History of Berne, (Albany County) New York United States of America

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Biographies:

Joseph P. Bradley, lawyer, was born at Berne, N.Y., March 14, 1813, son of Philo and Mercy (Gardiner) Bradley, and a descendant of Francis Bradley, New Haven, Conn., 1638. He was graduated at Rutgers college in 1836; studied law in the office of Archer Gifford, Newark, N.J., and became assistant collector of the port of Newark. He was admitted to the bar in 1839; and practiced in Newark 1840-72. He assisted Gov. William Pennington in an investigation of the affairs of the Camden and Amboy railroad company; became counsel and one of the directors of the New Jersey, Trenton, and Philadelphia and of the Camden and Amboy railroads, and also of the Delaware and Raritan canal company. He was also retained by the state in some of the most remarkable murder cases. Mr. Bradley was strong in an argument before the bench. He was for many years actuary of the Mutual benefit insurance company, and president of the Mutual life insurance company of New Jersey. He was a thorough mathematician, and when he needed relaxation from the severe studies of his profession he resorted to his favorite study, calculating the eclipses of the sun and moon, investigating the transit of planets, and calculating calendars for forty centuries to come. He was a profound theologian and thorough scientist. Justice Bradley was a Whig in early life and afterwards a conservative Republican. In the civil war his position as director and counsel of the railroads between New Jersey and the south gave him opportunity to greatly facilitate the movement of troops and suppHes to the army, and he personally conducted several regiments to the front. In 1862 he was the Republican candidate from the 6th congressional district of New Jersey to the 38th Congress, but failed of an election. In 1868 he was an elector-at-large from New Jersey on the Grant and Col-fax ticket. Mr. Bradley was appointed associate justice of the supreme court of the United States in March, 1870, by President Grant. He was assigned to the southern circuit and subsequently succeeded Mr. Justice Strong to the 3d circuit, embracing Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. Justice Bradley was a member of the electoral commission which met to determine the presidential election of 1876, and was the last to read his opinion. The commission was equally divided, each member having expressed an opinion in consonance with his political affiliation, and when Justice Bradley read his opinion, and sustained it with a lengthy argument that was printed as a part of the proceedings of the commission, the work of the body closed, and Mr. Hayes was declared elected by a majority of one electoral vote. He was married in 1844 to Mary, daughter of Chief Justice Hornblower of New Jersey. His widow and three children, a son and two daughters, survived him. His many opinions, scattered through forty volumes of the reports of the decisions of the supreme court, are imperishable monuments of his legal ability. In 1859 the degree of LL.D. was conferred upon him by Lafayette college. He died Jan. 22, 1892.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

John Butterfield, pioneer expressman, was born at Berne, near Albany, N. Y., Nov. 18, 1801. He began to earn his living in passenger and freight work at Albany, before the days of railroads, by conveying passengers by lines of stages from Utica, afterwards establishing stage routes throughout New York state; acquired interests in packet boats and steamboats on Lake Ontario; originated the street railroad in Utica, and constructed local plank-roads. When railroads superseded these modes of transportation he organized the Black River railroad and railroads from Utica south. In 1850, at his suggestion, the express firm of Buttefield, Wasson & Co., of which he was the principal, and Livingston, Fargo & Co., and Wells & Co., were consolidated, as the American express company, of which corporation he was director until his death. He was among the early investors in the electric telegraph, and built the Morse line between New York and Buffalo. He also put in operation the Overland mail route, and contracted with the government to carry the U. S. mail between Mississippi River and the Pacific ocean. He was interested in other stock companies and business enterprises, while farming also occupied his attention towards the latter part of his busy life. He served as an officer in the New York state agricultural society, was elected mayor of Utica and was one of its most energetic, popular and public-spirited citizens. He died in Utica, N. Y., Nov. 14, 1869.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor