U.S. Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ -- USGenNet Inc. -- Please read the U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on the following page: --------------------------------------------------------------------- Brady, James Benjamin (1876-1939) --------------------------------------------------------------------- A History of Preston County West Virginia Biographical Department, Supplied by J. R. Cole Kingwood, W. Va., The Journal Publishing Company, 1914 by H. S. Whetsell Pages 750-752, JAMES BENJAMIN BRADY. The Brady family is a large one and considerably diffused. They are of Irish descent, the ancestors of whom came to America long before Revolutionary times, and settled in and around what is now the present site of Hancock, Washington County, Maryland, where they are to be found in that locality at the present time in goodly numbers. Henry Brady, the great-great-grandfather of J. Ben Brady, was born in Ireland and came to this country when a young man probably about the year 1740, and settled in what is now Washington County, Maryland, near the present site of Old Fort Frederick, about fifteen miles east of Hancock. He married a Scotch woman whose name is now unknown. His son, James Brady, the great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch was born and lived all his life in that locality, his occupation being that of a farmer and shoemaker. About the year 1782 he married an English woman whose maiden name was Smith, and who was a relative of Captain John Smith of Virginia. She died in 1845 at the age of ninety-three years. The children born to this marriage consisted of two daughters and four sons, namely: Eleanor, Caroline, Henry, William, John and Edward. William Brady, the grandfather of J. Ben Brady, died in Hancock, Washington County, Maryland in 1865, at the age of fifty-eight years. He was a farmer and miller, and for a time during the Civil War, superintended a mill at Georgetown, D. C., which supplied grist to the Government. He married Catherine Feidt, daughter of Henry Feidt, from Bremen, Germany. She died in 1860. The children born to this union were as follows: George, who lived and died in Hancock, Joshua, who moved to Columbia, Missouri, and died there, William H., of whom mention will again be made, John J., a resident of Baltimore, Maryland; Emily, who married Isaiah Smith, now deceased, who lived at Hancock; Rebecca, who married David A. Brady, a cousin, who was a son of Edward Brady, son of James, now living at Annapolis Junction, Maryland; Ellen, who married Joseph F. Hixson, a farmer, living near Hancock; Rose, Martha and Mary, each of whom died at an early age. William H. Brady, son of William Brady, was born in Hancock on the 5th day of November, 1846. He was a miller and farmer, and is now residing at Berkeley Springs, Morgan County, West Virginia. As a miller and farmer he was successful in securing a competency for himself and family. On the 24th day of November, 1874, he married Margaret Anna Belle Boyles, a daughter of James Boyles, who was born in 1804 and died in 1876, and who lived on the homestead farm which has belonged to the family for the past three generations. James Boyles, who was the son of Henry Boyles, was born in what is now Morgan County, West Virginia. The mother of Margaret Anna Belle Boyles was Margaret Pritchard, who was born in 1817 and died in 1847. Her ancestors were of an old Virginia stock from in and about Winchester, Virginia. The children born to this union are James Benjamin, of whom mention will again be made; Mary Edna, who married John Aimfield Proctor. She was born the 15th day of September, 1881, and died the 4th day of April, 1912. No children were born to this marriage. Helen Francis is unmarried and living with her parents at Berkeley Springs, West Virginia. Because of the superior advantages in Berkeley Springs for the education of his two daughters, who are both younger than the subject of this sketch, William H. Brady moved from his farm to that place in 1898. As an ardent supporter of schools, he has been a member of the board of education in his adopted town, and withal, is a man of public spirit and action along all lines of public utilities. James Benjamin Brady was born in Morgan County, West Virginia, on the 1st day of December, 1876. He was reared on a farm, and when nineteen years of age, he graduated from the Berkeley Springs High School in the spring of 1895. Following this he taught public school for two years, one term of country school and one term as first assistant of the Berkeley Springs High School. His educational career was afterwards completed at the West Virginia University at Morgantown, where he took a two years course in literary work, following with a two years course in the study of law, graduating from that department of the University in the spring of 1903. During the following summer he located in Kingwood, Preston County, West Virginia and engaged in the practice of his profession. His professional career was begun in the office of Hon. William G. Brown, now member of Congress. Then a partnership was formed with Col. R. W. Monroe, but since the death of the latter, Mr. Brady has been engaged in the practice of his profession alone. His lot seems to have been well cast, for his practice is a good one, his reputation as a counsellor enviable, and his citizenship one of which the people are proud. He confines his attention closely to his professional duties, and aside from being a member of the council of the Town of Kingwood, and Treasurer of the Republican Executive Committee of Preston County, he holds no other office. On the 1st day of November, 1905, Mr. Brady was married to Mary Cornelia Godwin, daughter of Captain Joseph M. and Sarah E. (Stone) Godwin of Kingwood. This family are members of one of the oldest in the county. --------------------------------------------------------------------- From Death Certificate, Preston County, WV #3899 FULL-NAME: J. Ben Brady BIRTH-DATE: December 1, 1877 BIRTH-PLACE: W.Va. DEATH-DATE: March 10, 1939 at age 61y-3m-9d DEATH-PLACE: Mononghelia Co. Hosp., Kingwood, Preston County, WV MARITAL-STATUS: Married (Mary C. Brady) OCCUPATION: Attorney FATHER: William H. Bradi (born in Morgan Co., W.Va.) MOTHER: Margret Boyles (born in W.Va.) CAUSE-OF-DEATH: Lobar Pneumonia / Lower left lobe, middle right INFORMANT: Mary C. Brady (of Kingwood, W.Va.) BURIAL: Kingwood Cemetery --------------------------------------------------------------------- If you've reached this file through a SEARCH, you can access other biographies for Preston County, WV by going to the following URL: http://www.us-data.org/wv/preston/bios.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------