Walter James Bradley was born in Cresson, Cambria County, Pennsylvania, on Aug 31, 1877, to parents Patrick J. Bradley (1825-1910), and Margaret Bradley (1834-1896), both born in Ireland.

Walter was the youngest child in a family of nine children. His brothers and sisters were: Elizabeth Bridget Bradley-Rafferty (1858-1947), John Patrick Bradley (1859-1942), Michael Daniel Bradley (1861-1927), Mary Jane Bradley-Farren (1864-1940), Susan Bradley-Quirk (1867-1949), Rosanna M. Bradley-McCarthy (1870-1941), Anastasia Bradley-Quirk (1872-1949), and Caroline M. Bradley-Thompson (1874-1916), all born in Cambria County, Pennsylvania.

On April 22, 1901, in Cambria County, Walter married Olene E. Criste, born in Pennsylvania (1879-1973). Olene was a daughter of Thomas Criste, born in Pennsylvania (1830-1885), and Ann Elizabeth Criste, born in Pennsylvania (1837-1922).

Walter and Olene settled into a life of farming in Cresson, Cambria County, Pennsylvania, and had seven children - all boys and one girl: Roland P. Bradley (1902-1977), Wilfred J. Bradley (1903-1967), Leonard Bradley (1905-1974), Arthur Thomas Bradley (1907-1987), twins Ronald and Donald Bradley (1909-1909), and Olene M. Bradley-Salony (1910-1988), all born in Cambria County, Pennsylvania.

Cambria Freeman newspaper dated Mar 15, 1912 -
W. J. Bradley Dead - Walter J. Bradley of Cresson township, aged 34 years, died Monday night [March 11, 1912], following a long illness, during which he received treatment in a Pittsburg hospital. His widow, five children and these brothers and sisters survive: Mrs. P. Rafferty [Elizabeth]; Mrs. Sue Quirk; Mrs. James McCarty {Rosanna "McCarthy"]; and Miss Stasia [Anastasia] Bradley of Pittsburg; Mrs. Sallie Thompson [Caroline M.] of Poplar Run; Mrs. Thomas Farren [Mary Jane] of Cresson; John Bradley of Cresson township and Michael Bradley of Lilly.