JAMES P. BRADY. Agricultural pursuits have formed the chief occupation of this gentleman, and the wide-awake manner in which he has taken advantage of every method and idea tending to the enhanced value of his property has had considerable to do with his success in life. He was born in Georgia February 9, 1847, a son of Hiram J. and Charity (Cook) Brady, of that State, and grandson of Enoch Brady, who was a son of Irish parents and a participant in some of the early wars of the United States. Hiram J. Brady, with his family, emigrated to Arkansas in 1873, coming thither by rail and water, purchased land and made a location on Sugar Orchard Creek, where they lived until their deaths in 1885 and 1883, father and mother, respectively. The father was a lifelong farmer, but at one time also followed merchandising Georgia and acquired a goodly property. He was a Democrat politically, held the office of county judge of Fannin County, Ga., and was a leading politician of that section. He and his wife were members of the Primitive Baptist Church and the father was a deacon of that church in Georgia for many years. Their children were as follows: Eloch wasa man of family and died while serving in the Second Georgia Infantry during the war; Thomas was a man of family and died in Georgia before the war; Mary A. is the widow of Thomas Smith and is living three miles from Powell; John W. is living about a mile and a half from Powell and is a man of family; James P.; .Amanda E. is the widow, of Thomas Cotton and resides in this county; Nancy J. is the wife of D. M. Cochran and lives three miles north of Powell.
James P. Brady’s early life was spent in Georgia on a farm and there he obtained a fair education in the common schools. When sixteen years of age, in 1863, he entered the Confederate service, Second Georgia Infantry, served until the war closed and was in all the prominent battles from Tennessee eastward: Wilderness, Spottsylvania Cold Harbor, Petersburg, and the siege of that place, and was not wounded or captured during his service. He engaged in farming after the war, and in 1868 was married to Harriet, the daughter of William and Sally Godfrey, the former of whom died many years ago in Georgia, and the latter now residing in the vicinity of Powell, Arkansas In 1872 Mr. Brady came to Marion County, Arkansas, and settled on a farm one-half mile west of Powell, but in 1890 came to his present location at Powell. He has a good and well-improved far of 160 acres and also has considerable valuable mining property, and was at one time the owner of the Gov. Eagel Mine and the Parkhill Mine. He is at the present time developing what promises to be a valuable mine, but at the same time carries on farming and stock raising successfully. He is a stanch Democrat, is active in politics and has held the office of justice of the peace. He and his worthy wife are the parents of seven children: William, Allie (wife of James Casey, of Powell), Charity, Sally, Gordon, Violet and Russell.