The Bradshaw Family circa 1944

Charles (standing), Fred (seated), Wilma (standing),

Martha (seated), Glenda (baby), Frances (standing), Eldred (seated)

The Bradshaw Family circa 1944
The above photo was sent to my Uncle Chester who was fighting in the European theater.

Chester Bradshaw (on left) and his buddies in Magnolia, Italy.

Martha and Fred Bradshaw circa 1979

The history of the Clementine Cove began as early as the appearance of the Cherokee Indians in Western North Carolina. When Moses and Patience Proctor came across the mountains from Cades Cove, Tennessee into the Hazel Creek area in the late 1830's they found that only one Indian family lived there. This beautiful country has captured the hearts of many people but only the most "hearty" in spirit would be willing to forge out a living in these rugged mountains. During the 1700 and 1800's many families from Scotland, Ireland, and Germany would find that these mountains reminded them of their original homeland and so they decided to make their new homes here. Many towns and communities began to flourish in the valleys and along the rivers and creeks with their rich bottom lands.

By the late 1800's and early 1900's the towns of Bushnell, Judson, Proctor, and Ja'pan (pronounced with a long "a") had become the hubs of mountain life where these hard-working folks could engage in business and fulfill their needs for every day life. The town of Proctor, which was located in the Hazel Creek area, would become a thriving town of over 2000 residents with schools, churches, businesses and a 300 seat theater. Conveniences such as telephones, street lights, and a rail system enabled the residence to lead a "modern" life. Farming, logging and mining were huge sources of productivity.

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