Williamson R. Bradford, citizen and farmer of the northern part of Lauderdale
County, was born September 21, 1836, in the same county. His father was a
native of North Carolina, who came to Tennessee, and settled in the southern
part of Lauderdale County. He was married in North Carolina, to Elizabeth
Carrigan, a native of that State and a daughter of John Carrigan, who was a
native of Ireland. In 1826 the family came to Tennessee and located near
Durhamville, where the children, eight in number, were raised and educated.
The father was a farmer and moved to the Seventh District in 1861, where he
died December 1, 1869, and the mother died at the home of our subject in
April, 1872. W. R. Bradford was raised on a farm; he enlisted in the
Confederate Army and belonged to the First Regiment of Cavalry, under Col.
Cox, and participated in the battles of Murfreesboro, Chickamauga and
Missionary Ridge, Jonesboro, Ga., and Perryville, Ky. He enlisted in January
1862, and served until he was surrendered with Wheeler’s command at
Gainesville, Ala. Mr. Bradford was married in Lauderdale County, December 17,
1866, to Lavina Powell, a daughter of Elias Powell, a farmer of Middle
Tennessee. Four children were born to them; two living: Ophelia A. and Emmet
B. Mrs. Bradford was born in Williamson County, November 28, 1842. Mr.
Bradford was an old line Whig, but is now a Democrat. He owns a farm of 200
acres, and is regarded as one of the substantial men of the county, being
upright in all of his dealings, and generous in disposition.

Goodspeed’s Biographies of Lauderdale Co., TN