Bio by Beth Bradford ~ updated 12-4-2020
Cornelius R. Bradford was the son of Samuel Bradford and Elizabeth Pate born about 1854 in the Bee Log area of Yancey Co., NC. I have not come across a record so far what the "R" stood for. There has been much debate about his birth year. Looking at census records, CR Bradford was not noted in the 1850 Yancey Co., NC census in his parents' household and during the 1860 census, his parents declared "Neeley" age 6 thus putting his birth year 1854. In the 1870 census, he was noted age 18 (b. 1852). His first marriage was to Sarah A. Woodby, d/o James Woodby and Susannah Honeycutt. They married on January 18, 1877, and in that record it showed his age 22 (b. 1855) and Sarah was age 18. Another piece of evidence to support his birth year. He and Sarah had 11 children together:
William, Lovaska, Hannah Agnes, Mary Emaline, Cynthia, Willard F., Joseph M., Carter C., Samuel, Birdie F. and Milburn. Sarah died on 5 Aug 1911, and is buried at the John Evans Cemetery in Burnsville.

CR Bradford remarried on July 20, 1911, in Yancey Co., NC to Rosanna Bennett (d/o Amos Bennett and Isabelle Ledford). The marriage record showed that CR Bradford was age 55 and Rosanna was age 35. Once again, another document proving CR was born around 1854-55. Rosanna was a widow, previously married to Uriah Bennett who died in 1909. She and Uriah had 3 children together. The marriage between CR and Rosanna was turbulent and thus they separated. She died February 1, 1914 from a heart attack - literally frighten to death per her death record. Her father was the informant of her death. CR Bradford was a suspect in her death as the headline read "Neil Bradford Charged with the Complicity of Wife's Death." It is alleged that he sent two young boys over to her house to scare her by shouting and shooting off their pistols. The coroner stated she died from heart failure as a result of fright.

Three months later after the death of Rosanna, CR married a 3rd time to widow Saraphine "Fine" Parker-Wilson on 10 May 1914, Yancey Co., NC. In that marriage record CR stated he was age 59 putting his birth year 1855; Fine stated she was age 45. She was previously married to John Wesley Wilson who died in 1895 and they had 6 children together.

Based on aforementioned records, it puts into question CR's military service during the Civil War as he was a child. Assuming he was born in 1854-1855, he would have been between 9-10 years old in 1863 when the Civil War began. Although the Union set the minimum age of 18 to serve, it was not enforced and many people simply did not know their ages when they enlisted. The Confederacy set no minimum age so it is possible that CR was a child soldier serving in some minor capacity.

On July 11, 1932, CR Bradford applied for a CSA Pension. He declared in his application Affidavit that he was age "86" placing his birth year 1846 which we know is incorrect based on several records. He stated the following: "The applicant does not know the number of his regiment or company but believes it was the 16th NC Regiment. Company in command of Capt. Holloway. Also served under Col. McElroy before the war closed of the 16th NC Reg."

He retained an attorney to assist with his application which stated CR Bradford enlisted in March 1864. He would be 10 years old based on the 1860 Census. The War Department in Washington, D.C. could find no record of his service with the 16th Regiment. After several months of investigation and back and forth correspondence, he was eventually approved for a Pension on June 1934. He died that year on November 3, 1934.