Carrie Williams Jones County Historian

When the Central of Georgia railroad came through what is now the town of Bradley, August 9, 1886, there was only a pine thicket. Just beyond the station to the northeast was a rather thickly settled community. The community was named Franks for the grandfather of John Wiley Bradley. Wiley Franks was the largest landowner in this section. From Wiley Franks descended the Bradleys, the Barnes, and the Mulligans. John W. Bradley and Allen Wheeler gave the right of way for the railroad. Mr. Bradley became the first depot agent. The first store was built and operated by John Bradley. This building was later converted into a dwelling and eventually became occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Claude Glawson and family.

The first school was a one room house near the home of J. J. Glawson which also served as a meeting house. Later J. W. Glawson gave the land for a church and school at the station. The deed of land was given to the church on July 16, 1897 and the church completed in the early spring of 1898. John Bradley father of J. W. Bradley was one of the largest contributors. He gave the building and wrote the data which was placed in the cornerstone.

The school was built on adjoining property and school began there in the fall of 1906. At one time it was one of the largest schools in the county from the standpoint of pupils and teachers, and boasted a high school as well as a grammar school. In 1929 this school was consolidated with Gray and the building torn down and moved to Gray where it was made into a gymnasium. The property was given to the church November 4, 1930.

When J. W. Bradley founded the town, he had the land surveyed and off into lots a plat which may be found in the county courthouse. The Bank of Bradley was established in 1920. This bank closed during the depression of 1929 when the Fourth National Bank in Macon closed. Bradley has had spurts of industrial growth. First were the cotton gins, which did a thriving business when cotton was king. The Bradley Gin and Milling Co. flourished for a number of years. Then came the peach industry, and Bradley became one of the largest shipping points for peaches not only in the county but in this section of the state. Refrigerator cars were lined on the sidetracks as far as the eye could see. Often thirty cars were packed and shipped in one day.

A more recent industry (published in the 1950s) was the Cherokee Products Co. a canning plant operated in Bradley by the Bloodworth Brothers until is was moved to Haddock. Bradley can boast of the first and largest Jones County Fair ever held. The exhibits from this fair were carried to Macon and displayed at the State Fair. It had the largest horse track and some fine horses. This track was owned by John Bradley, father of the founder.