Joseph Philo Bradley
| Joseph Bradley | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States | |
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In office March 21, 1870 – January 22, 1892 |
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| Nominated by | Ulysses S. Grant |
| Preceded by | Seat established |
| Succeeded by | George Shiras |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
March 14, 1813 Berne, New York, U.S. |
| Died | January 22, 1892 (aged 78) Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Mary Hornblower |
| Education | Rutgers University, New Brunswick (BA) |
Joseph Philo Bradley (March 14, 1813 – January 22, 1892) was an American jurist best known for his service on the United States Supreme Court, and on the Electoral Commission that decided the disputed 1876 presidential election.
The son of Philo Bradley and Mercy Gardner Bradley, Bradley was born to humble beginnings in Berne, New York, and he was the oldest of 12 children. He attended local schools and began teaching at the age of 16. In 1833, the Dutch Reformed Church of Berne advanced young Joseph Bradley $250 to study for the ministry at Rutgers University. While at Rutgers, he decided to study law instead, graduating in 1836. After graduation, he was made Principal of the Millstone Academy.
Not long afterward, he was persuaded by his Rutgers classmate Frederick T. Frelinghuysen to join him in Newark and pursue legal studies at the Office of the Collector of the Port of Newark. He was admitted to the bar in 1839.
Bradley began in private practice in New Jersey, specializing in patent and railroad law, and he became very prominent in these fields and quite wealthy. Bradley remained dedicated to self-study throughout his life and collected an extensive library. He married Mary Hornblower in Newark in 1844. (His ancestors and descendants are posted on the Berne Historical Project website.)
As a commercial litigator, Bradley argued many cases before various federal courts, earning him a national reputation. Thus, when Congress passed the Judiciary Act of 1869, creating a new seat on the U.S. Supreme Court, he was sufficiently well known by associates of President Grant to be recommended as a Supreme Court nominee. Bradley was nominated on February 7 and was confirmed by the Senate on March 21, taking his seat on the court as an Associate Justice that same day. On moving to Washington, Bradley purchased the home that had previously belonged to Stephen A. Douglas.
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