Bradford Life Guards - Atlantic City - 1891

Hand-book of Atlantic City, New Jersey ... Heston, Alfred Miller - 1891

Bradford. — This is the family name of four brothers who have distinguished themselves in saving lives on the beach front of Atlantic City. They constituted what was known as the Bradford Life Guards. The first of these life guards was organized by Captain Paul Boynton in 1872. Of the Bradfords, only one of the four brothers, " Ned," is now living. Michael, the third brother, and most heroic of them all, died at Jefferson Medical Hospital, in Philadelphia, on November 23d, 1887. The Bradfords were born in Pittsburg, where they began the work of saving the lives of drowning people on the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers. From Pittsburg they came to Atlantic City, making it for several years their winter as well as their summer home. The first evidence of bravery shown by " Mike " here was on the night of August 18th, 1879, when a furious storm raged in front of the city. In the midst of this storm the schooner Flora Curtis was sighted near the inlet, shortly afterward coming ashore opposite the foot of Rhode Island Avenue. She was blown down the beach to a point off North Carolina Avenue, where she tossed about in waves which deluged her decks and sent their foam high into the rigging. But four men could be seen on board, two of whom were clinging to the ratlings, another was on the cross trees of the foremast, and another lay upon the end of the bowsprit. Darkness was creeping upon the scene, and the tide rose higher and higher, driving the crowd back from the beach and washing the boardwalk away. When the tide fell, a bonfire was kindled upon the beach, which illuminated the sea sufficiently to make the Curtis plainly visible a little further down the beach. All this time no one dared to venture out to the vessel. Shortly after midnight, however, Michael Bradford, accompanied by three other men, named Owens, Livingstone, and Donnelly, resolved to brave the storm and go to the relief of the sailors. It was a hard row, and the light boat was broken to pieces just as the men reached the grounded schooner. They found the crew on deck in a cold and half-famished condition. Having no means of getting back, they were obliged to remain on board the vessel. At two o'clock that night the Government life-savers went to their rescue, and all aboard the Curtis were taken safely ashore. For this act of bravery Bradford was awarded a gold medal by the Government. A few years ago the eldest of the Bradfords died of paralysis, the result of exposure in the surf, and about two years later the second eldest died of the same disease. "Mike" and the remaining brother, "Ned," continued their heroic but unprofitable calling until the former was stricken with the fever which ended in his death. Of the famous four, Edward is now left.