Ferd Brady was born on March 27, 1880 in Benton County, Oregon and educated in Philomath, approximately five miles west of Corvallis.  In 1901, Brady moved to Marysville, Washington, where he worked in a shingle mill for a short time. 

While in Marysville, he became acquainted with Mr. and Mrs. Woods who operated a local photography studio.  The Woods taught Brady the photography business and eventually sold him their studio upon their retirement.  Brady worked as a photographer in Marysville from 1907 until 1911 when he relocated his business to Everett, Washington.  From 1911 through 1923, Brady, working under contract with the Federal Government, photographed many images of the Tulalip Indians. 

Around 1924, Brady moved to Anacortes and began working with photographer George W. Bower.  The two collaborated as "Bower and Brady" until March 1926 when Brady purchased the Anacortes Photo Studio from Helen Iverson and Anna Buell. 

Ferd Brady became an active member of the Anacortes Chamber of Commerce and the City Council and his images were used in promotion of the town and local businesses.  At the time of Ferd Brady's retirement in 1952, Wallie Funk purchased Brady's collection of prints and negatives.  Ferd Brady passed away on May 20, 1967 at Kings Garden Nursing Home in Seattle.  Wallie Funk donated Ferd Brady's images to the Center for Pacific Northwest Studies in 2003.

*Information within this description taken from a biography by Theresa L. Trebon, Continuum History and Research.*