Andrew Jackson Brady    

BRADY, ANDREW JACKSON, was born in Mahoning township, Indiana county February 3, 1815. His father, James Y. Brady, was a prominent citizen of Indiana county, and held the office of justice of the peace for forty years. His mother was Sarah Ricketts, of Virginia, and a very estimable woman. They had quite a large family, two of whom, the subject of our sketch and his brother, Oliver, became citizens of Jefferson county. His father was a cousin of Captain Sam Brady, of Indian fame.

In 1840 A. J. Brady, who was a carpenter and cabinet maker, came to Pine Creek township to build a house for Mr. John Long. He remained for a year or two and worked at his trade in the summer, and taught school during the winter. One of the schools taught by him was the Moore school, near Emerickville. On the 3d of March, 1842, he was married to Miss Susannah Catherine Long, daughter of Mr. John Long, and returned to Indiana county and went to farming.

In those days money was very scarce, and books of all kinds were luxuries often unobtainable, and Mrs. Brady found herself in her new home without a Bible. Having been brought up to read and abide by the Word of God, she felt this deprivation very much, and as soon as an opportunity presented, she purchased the volume from which the records for this sketch have been taken, and for which she paid the last money in her possession, the only time when, as she says, she was ever obliged to part with her last cent; but she felt that she must possess a Bible of her own at any sacrifice.

The young couple worked hard, and being young, healthy, and energetic, they succeeded. When the first little one came, the mother took it with her to the field, and placing its cradle in the shade of a tree, she followed after her husband’s plow, setting up the corn or helping put up the hay. After the first two years they were able to hire a hand, and from that time Mrs. Brady was relieved from out-door work; but she looks back to those early days as among the happiest of her life.

About 1848 A. J. Brady sold his farm in Indiana county and returned to Jefferson county, and in 1850 with Irvin Long, his brother-in-law, bought the Port Barnett property, and in addition to the mills he also kept the old Barnett Hotel. In 1849 Mr. Brady and Samuel Findley bought a fleet of boards and ran them to Cincinnati, where they sold them. In 1852 he sold the Port Barnett property to Jacob Kroh, Sr., and moved to Brookville and purchased the house on the corner of Mill and Main streets, in which he resided until 1857, when he purchased the property on Mill street where his family still resides.

In 1867 Mr. Brady made a trip to England, in the interest of the heirs of William Robinson. He left New York September 23, and landed in Liverpool October 7. Although not successful in his search, Mr. Brady enjoyed his trip to the old country very much. He visited all places of interest in Liverpool, London, and Nottingham, among others the Crystal Palace. He returned home in the latter part of November.

A. J. Brady was one of the most prominent and successful business men in the county. He was the senior partner of the firm of Brady & Long in the lumbering business, and the Blame mill and the lumber business connected with it is yet conducted under the same firm name. He was well identified with the lumber interests on Redbank Creek, and for many years he owned considerable valuable real estate, and was possessed of considerable of this world’s goods.

He was always prominently identified with the Republican party, and for years held the office of justice of the peace in Brookville, and was elected and re-elected assessor again and again. He was always honest and straightforward in all his dealings with his fellows, and so strong was the faith of his neighbors and those who knew him in his integrity that he was guardian for scores of orphan children.

On the 16th of November, 1865, after an illness of some duration, he calmly passed from earth.   Mr. Brady was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, but made no loud professions of religion. He was as unassuming in his church relations as in his daily life, but his faith in his heavenly Father was steadfast and sure. When about to embark on his trip to England, he wrote to his wife: "I put my trust in God, and I beheve that he will permit me to come back again. I have a good deal of faith in your religion, and I want you to pray for me when I am at sea, and I will pray for myself and all the rest at home."

He was a true and steadfast friend, and the troubles of his friends affected him almost as much as if they had been his own.

Mr. and Mrs. Brady had eleven children.  Of these Hezekiah E., Sarah Elisabeth, Margaret Alvira, Mary Alzaide, Nora Adelphia, Harry Grant, and Walter Zeigler died in infancy, except Maggie, who was taken from earth when a lovely girl of some twelve summers.

Four children yet survive—Lewis Armstrong, now residing in DuBois, Minerva J., married to John Matson, Jr., and a resident of Brookville, and Milton Seymour, also married and residing in Brookville, and Gertrude, who, with her mother, resides in the homestead.

History of Jefferson County : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers. Syracuse, N.Y.: D. Mason & Co. 1888   Search Hundreds of 1880s-1890s Pennsylvania County History Books for biographies and historical information on your ancestors.  View the book page images on line and print them out for your genealogy file!  Free Access to the old history books - plus birth & death records, census images and ALL other records at ancestry.com.