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The area of Cedar Springs is rich with history and a valuable part of Dallas' early years. William Terry Edmondson built a grist mill on the banks of Cedar Springs creek in 1851 which later became the property of the Bradford family and where they built their mansion.

Thomas Leonard Bradford was born in Port Hudson, Louisiana on 13 February 1869 to Rev. Harrison and Elizabeth (Shelmire) Bradford. He came to Dallas, Texas in 1887. He operated a grocery store and eventually Southwestern Life Insurance Co. He quickly became a successful businessman and leader. His first wife was Maidie Terry and after her death, he married second to Addie Keating.

He purchased about 20 acres in Cedar Springs area and built a spacious 20 room mansion during late 1920s or early 1930s (before 1931). He was elected mayor of Dallas in 1931 and his term was shortlived due to a fatal heart attack on 22 August 1932. His death was the first one in office. The funeral service was held at his residence, 4909 Cedar Springs, with burial at Grove Hill Cemetery. He was survived by his wife, Addie, and his children, a daughter Elizabeth and a son T. L., Jr.

Thomas Leonard Bradford, Jr. and his family resided at 4909 Cedar Springs in the Bradford Mansion. He and his wife, Lena Meador, had two daughters, Maidie and Tommie. After the family's decision to donate the mansion and the surrounding 8 acres in the summer of 1947, they had a house built across the creek near their swimming pool which became their new residence, 4709 Cedar Springs.

The North Dallas-Park Cities Kiwanis Club established a trust fund to help maintain the school property and pay the caretaker's wages. The Roy Munger family financed the building of a gymnasium / auditorium building. The Dallas Fashion Group and the Dallas Charity Horse Show donated some funds to furnish the school. The school opened its doors in April 1948 to its staff and 42 deaf pupils, many of whom moved to Dallas from elsewhere. Many of the pupils' mothers helped with the school in various ways.

T. L. Bradford, Jr. was a vice president and treasurer of Southwestern Life Insurance. He and his daughters continued to be involved with the deaf school, being on the Advisory Committee of the Pilot School. Mr. Bradford died at his residence on 3 February 1974 and was survived by his wife, Lena, and their daughters, Mrs. Tommie B. Reichman and Mrs. Maidie B. Goddard. Lena Meador Bradford died 11 Jan 1992 and Maidie Bradford Goddard 17 Nov 1989, both in Dallas.

SOURCES:Newspapers - The Dallas Morning News. 29 Jun 1947; The Daily Times Herald,

29 Jun 1947; Dallas Education, 16 April 1948; Dallas Times Herald, 28 Nov 1949.

It's Our Dallas County; The Story of SELF-Government Since 1846 by David S. Switzer (1954).

The Dallas Pilot Institute for the Deaf brochures, 1944-1956, 1960.

Death certificate of Thomas Leonard Bradford, #33665, 22 Aug 1932.

T. L. Bradford, Jr. obituary from the Dallas Morning News, Feb 1974.

Loose newspaper articles from the newspaper archives, Dallas Texas History Archives, Dallas

Public Library, Dallas, TX.

Social Security Death Index, www.ancestry.com.

Bradford genealogy research by Nova A. Lemons.

A note of interest: Dr. W. W. Samuell was the doctor for the elder Thomas L. Bradford and he married Mr. Bradford's widow, Adelaide Mary "Addie" (Keating) Bradford. Years later a high school in east Dallas would be named after Dr. William Worthington Samuell and many of the former Pilot School / Callier students would attend this school, starting in 1975 when a deaf education program was established.

Mrs. Alex Spence was on the advisory committee for Pilot School. Later many of the former deaf students attended Alex W. Spence Middle School.

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