Lydia Moss Bradley
Encyclopedia
Lydia Moss Bradley was a wealthy philanthropist notable for her philanthropic works in Illinois and the independent management of her wealth.
alongside the Ohio River
and lived there with her family and husband until the age of 31 when she and her husband Tobias Bradley moved to Peoria, Illinois
.
Was an American philanthropist most noted for founding and endowing the Bradley Polytechnic Institute, now called Bradley University
, in Peoria, Illinois
. She was a pioneer of her day in many fields.
Early in life she demonstrated qualities of determination and ability. In May 1837 she married Tobias S. Bradley and moved to Peoria, where over the next three decades they prospered in real estate
and banking. Despite his death in 1867 and the subsequent deaths of all their children, Bradley continued to work in business and pursued philanthropic
interests, particularly in the areas of healthcare and education
.
when she joined the Board of Directors
of the First National Bank of Peoria (now part of Commerce Bank
). Bradley was also the first American woman ever to draft a marriage contract (a "prenuptial agreement
" in modern terms) to protect her assets.
Bradley gave land to the Society of St. Francis to build a hospital, now known as the OSF St. Francis Medical Center. In 1884, she built the Bradley Home for Aged Women to care for widowed and childless women, and funded the construction of the Universalist church in Peoria. Bradley also helped to establish the first park
system in Illinois
.
Bradley always considered Bradley University to be her fondest project, which she established to honor her husband Tobias and her six children, who all died at an early age. Originally organized as a four-year academy, Bradley University became a four-year college in 1920 and has continued to grow ever since.
Today the university enjoys the status of a fully accredited, independent
institution that provides undergraduate and graduate education in engineering
, business
, communication
, teacher education
, nursing
, physical therapy
, fine arts, and the liberal arts and sciences.
In 1998, Lydia Moss Bradley was inducted posthumously into the National Women's Hall of Fame, joining the nation's most extraordinary women who have made enduring contributions to the arts, athletics, business, education, government, the humanities, philanthropy and science.
Earlier life
Was born and raised in Vevay, IndianaVevay, Indiana
Vevay is a town in and the county seat of Jefferson Township, Switzerland County, Indiana, United States, along the Ohio River. The population was 1,683 at the 2010 census.-History:...
alongside the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
and lived there with her family and husband until the age of 31 when she and her husband Tobias Bradley moved to Peoria, Illinois
Peoria, Illinois
Peoria is the largest city on the Illinois River and the county seat of Peoria County, Illinois, in the United States. It is named after the Peoria tribe. As of the 2010 census, the city was the seventh-most populated in Illinois, with a population of 115,007, and is the third-most populated...
.
Was an American philanthropist most noted for founding and endowing the Bradley Polytechnic Institute, now called Bradley University
Bradley University
Bradley University, founded in 1897, is a private, co-educational university located in Peoria, Illinois. It is a small institution with an enrollment of approximately 6,100 undergraduate and postgraduate students and a full-time faculty of approximately 350....
, in Peoria, Illinois
Peoria, Illinois
Peoria is the largest city on the Illinois River and the county seat of Peoria County, Illinois, in the United States. It is named after the Peoria tribe. As of the 2010 census, the city was the seventh-most populated in Illinois, with a population of 115,007, and is the third-most populated...
. She was a pioneer of her day in many fields.
Early in life she demonstrated qualities of determination and ability. In May 1837 she married Tobias S. Bradley and moved to Peoria, where over the next three decades they prospered in real estate
Real estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
and banking. Despite his death in 1867 and the subsequent deaths of all their children, Bradley continued to work in business and pursued philanthropic
Philanthropy
Philanthropy etymologically means "the love of humanity"—love in the sense of caring for, nourishing, developing, or enhancing; humanity in the sense of "what it is to be human," or "human potential." In modern practical terms, it is "private initiatives for public good, focusing on quality of...
interests, particularly in the areas of healthcare and education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
.
Works
In 1875, Bradley became the first female member of a national bank board in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
when she joined the Board of Directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
of the First National Bank of Peoria (now part of Commerce Bank
Commerce Bank
Commerce Bank is the name of several unrelated banks and bank holding companies in the United States, including:*Commerce Bancshares, based in Kansas City, Missouri, which does business as Commerce Bank in Missouri, Kansas, Illinois, Colorado and Oklahoma....
). Bradley was also the first American woman ever to draft a marriage contract (a "prenuptial agreement
Prenuptial agreement
A prenuptial agreement, antenuptial agreement, or premarital agreement, commonly abbreviated to prenup or prenupt, is a contract entered into prior to marriage, civil union or any other agreement prior to the main agreement by the people intending to marry or contract with each other...
" in modern terms) to protect her assets.
Bradley gave land to the Society of St. Francis to build a hospital, now known as the OSF St. Francis Medical Center. In 1884, she built the Bradley Home for Aged Women to care for widowed and childless women, and funded the construction of the Universalist church in Peoria. Bradley also helped to establish the first park
Park
A park is a protected area, in its natural or semi-natural state, or planted, and set aside for human recreation and enjoyment, or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. It may consist of rocks, soil, water, flora and fauna and grass areas. Many parks are legally protected by...
system in Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
.
Bradley always considered Bradley University to be her fondest project, which she established to honor her husband Tobias and her six children, who all died at an early age. Originally organized as a four-year academy, Bradley University became a four-year college in 1920 and has continued to grow ever since.
Today the university enjoys the status of a fully accredited, independent
Independent (religion)
In English church history, Independents advocated local congregational control of religious and church matters, without any wider geographical hierarchy, either ecclesiastical or political...
institution that provides undergraduate and graduate education in engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
, business
Business
A business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
, communication
Communication
Communication is the activity of conveying meaningful information. Communication requires a sender, a message, and an intended recipient, although the receiver need not be present or aware of the sender's intent to communicate at the time of communication; thus communication can occur across vast...
, teacher education
Teacher education
Teacher education refers to the policies and procedures designed to equip prospective teachers with the knowledge, attitudes, behaviors and skills they require to perform their tasks effectively in the classroom, school and wider community....
, nursing
Nursing
Nursing is a healthcare profession focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life from conception to death....
, physical therapy
Physical therapy
Physical therapy , often abbreviated PT, is a health care profession. Physical therapy is concerned with identifying and maximizing quality of life and movement potential within the spheres of promotion, prevention, diagnosis, treatment/intervention,and rehabilitation...
, fine arts, and the liberal arts and sciences.
In 1998, Lydia Moss Bradley was inducted posthumously into the National Women's Hall of Fame, joining the nation's most extraordinary women who have made enduring contributions to the arts, athletics, business, education, government, the humanities, philanthropy and science.