This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Bradford, Blades, Russell and Smith Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/topics.organizations.mayflower/339.1.1.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Hi David, I have that John Bradford was born in 1798 in Tennessee. From a granddaughter of John Bradford named Stella Bradford I received these hints. He was relation to a family by the name of Russell and also a family by the name of Smith. He had a brother that was killed by a falling tree named Henry. The family originally were in Maryland and migrated to Mechlinburg? North Carolina and then into Tennesee and thru Kentucky into Indiana. Some relatives lived in Switzerland County Indiana. Using these hints I have found a Mary Ann Bradford from Grainger County Tennessee who married there about 1800 or shortly after and moved to Franklin County Indiana. She married a Russell and he died shortly after. She had one son by him and another on the way when she made the trip to Indiana. Later she married a Mr. Gant. There are Gants burried in the cemetery where John and Sarah Blades Bradford are burried. A Benjamin Bradford was either a witness or signed for her to marry the Russe! ll. In Bartholomew County Indiana there was a David Bradford and wife Mary very early. They moved to Jennings County Indiana. When David Bradford died it mentions one son named David who was a minor. But, David Sr or Jr. owned land close to where my father was raised on the "Old Bradford Place". Also early in Bartholomew County was a Elias Bradford who married a Senia Deweese. I don't know if he is a brother or not. I have dates etc, but just trying to get you an answer right now and will fill in later. We still have not had our Christmas family party. It is tomorrow night. After that I can dig up the dates. I tend to think that our John's father was John Bradford and wife Elizabeth Mann, but have not found the proof. Where the Smith family comes in at I still don't know, but was told by Stella Bradford that our John was raised by a family named Smith. When searching in Switzerland County Indiana found a family of Bradfords that had connections to the Smith family there. Stella had mentioned Switzerland County Indiana. So, I have not cracked thru on this brick wall either, but seem to be skirting around the answer. Let me know what you think and if you can suggest any place for me to look around here. I live about 5 miles from the old Bradford Home Place and about 7 miles from where John and Sarah Blades are burried. Do you have on back on the Blades family? If not, I can fill you in on what I have. Hope to hear form you. Your distant cousin, Carol