John F. Bradner, Esq.

The PRESS gives above a very good picture of John F. Bradner, esq., for the past sixteen years Police Justice of the village and Recorder of the city of Middletown, who was elected at the recent charter election for an additional four years and who yesterday commenced his new and fifth term of office.

Judge Badner was born at Scotchtown, in the town of Wallkill, December 9, 1851. His father Dr. Ira S. Bradner, who is the oldest physician in the city today, removed to Middletown when the subject of this sketch was about five years old. Both father and son have been residents of Middletown ever since.

In his boyhood Bradner attended the Middletown public schools and did his share towards making temporarily miserable the lives of Jirah I. Foote, M.D. Stewart, D. Kerr Bull and later of George H. Decker and A.B. Farnham, all well known former Middletown teachers. The birch was freely used in those days, and one of the old-time boys to whom the writer applied for information said: “John was a mischievous dog, and it was a dull day if he didn’t get licked at least once, that is, when he was a lad. The most of us would get off the first day without being whipped, but with John’s first day to D. Kerr Bull he got it before noon.”

After taking the course at the Middletown schools he went to the well known Ford Edward Institute and later to the Rural High school at Clinton, the seat of Hamilton College. Here he passed the entrance examination and was admitted to the Freshman class at Hamilton. For good reasons, however, he was obliged to forego a college course. He then came to Middletown and entered the law office of Groo & Vanainee as a law student. This was in 1869. He afterwards entered the Albany law school and was graduated from that institution in 1871. After graduation he hung out his shingle in Middletown.

About this time Isaac R. Clements, now the president of the Merchants and Manufacturers’ National Bank, who had very ably and satisfactorily filled the office of police justice for several terms peremptorily declined a reappointment. A petition for Mr. Badner’s selection to the position headed by the name of Mr. Clements was quietly circulated and readily signed by the leading businessmen of the town without regard to party. It was not necessary to present this petition as his was the only name before the board. Mr. Bradner was appointed Police Justice in April 1876 and was reappointed for four successive terms – 16 years in all. Under the city charter adopted in 1888 the office was made elective and at the recent charter election for the first time Judge Bradner was a candidate before the people.

The campaign is still fresh in the minds of the readers of the PRESS. Notwithstanding the fact that he had necessarily made many enemies during his long term of office among the classes that he had been compelled to discipline, and who naturally would do their best to defeat him, and with a strong and shrewd political worker against him Mr. Bradner was elected, running only 30 votes behind the leading candidates on the republican ticket, and this too without any compromising promises being made by him or in his behalf. Under the circumstances it is a record of which the judge and his friends may well be proud.

Judge Bradner is a firm believer in the future of Middletown and has shown his faith by free investments in real estate.

The judge lives on Academy Avenue, in this city, where the wife and three bright and attractive children help to make a pleasant and attractive home.

Of Judge Bradner’s honesty, ability and especial fitness for the position filled by him, the PRESS has often spoken, and as the people have so recently put the seal of their approval upon him nothing more need be said on that score.