Alexander Keith Bradford, Birth: 1809 - Dandridge Jefferson Co., Tn - Death: Sep
1, 1873, Jackson Co., Ala.
Alexander Keith Bradford was the son of James Bradford and Catherine Keith
Bradford, both originally from Fauquier County, VA. He was born 1809 in
Dandridge, TN. He died September 1, 1873 in Jackson County, AL.
Alexander Keith Bradford was married three times. His first marriage was to
Sarah Jane Keith, a first cousin, by whom he had two children. Jane was the
daughter of Isham Keith of Fauquier County, VA (Catherine Keith Bradford's half
brother, son of Capt. Alexander D. Keith and a Yancey wife) and Margaret
Sangster. This made her AK's half first cousin. They were married (according to
the National Banner & Nashville Whig of Friday March 27, 1835) on March 27, 1835
in McMinn County, Tennessee. A.K. In this marriage record was listed as a
merchant in Dandridge, TN.
Both of the children of this marriage died in their first years and are buried
in the Hopewell Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Dandridge, TN. They are buried
next to AK's father James:
Kitty L. Bradford who died February 10, 1837 at age 1 year 2 months 19 days
James K. Bradford, who died October 6, 1839 at age 1 year and 6 months
It is clear from this record that AK and Jane were married at least through
1841. We cannot determine whether Jane died or the couple separated. Jane cannot
be found in Hopewell Cemetery, but neither can she be found living with Keith
relatives in Tennessee (her father Isham was dead by this time). There is a
potential third child from the marriage, Mary, who is living with AK and his
third wife Margaret Moore in the 1860 census in Bernardsville, Roane County, TN.
AK's second marriage to Frances Hodges, widow of Joseph Hodges (born in 1832),
took place on May 23, 1849 in Jefferson County and was officiated by Reverend
James Fuller.
It is assumed that this short marriage ended in Frances' death, and she is
probably buried with her first husband, the father of her three children. His
grave is unmarked. AK continued some association with her sister, who became the
wife of his brother Napoleon's son, Joseph.
Alexander Keith's third and final marriage was to Margaret Moore, the sister of
his brother Theodoric's wife Mariah Moore. They married on November 4, 1852 when
Alexander Keith was 42 and Margaret was 26 years old.
Margaret Moore was the daughter of Cleon Moore and Margaret "Peggy" Creed Moore.
She was born February 28, 1826 in Hawkins County, TN and died in childbirth in
Senatobia, Mississippi on August 5, 1868. Margaret was 16 years younger than
Alexander Keith. With Margaret Moore, he had eight children, six of whom lived
to adulthood.
About the time of his third marriage, there was considerable upheaval. Though
many of their children were born in Dandridge, AK and Margaret moved from
Dandridge to Barnardsville , TN, where AK operated a ferry.
When Tennessee succeeded from the union, Dandridge and much of the eastern part
of the state effectively succeeded from Tennessee. When the Bradford family
decided to fight on the side of the South, so we were told by the current church
warren at Hopewell Presbyterian Church (the church his mother's family helped to
found) in Dandridge, the church refused to give church letters to members who
fought for the South and left the church, in effect holding their "souls"
hostage.
While in Roane County, TN, Alexander Keith fought for a short period in the
Civil War as a private in Weckler's Tennesse Calvary Battalion (State Troops).
It is difficult to imagine Alexander Keith's level of participation since he was
53 years old at the beginning of the war. They do not seem to have participated
in any battles during AK's involvement with the batallion.
It cannot be determined exactly when the family left Tennessee bound for Texas.
Chancery court records indicate that their home was abandoned by 1863, and was
bought by others in 1866. We can know for sure only that he was in Texas in 1866
when Alexander "Ollie" Keith Bradford was born. He was probably living in
Hempstead, TX. An IRS Tax assessment records for 1866 includes a "Mrs. A. J.
Bradford" paying tax as a retail dealer. AK, as a southern renegade, could not
have appeared on official records.
From Texas, the family moved to Senatobia, Mississippi (in the northwest corner
of the state) at the war's end and they were there through 1968. In Senatobia,
Margaret died in childbirth two days after the birth of their last child, Maria.
Alexander Keith apparently escaped a typhoid quarantine of the area to bring his
children to Jackson County. Kate Bradford wrote:
One night during the middle of the night, Mr. Bradford picked up his family and
what little belongings he could carry and quietly left Mississippi and moved to
Jackson County, Alabama in 1868. On the way, his ox stepped through a bridge and
broke his leg. The ox had to be shot, but Mr. Bradford brought along the horns
to Alabama.
When Alexander Keith left Senatobia August 5, 1868 as a new widower, he would
have had a wagonload of small children (ranging from age 13 down to 3 days), a
free black man who had been with him since he was a child (Peter Big), and a wet
nurse (otherwise three-day-old Maria would not have survived). Alexander Keith
was apparently trying to reach two well-to-do family members who already resided
in Jackson County: his first cousin General John Coffey and half-first cousin
once removed Henry Clay Bradford. He moved to the Hollywood/Martintown area,
close to where his first cousins resided.
Both Alexander Keith and his brother Theodoric show up in the 1870 census nearly
destitute for Jackson County, AL as living in Stevenson, but this is the last
census where Alexander Keith is found. He died in 1875, and is buried in Cross
Cemetery. General Coffey's wife was a Cross, and he is buried with his cousin's
family. His minor children were reared by AK's brother Theorodic and his wife
(their mother's sister) Maria and by their older sisters.
AK's grave is unmarked, but he is reportedly buried inside the wrought-iron
Cross family enclosure with his first cousin General John Coffey and his family.
His Parents:
James Bradford (1777 - 1839)
Wife:
Margaret Moore Bradford (1826 - 1868)
Children:
Bradford, N B. (1853 - 1857)
Bradford, Henry (1854 - 1924)
Summers, Janie F. Bradford (1858 - 1905)
Clendenon, Arizona Bradford (1859 - 1946)
Bradford, Charles Keith (1862 - 1937)
Bradford, Alexander Keith (1866 - 1910)
Patterson, Maria Lee Bradford (1868 - 1960)
Siblings:
Evans, Letitia Bradford (1804 - 1862)
Bradford, Napoleon B. (1805 - 1833)
Bradford, Alexander Keith (1809 - 1873)
Bradford, Theodoric Isham (1812 - 1906)
Dunkin, Mary Elizabeth Bradford (1814 - 1859)
Simpson, Margaret Eleanor Bradford (1817 - 1856)
Inman, Catherine Wilson Bradford (1817 - 1857)
Record as built by: Annette Bradford, (2014)