Walter S. Bradford
Walter S. Bradford was born in Brunswick, Medina County, Sept. 8, 1833. He was educated at Macedon and Canandaigua academies, New York, as a civil engineer and surveyor and followed that profession in Iowa and Wisconsin for several years. In 1857 he was elected surveyor of Humbolt County, Ia., and served one term. He then returned to Ohio on account of declining health of his parents and settled in Mansfield in 1858, which city has been his home ever since. At the beginning of the war of 1861 he was general agent for the book concern and publishing house of Moore, Wilstach, Keys & Co., of Cincinnati, but soon after entered the army as recruiting first lieutenant for the First Regiment Ohio Heavy Artillery. Afterwards he was mustered into the Second Ohio Heavy Artillery as a full senior first lieutenant. In 1863 he was adjutant of the battalion of artillery at Forts Sands, Boyle and McAllister at Muldray's hill, Ky., and was adjutant of that post. In 1864 he was adjutant of the regiment, adjutant of the post of Cleveland, Tenn., drill master of sergeants and ordinance officer of the regiment. In 1865 he was adjutant of the post at Knoxville, acting assistant adjutant general of the Second Brigade, Fourth Division of the Army of the Cumberland, was promoted to the captaincy of Co. K. of said regiment and took command of Ft. Lee at Knoxville. He was tendered the engineership of all the fortifications and defenses of Knoxville, but declined because of accepting he would have supplanted an old friend and Richland County boy. Aug. 17, 1864 he participated in the engagement at Cleveland, Tenn., with the Cavalry of Gen. Wheeler, now in Congress, and with his regiment joined Gen. Steedman's column in Wheeler's pursuit. Nov. 1, 1864 he marched with Gen. Tillson's command to open communications with the Union forces then in critical situation at Strawberry Plains, Tenn., where his regiment engaged the enemy and drove them out of east Tennessee. Dec. 7, he went with this regiment to Bean's Station, east Tennessee, with Gen. Ammen's command covering the operations of Gen. Stoneman. At the close of the war he took charge of the eastern branch and bookhouse of Moore, Wilstach & Baldwin, in New York City. In the winter of 1866-67 he was principal of the Mansfield grammar schools at the old market house. The following year he was engaged in the grocery and provision business in the firm of Peck & Bradford. In 1873 he was elected clerk of courts of Richland County, served one term and practiced law since. In 1894 he was nominated for clerk of courts and was defeated by William O'Hearn by the scant plurality of 19 votes. In the recent primary election he was nominated by a very large majority. Capt. Bradford needs no eulogy. For nearly 40 years he has been an honored and honorable citizen of Mansfield and is known throughout the county as a man of ability and integrity..
From Semi-Weekly News: October 23, 1896, Vol. 12, No. 86]