Résumé

Partner, [Carroll H] Brown and Bradbeer, Architects, Los Angeles, CA, c. 1888-1889. In 1893, Bradbeer and Brown had separate offices in the building at 132 South Broadway. (See Los Angeles, California, City Directory, 1893, p. 856.)

Principal, J.H. Bradbeer, Architect, Los Angeles, CA, 1890-1891. In 1890-1891, Bradbeer had his office in Room #25 of the Old Wilson Block. (See Los Angeles, California, City Directory, 1890, p. 330 and Los Angeles, California, City Directory, 1891, p. 706.) According to an advertisement of his placed in the Los Angeles City Directory, 1890, (p. 328), Bradbeer specialized in church architecture. He also designed several schools in various sites in Southern CA. Voting records from 1892 put his place of business at 132 South Broadway.(See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library, California History Section; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4 - 2A; CSL Roll Number: 20; FHL Roll Number: 976929, accessed 01/08/2020.)

Partner, Bradbeer and Ferris, Architects, Los Angeles, CA, c. 1895-1898. In 1895, the pair leased three rooms #215, 216 and 217 of the Stimson Building. (See Los Angeles, California, City Directory, 1895, p. 1506.) By 1897, the firm had an office in Room #216 of the Stimson Building. (See Los Angeles, California, City Directory, 1897, p. 1026.)

Bradbeer's name did not appear in the architect's directory of theLos Angeles, California, City Directory, 1899.

Partner, Bliesner and Bradbeer, Architects, Los Angeles, CA, 1900.Bliesner and Bradbeer had its office in Room #309 of the Wilcox Building. (See Los Angeles, California, City Directory, 1900, p. 401.)

Principal, J.H. Bradbeer, Architect, Los Angeles, CA, 1901-1904. Bradbeer located his office in Room #341 of the Wilcox Building between 1901 and 1904. (See Los Angeles, California, City Directory, 1901, p. 1226 and Los Angeles, California, City Directory, 1904, p. 1750.)

Partner, Bradbeer and Young, Architects, Los Angeles, CA, c. 1905. Bradbeer and Young maintained its offices in Room #347 of the Wilcox Building in 1905. (See Los Angeles, California, City Directory, 1905, p. 2001.) Bradbeer's name was not listed in the professional directory of the Los Angeles, California, City Directory, 1907.

Professional Activities

Member, American Institute of Architects (AIA), Southern CA Chapter, c. 1900. In 12/1900, Bradbeer was considered a leading member of the architectural profession and mentioned as attending an AIA meeting at Levy's Restaurant: "The monthly meeting and dinner of the Southern California chapter of the American Institute of Architects, was held yesterday at Levy's. Those of the members present were: Octavius Morgan, Theodore A. Eisen, C.H. Brown, J. Lee Burton, Sumner P. Hunt, A.B. Benton, August Wackerbarth, Frank D. Hudson, George Wyman, James Bradbeer, John Walls, and John P. Krempel. Five applicants for membership were received and considered favorably." (See "Architects Banquet," Los Angeles Herald, vol. 28, no. 72, 12/12/1900, p. 7.)

Relocation

Bradbeer was born on 04/20/1842 in Cobourg, Wellington County, ON.

He became a naturalized American citizen in Cleveland, OH, on 10/06/1876 according to voter registers of 1892 and 1896. He continued to live in Cleveland, OH, in 1877 where he married in November of that year. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Cuyahoga County Archive; Cleveland, Ohio; Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Marriage Records, 1810-1973; Volume: Vol 21; Page: 263; Year Range: 1877 Mar - 1878 Sep, accessed 01/08/2020.)

These 1892 and 1896 registers listed his residence at 1350 Newton Street in Los Angeles. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library, California History Section; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4 - 2A; CSL Roll Number: 21; FHL Roll Number: 976930, accessed 01/08/2020.)

The architect's name last appeared in the Los Angeles city directory in 1905. He and his wife moved to San Francisco, CA, in that year. A widower, he resided at 2830 Buchanan Street in San Francisco, CA, at age 67. The 1910 US Census recorded that he continued to work as an architect, and lived in the same building as Henry B. Pinney, a building contractor. Bradbeer had a 25-year-old servant, Sophia Johnson (born c. 1885 in Sweden), who lived with him at this time. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1910; Census Place: San Francisco Assembly District 41, San Francisco, California; Roll: T624_101; Page: 9B; Enumeration District: 0274; FHL microfilm: 1374114, accessed 01/08/2020.)

The architect passed away of pneumonia in an apartment at 611 Minna Street, Apartment #8, San Francisco, CA. He was buried at Cypress Lawn Cemetery, Colma, CA.

Parents

His father was John Bradbeer, his mother, Elizabeth "Betsy" Bradbeer.

He had a brother, Richard Bradbeer, who lived in Lansing, MI, in 1929, and George Bradbeer (born 1856 in Canada), who resided in Los Angeles at that time. According to a voting record of 1892, George Bradbeer, who worked in insurance, became a naturalized US citizen in Los Angeles on 11/23/1887.

Another brother was Joseph W. Bradbeer (born c. 1840 in Cobourg, ON). (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Archives of Ontario; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; County Marriage Registers, 1858-June 1869; Reel: 10, accessed 01/07/2020.)

Spouse

James H. Bradbeer had at least three wives.

When he lived in Cleveland, OH, he wed Emma J. Bell on 11/22/1877.

He married Nancy A. Babbit on 10/03/1883 in Wellington, ON, Canada.

He wed Clara Young Bradbeer (born 03/10/1866 in Keokuk County, IA-d. 11/06/1905 in San Francisco, CA) Clara Bradbeer was active in the Home and Foreign Missionary Society of the 1st Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles, c. 1905. (See "Missionary Society Elects New Officers," Los Angeles Herald, vol. 32, no. 175, 03/25/1905, p. 7; "Missionary Meeting Closes," Los Angeles Herald, vol. 31, no. 172, 03/19/1904, p. 10; "Presbyterian Mission Women Are in Session, Los Angeles Herald, vol. 32, no. 173, 03/23/1905, p. 4.) She died five days after giving birth to a daughter, Clare Young Bradbeer,

Children

He had a daughter, Clare Young Bradbeer (born 11/01/1905 in San Francisco, CA-d. 03/25/1998) She also had the married names of Street and Finley.

Biographical Notes

Some Canadian records spelled his last name "Bradbier," in the German manner.

Bradbeer had a scar on the left side of his thumb on his left hand. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library, California History Section; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4 - 2A; CSL Roll Number: 20; FHL Roll Number: 976929, accessed 01/08/2020.)

As per voting records of 1896, Bradbeer stood 5-feet, 10-inches tall, had hazel eyes and brown hair. He had a medium, Caucasian complexion. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library, California History Section; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4 - 2A; CSL Roll Number: 21; FHL Roll Number: 976930, accessed 01/08/2020.)

In 09/1896, Bradbeer was listed as one of five elected delegates from Los Angeles Precinct #46 to a Los Angeles County Republican Party Caucus. (See "Caucus Nominees," Los Angeles Herald, vol. 25, no. 341, 09/06/1896, p. 6 and "[Unknown] Like a Whirlwind," Los Angeles Herald, vol. 25, no. 342, 09/06/1896, p. 4.)

Bradbeer had a serious accident with a trolley car in 09/1899 that could have proven fatal. The Los Angeles Times recounted the incident: "Architect James H. Bradbeer had a narrow escape last night from being crushed to death underneath the wheels of a trolley car. He was pushed and rolled some distance by the wheels of the car, and escaped with only superficial bruises on his body and one deep cut on his right hand. Mr. Bradbeer left his home at No. 1350 Newton street about 7 o'clock last night and started to take a Vernon car into the city. An eye witness of the accident said that Mr. Bradbeer attempted to board the car at the corner of Central avenue and Newton street while the car was in motion. The car had a trailer attached, and Mr. Bradbeer, in attempting to get on, missed his footing and fell between the car and the trailer. The front trucks of the trailer pushed him along for some little distance, and when the car was stopped his body was underneath. W.J. Shearer, who was a passenger on the car, assisted in getting Mr. Bradbeer out of his perilous position and carried him to the residence of Dr. Wicks, near by. It was thought that the front wheels passed over both Mr. Bradbeer's legs near his body, and that he was seriously, if not fatally, injured. Dr. F.J. Kruell of No. 1201 Central avenue was summoned, and after an examination he found that Mr. Bradbeer's injuries were very slight, considering the experience he had passed through. The flesh on his left thigh was bruised and the muscles slightly torn. The most serious injury is a deep cut on the right hand near the base of the little finger. He also received a slight bruise on his scalp and minor scratches on other parts of his body, but his face was uninjured. After completing his examination of Mr. Bradbeer, Dr. Kruell had him removed to his residence and dressed his injuries." (See "Bradbeer's Narrow Escape," Los Angeles Times, 09/12/1899, p. 9.)