James E. Bradford (1868-1958) was a lawyer, public official, and politician in Seattle during the first half of the twentieth century. He was born in Minnesota in 1868 and completed his law degree at the University of Minnesota in 1894. Bradford moved to Seattle in 1900. He began working for the city's Corporation Counsel in 1906 and was elected by the City Council to finish the incumbent's term in 1911. He successfully ran for the office in 1912. As Corporation Counsel, Bradford handled the city's litigation and the assessment and condemnation of property. He evinced a special interest in enforcing the minimum wage, regulating utility rates, and fighting graft and prostitution. He held this office until 1916. Bradford unsuccessfully ran for Washington State governor in 1916 and for mayor of Seattle in 1918 as a Progressive (a reformist off-shoot of the Republican Party). He later acted as counsel for the Port of Seattle. During the Great Depression, he held state directorships of the National Recovery Act, the Federal Housing Administration, and the National Emergency Council. He retired from public service in 1936 and returned to private legal practice. He retired from the Bar in 1956, shortly before his death in Seattle in 1958.
The James E. Bradford correspondence, speeches and other materials consists primarily of letters, writings, clippings, and other ephemera relating to Bradford's work as Corporation Counsel of Seattle, his legal practice, and his work as a political activist and a member of the Ancient Order of United Workers. Dates range from 1888 to 1933. The material reflects Bradford's interests in child welfare and minimum wage regulations, municipal home rule for Seattle, Washington, and women's rights in Washington State. Correspondents include officials from the City of Everett, including W. H. Clay (Mayor) and Louis Leshi (City Clerk); the Seattle City Council; and Hiram C. Gill, Mayor of Seattle. The collection also include an offprint of the poem, "The Great Refusal," signed by its author, Gottfried Hult, and the typescript of another work by Hult, as well as the typescript of an address given by Bradford's wife, Lavena Bradford.
See also James E. Bradford scrapbooks (F899.S453 B73 1889) in the Special Collections Division, University of Washington Libraries.
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Material stored offsite; advance notice required for use.
Creator's literary rights not transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.
Donated by Mrs. James E. Bradford, 7/10/1968