(Main photo – Andrew Donald Bradley and his children)

Andrew Donal Bradley (1838-1903) was the son of Anne McMahon (1813-1878 approx) and Charles Bradley (1811-1872) and born in Dungannon, county Tyrone. During what were lean years in Ireland, this branch of the McMahon family sees plenty of emigration. Often first to Scotland and then on to the United States.

Charles and Anne – to my knowledge – didn’t cross the Atlantic but Andrew did with his Scottish wife, Matilda Nelis. They set up a grocery store, most likely serving the Irish community in Philadelphia. That would have included other McMahon and Bradley relatives – some of who had come over to the work in the mining industry.

But then it all went wrong. Both Andrew and Matilda were prosecuted for being in breach of the city’s liquor laws. Matilda did a stint in the workhouse while Andrew had to do several months hard labour. In happier news, one of their sons – also called Andrew – went on to open a grocery store in Santa Monica, California. As Matilda dies in Santa Monica – I assume she went to live with her son after her husband dies in 1903. Matilda passed away in 1914.