wisconsin Crop Improvement Association during the 1970’s which included acting as their President and as the Secretary-Treasurer, being only the fifth Secretary-Treasurer since 1901.
During the next decade, I developed more interest in seed marketing and starting businesses. We added a popcorn business in 1983, which today is a successful stand-alone business with unique products being sold nationwide. This business began only as an idea, however, it taught us marketing and the food business. Several trademarks were developed and registered for popcorn products. During this time period I was on the steering committee that formed the Independent Professional Seedsmen Association and have served on their Board and as their President.
The 1990’s brought the need to build another seed conditioning facility after a fire. Further packaging equipment, warehouses and offices were built at that time as well. With the advent of biotechnology I also formed a business alliance, The CORE Group, which created a seed brand to add to existing lineups of five regional seed companies and one international seed company. I acted as their President since inception. The organization was the key to working with Monsanto. Travel opportunities included Argentina, Chile, Russia, Europe, and many US cities.
In 2005 I conducted the sale of one of our companies to Monsanto, with the result being how businesses must change with the times. Today our seed business and popcorn business are growing and thriving. Currently, I am retired, but involved in creating data bases, working in my shop, reading, photography and being involved with my grandchildren. I am Secretary of two corporations that are operated for our seed and popcorn businesses. I married Peggy Christianson in 1967. We have two children, Jason, 46, married to Wendy, who have four children and Amy, 44, married to Jeff Crull, who have three children. “There must be a better way” still drives the desire to contribute and excel in a very dynamic and changing combination of agriculture, food, seed, science, politics and people.
I joined the family seed business in 1970 in seed production and enjoyed the rapid expansion of our seed business through the 1970’s. During that time I designed and built planting equipment, two conditioning facilities, seed dryers and a house. I began my involvement with the Wisconsin Crop Improvement Association during the 1970’s which included acting as their President and as the Secretary-Treasurer, being only the fifth Secretary-Treasurer since 1901.
During the next decade, I developed more interest in seed marketing and starting businesses. We added a popcorn business in 1983, which today is a successful stand-alone business with unique products being sold nationwide. This business began only as an idea, however, it taught us marketing and the food business. Several trademarks were developed and registered for popcorn products. During this time period I was on the steering committee that formed the Independent Professional Seedsmen Association and have served on their Board and as their President.
The 1990’s brought the need to build another seed conditioning facility after a fire. Further packaging equipment, warehouses and offices were built at that time as well. With the advent of biotechnology I also formed a business alliance, The CORE Group, which created a seed brand to add to existing lineups of five regional seed companies and one international seed company. I acted as their President since inception. The organization was the key to working with Monsanto. Travel opportunities included Argentina, Chile, Russia, Europe, and many US cities.
In 2005 I conducted the sale of one of our companies to Monsanto, with the result being how businesses must change with the times. Today our seed business and popcorn business are growing and thriving. Currently, I am retired, but involved in creating data bases, working in my shop, reading, photography and being involved with my grandchildren. I am Secretary of two corporations that are operated for our seed and popcorn businesses. I married Peggy Christianson in 1967. We have two children, Jason, 46, married to Wendy, who have four children and Amy, 44, married to Jeff Crull, who have three children. “There must be a better way” still drives the desire to contribute and excel in a very dynamic and changing combination of agriculture, food, seed, science, politics and people.
Robin Masters (Biddick)
Robin Margaret (Daughter of Roger and Elinor (Bradley) Biddick)
I was born April 24, 1950, the second of 4 children. I was Mom’s birthday gift, as I arrived 2 days before her birthday. They brought me home to a 2 story white house, which had been used for grain storage prior to being cleaned up for a family to live in. I spent my first 4 years of grade school in a one room country school house, Hazel Dell (the same school that my father and grandfather attended). I went to Livingston Grade School in town for grades 5-8. I was a busy high schooler at Iowa-Grant where I tried out for just about every activity there was, except sports, which were not offered to girls. I attended and graduated from UW-Madison, spending my sophomore year at Oklahoma State University. In 1971, I married Mark Masters, whom I met at some 4-H event somewhere, probably in a cattle show ring at the county fair. We made our home at Mark’s family farm near Dodgeville, and still live the same house nearly 46 years later! After college, I taught Home Economics at Darlington, Dodgeville, and Iowa-Grant. We have 3 daughters – Elli (husband Matt Poelzer) in Appleton, Jorja (husband Adam Gander) in Verona, and Meggy (husband Eric Murn) in New York City. They have blessed us with 5 beautiful and fun grandchildren: Logan and Adin Poelzer, Ben and Lia Gander, and Isaac Murn.
After my teaching stint, I worked for 20+ years at Lands’ End in technical design/product development. This job offered me opportunities to travel to many countries, where I visited factories far off the beaten tourist track. I retired in 2011. Over the years, I have been on church committees, held several PEO offices, and served on a couple boards. Mark worked at Trelay for 19 years before retiring and starting up his own grain elevator/storage business. He has been on the local hospital board and the Iowa County Board. We spend a lot of time with grandchildren, and enjoy traveling and gardening.
Some memory snip-its related to the Bradley’s:
Staying overnight with cousin Kathy, long car rides to Evansville/Fort Atkinson/Somers (Mom always kept a Mason quart jar of water in the car on those car rides), saying “help Jimmy get better” in our nighttime prayers, learning how to knit with Kathy after a Thanksgiving or Christmas meal, the smell of Aunt Ardith’s kitchen (always like fresh coffee), the wallpaper in Aunt Ardith’s kitchen, Uncle Franklin’s smile when he came into the kitchen after working in the barn, the lack of things for girls to do at Uncle Morris’ house, big holiday dinners with many people around the table, eating all the leftovers of the holiday dinner meal for supper before heading home, farm families who were not averse to hard work, Blaze the ceramic dog who found his way into unusual places (he now sits unhidden on my fireplace mantel), being in Kathy’s wedding, working in the same school system as Ardith’s sister Carolyn, how much fun and laughter there was when the families of Franklin, Morris, and Elinor got together.
I was born April 24, 1950, the second of 4 children. I was Mom’s birthday gift, as I arrived 2 days before her birthday. They brought me home to a 2 story white house, which had been used for grain storage prior to being cleaned up for a family to live in. I spent my first 4 years of grade school in a one room country school house, Hazel Dell (the same school that my father and grandfather attended). I went to Livingston Grade School in town for grades 5-8. I was a busy high schooler at Iowa-Grant where I tried out for just about every activity there was, except sports, which were not offered to girls. I attended and graduated from UW-Madison, spending my sophomore year at Oklahoma State University. In 1971, I married Mark Masters, whom I met at some 4-H event somewhere, probably in a cattle show ring at the county fair. We made our home at Mark’s family farm near Dodgeville, and still live the same house nearly 46 years later! After college, I taught Home Economics at Darlington, Dodgeville, and Iowa-Grant. We have 3 daughters – Elli (husband Matt Poelzer) in Appleton, Jorja (husband Adam Gander) in Verona, and Meggy (husband Eric Murn) in New York City. They have blessed us with 5 beautiful and fun grandchildren: Logan and Adin Poelzer, Ben and Lia Gander, and Isaac Murn.
After my teaching stint, I worked for 20+ years at Lands’ End in technical design/product development. This job offered me opportunities to travel to many countries, where I visited factories far off the beaten tourist track. I retired in 2011. Over the years, I have been on church committees, held several PEO offices, and served on a couple boards. Mark worked at Trelay for 19 years before retiring and starting up his own grain elevator/storage business. He has been on the local hospital board and the Iowa County Board. We spend a lot of time with grandchildren, and enjoy traveling and gardening.
Some memory snip-its related to the Bradley’s:
Staying overnight with cousin Kathy, long car rides to Evansville/Fort Atkinson/Somers (Mom always kept a Mason quart jar of water in the car on those car rides), saying “help Jimmy get better” in our nighttime prayers, learning how to knit with Kathy after a Thanksgiving or Christmas meal, the smell of Aunt Ardith’s kitchen (always like fresh coffee), the wallpaper in Aunt Ardith’s kitchen, Uncle Franklin’s smile when he came into the kitchen after working in the barn, the lack of things for girls to do at Uncle Morris’ house, big holiday dinners with many people around the table, eating all the leftovers of the holiday dinner meal for supper before heading home, farm families who were not averse to hard work, Blaze the ceramic dog who found his way into unusual places (he now sits unhidden on my fireplace mantel), being in Kathy’s wedding, working in the same school system as Ardith’s sister Carolyn, how much fun and laughter there was when the families of Franklin, Morris, and Elinor got together.
Dinah Overlien (Biddick)
I am the youngest of the Bradley cousins, born in 1959. I grew up in the rolling cornfields of Livingston, Wisconsin. I had a pony named Star and a secret place at the end of the pasture where a tree was once struck by lightning. I spent many happy hours playing in the hay mow, riding my bike up and down the driveway and sitting in the apple tree reading Nancy Drew books.
I learned to count by twos at my older brother’s basketball games and was fiercely devoted to being their biggest fan. On my sister’s wedding day, I spent the reception crying in the bathroom, thinking I had lost her forever.
On the first day of my freshman year of high school, my mother passed away after a battle with cancer. During those difficult days I began journaling, trying to come to grips with loss and grief as a thirteen year old. I also found comfort in music, which would become a big part of my life. I attended Iowa-Grant High School which was a couple of miles down a gravel road from our house. My teenage summers were spent detasseling corn and performing with the “Tell It” singers.
I met a handsome Norwegian preacher’s son at a church retreat when I was a freshman in high school. We lost touch with each other during high school, but renewed our relationship in college. Blake was at Asbury College in Kentucky while I was at Michigan State University. We both agreed to come back to Madison and a year later we were married. We finished school at U-W LaCrosse — I have a degree in Vocal Music Performance and Blake received a degree in Business Administration.
After working in insurance for a few years, there was no doubt that Blake was being called into the ministry, so he drove back and forth to Dubuque Theological Seminary for two and a half years while we kept our home in DeForest. Our first assignment after seminary was a three-point charge in Jim Falls/Holcombe/Anson. We spent seven and a half years there before being moved to Elroy, Wisconsin. Ten years later we were called to Emanuel UMC in Baraboo, where we currently serve.
Blake and I have four children:
Katie, married to Noah — they have four kids (Hudson, Charlie, Ruby and Emma) and live in Madison where Noah works for U-W Hospitals and Katie is a stay at home mom.
Katie, married to Noah — they have four kids (Hudson, Charlie, Ruby and Emma) and live in Madison where Noah works for U-W Hospitals and Katie is a stay at home mom.
Sam, married to Tiffany — they have two kids (Evie and Abel) and live just outside Baraboo. Sam is the owner of Seasons Counseling and is a child therapist.
Anna, married to Dan — they have twins (Eli and Ella) and are moving to Madison this summer. They spent two years as missionaries in Southeast Asia. Dan is in school for physical therapy and Anna teaches private music lessons.
Jake, married to Kelsey — they live in Middleton. Kelsey is a nurse at U-W Hospital and Jake is in the plumbing apprenticeship program with Hooper Corp.
After homeschooling for 12 years I began a career in ministry as the Christian Education Director at our church. This has given me the opportunity to write and lead several women’s Bible studies. I am also the music director for the contemporary worship service. We recently bought a house at Lake Buckhorn and anticipate living there in a few years.
Writing and music continue to be a big part of my life. I blog twice a week at “a small drop of ink” which can be found at www.dinahoverlien.com. Recently, I was a contributing author for a devotional book called “A Little God Time for Graduates” published by Broadstreet Publishers. I hope to compile some stories from our family history in my retirement years.