M.W. Aner Bradley 1842

Aner Bradley

Of the four Past Grand Masters of whom we have been unable to obtain a picture or likeness of any kind the subject of this sketch is one.

Born in Watertown January 5, 1786, he followed the occupation of tanner. A member of the Episcopal Church, he engaged in no civic or political activities so far as we can learn. Just when he was raised in Federal Lodge No. 17 we do not know but he is reported as attending Grand Lodge as Junior Warden in 1810. The Lodge must have depended a great deal upon him for he served it as Master in 1815, 1817, 1820, 1827, 1832, 1833, 1834, 1839 and 1841 and possibly in some of the intervening years. The affiliated bodies of Masonry apparently had no attraction for him.

It is clear that he was a man of courage and conviction for his name appears as a signer of the Declaration of Principles in 1832. He first appears in Grand Lodge as Grand Junior Warden in 1834. When Dyer T. Brainard refused to serve further as Grand Master, Aner Bradley took his place for the year between May, 1842 and May, 1843. His letter to the Grand Body at the latter date declining further office was in a short form a report of his acts and recommendations. Dying December 26, 1865, he was characterized by the then Grand Master as "a Bright Star of our Order."