NATHAN BALL BRADLEY

N. B. Bradley Company

Nathan Ball Bradley

In 1858, Nathan Ball Bradley moved to Bay City, Bay County, Michigan. He was the owner of the N.B. Bradley Company which was a lumber company and sawmills.

In 1877, Nathan Ball Bradley, owned and operated the following parcels of land in Lakefield Township.

1. 80 acres in Section 25

2. 317 acres in Section 33

3. 440 acres in Section 36

All of these properties had the North Branch of the Bad River running through them.

“Nathan Ball Bradley was born in Lee, Berkshire County, Massachusetts on May 28, 1831.  He moved with his parents to Lorain County, Ohio, in 1835; attended the common schools; moved to Wisconsin in 1849; employed in a sawmill in the pine region. Returned to Ohio in 1850 and built and operated a sawmill until 1852, when he moved to Lexington, Michigan and engaged in the manufacture of lumber. In 1855, Nathan moved to St. Charles, in Saginaw County and became owner of a sawmill, associated with him was Lewis Penoyer, under the name of L. Penoyer & Company. He purchased a mill in Bay City, Michigan in 1858 which he operated for 32 years.”

He served Bay City in the following manner:

1. Justice of the Peace three terms

2. Supervisor for one term

3. Alderman three terms

4. First Mayor of Bay City in 1865

5. Member of the State Senate 1866-1868

6. Vice President of the First National Bank of Bay City

7. Elected as a Republican to the 43^rd and 44^th Congresses

8. Instrumental in establishing the first beet-sugar factory in the state

He passed away on November 8, 1906 in Bay City, Bay County, Michigan.

SOURCES: 1877 Lakefield Township Plat Map; Bay-Journal – Bio's Website