Caleb Bradley was born in Dracut, Massachusetts. The year of his birth is uncertain, but he was born in 1771 or 1772. After being educated at Harvard and Dartmouth, Parson Bradley settled in Bethel in 1798. Bradley taught for a year, and then became the minister of the Second Parish of Old Falmouth, where he served for 30 years. Parson Bradley was married three times and had ten children. He died in 1861.