John Bradbury

John Bradbury (1768–1823) was an English botanist noted for his travels in the United States Midwest and West in the early 19th Century and his eyewitness account of the New Madrid earthquake. Early life Bradbury was born at Souracre Fold near Stalybridge in Cheshire in August 1769, where he lived with his parents, sister and three elder brothers. He was fortunate to be schooled by John Taylor at a humble academy on Cocker Hill in Stalybridge. Taylor was a keen botanist and encouraged Bradbury's very evident interest and talent in this subject often taking him on botanical excursions. Indeed, Taylor recognised that Bradbury would outgrow the confines of the British Isles: "I venture to predict that this island will soon be too narrow for him"