William BRADFORD [Parents] was born on 17 Jun 1624 in Plymouth, , MA. He died on 20 Feb 1703/1704 in Plymouth, , MA. William married Mary WOOD about 1676.
Other marriages:RICHARDS, Alice
UNK,
Birth date is recorded in his father's "Table-book."
Mary WOOD was born about 1643 in Plymouth, , Mass. She died on 6 Jan 1714/1715. Mary married William BRADFORD about 1676.
William BRADFORD [MAYFLOWER] [Parents] was christened on 19 Mar 1589/1590 in Austerfield, York, England. He died on 9 May 1657 in Plymouth Colony, , MA. William married Alice CARPENTER on 14 Aug 1623 in Plymouth, MA.
Other marriages:MAY, Dorothy [MAYFLOWER]
What is interesting about our famous ancestors is that William Brewster (#7601) took in William Bradford as a youth, when both parents had died and Bradford became an orphan. They were in the "Printing" business together in Leister, Holland and smuggled pamphlets back into England in the bottome of barrels of biscuits. King James even sent hit men to Holland to find out who was printing the pamphlets and kill them. The building that they were living in and printed in was "L" shaped, and fronted on two streets. When the king's men went in the printshop entrance, William & William took a secret door to the living quarters and then out into the street. Obviously King James never got them. But, it did slow down the "printing business" a little William was Governor in the colonies of America.
After the death of John Carver in April 1621, Bradford was elected governor of the Plymouth Colony, and continued in that capacity nearly all his life. In 1623 he married Alice (Carpenter) Southworth, widow of Edward Southworth.
William Bradford wrote Of Plymouth Plantation, chronicling the history of the Plymouth Colony, and the events that led up to their leaving England for Holland, and later to New England. William Bradford also wrote part of Mourt's Relation: A Journal of the Pilgrims at Plymouth, and he recorded some of the important letters he wrote and received in a letterbook which still partially exists. Nathaniel Morton's 1669 book, New England's Memorial also records a poem written by William Bradford on his deathbed. There are also two elegy poems written in 1657 after Bradford's death--the first elegy poem is anonymous, and the second elegy poem was written by Josias Winslow. William Bradford and Edward Winslow were the only Pilgrims to leave accounts of the Mayflower and the voyage from England to Cape Cod.
The Pilgrim Hall Museum has in its collection William Bradford's armchair, and his Bible.
His will:
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The last Will and Testament Nunckupative of Mr William Bradford senir: Deceased May the Ninth 1657 and exhibited to the court held att Plymouth June 3d 1657Mr William Bradford senir: being weake in body but in prfect memory haveing Defered the forming of his Will in hopes of haveing the healp of Mr Thomas Prence therin; feeling himselfe very weake and drawing on to the conclusion of his mortall life spake as followeth; I could have Desired abler then myselfe in the Desposing of that I have; how my estate is none knowes better then youerselfe, said hee to Lieftenant Southworth; I have Desposed to John and William alreddy theire proportions of land which they are possessed of;
My Will is that my son Josepth bee made in some sort equall to his brethern out of my estate;
My further Will is that my Deare & loveing wife Allice Bradford shalbee the sole Exequitrix of my estate; and for her future maintainance my Will is that my Stocke in the Kennebecke Trad be reserved for her Comfortable Subsistence as farr as it will extend and soe further in any such way as may bee Judged best for her;
I further request and appoint my welbeloved Christian ffrinds Mr Thomas Prence Captaine Thomas Willett and Lieftenant Thomas Southworth to be the Suppervissors for the Desposing of my estate according to the prmises Confiding much in theire faithfulnes
I comend unto youer Wisdome and Descretions some smale bookes written by my owne hand to bee Improved as you shall see meet; In speciall I Comend to you a little booke with a blacke cover wherin there is a word to Plymouth a word to Boston and a word to New England with sundry usefull verses;
These pticulars were expressed by the said William Bradford Govr the 9th of May 1657 in the prsence of us Thomas Cushman Thomas Southworth Nathaniell Morton; whoe were Deposed before the court held att Plymouth the 3d of June 1657 to the truth of the abovesaid Will that it is the last Will and Testament of the abovesaid Mr William Bradford senir.
===============William Bradford came on the Mayflower with his wife Dorothy (May), leaving son John behind in Holland. Dorothy fell off the Mayflower and drowned on 7 December 1620, when it was anchored in Provincetown Harbor.
This was an accidental drowning. The story of the suicide, affair with Captain Chrostopher Jones, etc. comes from a fictional "soap opera" story published in a national women's magazine in 1869--a story published as truth by the author, based on "family stories", but which the author later admitted was an invention of her own imagination. For further information on this, see Mayflower Descendant 29:97-102 , and especially 31:105.
After the death of John Carver in April 1621, Bradford was elected governor of the Plymouth Colony, and continued in that capacity nearly all his life. In 1623 he married Alice (Carpenter) Southworth, widow of Edward Southworth. A description of the marriage is found in a letter written by a visitor to Plymouth Colony, Emmanuel Altham, in 1623:
"Upon the occasion of the Governor's marriage, since I came, Massasoit was sent for to the wedding, where came with him his wife, the queen, although he hath five wives. With him came four other kings and about six score men with their bows and arrows--where, when they came to our town, we saluted them with the shooting off of many muskets and training our men. And so all the bows and arrows was brought into the Governor's house, and he brought the Governor three or four bucks and a turkey. And so we had very good pastime in seeing them dance, which is in such manner, with such a noise that you would wonder. . . . And now to say somewhat of the great cheer we had at the Governor's marriage. We had about twelve pasty venisons, besides others, pieces of roasted venison and other such good cheer in such quantity that I could wish you some of our share. For here we have the best grapes that ever you say--and the biggest, and divers sorts of plums and nuts which our business will not suffer us to look for. "
William Bradford died in 1657, having been governor of the Plymouth Colony for almost the entire period since 1621.
Alice CARPENTER [Parents] was christened on 3 Aug 1590 in Wrington, Somerset, England. She died on 26 Mar 1670 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts. Alice married William BRADFORD [MAYFLOWER] on 14 Aug 1623 in Plymouth, MA.
Other marriages:SOUTHWORTH, Edward
The will of Allis Bradford Sr. of Plymouth, widow, dated 29 Dec. 1669, was exhibited 7 June 1670. It asks to be intered next to husband, William, and makes bequests to her sister Mary Carpenter, son Constant Southworth, son Joseph Bradford, son Capt. William Bradford, honored friend Thomas Prence, granchild Elizabeth Howland dau. of son Thomas Southworth deceased for the benefit of her son James Howland. She left an extensive estate.
One source has her dob as 16 Dec 1593. Another has her baptism as 3 Aug 1590. I have used the latter here as she could hardly be baptised before she was born.
They had the following children:
M i William BRADFORD F ii Mercy BRADFORD M iii Joseph BRADFORD
Thomas RICHARDS [Parents] was born on 15 Apr 1596 in Pitminster, Somerset, England. He died on 28 Jan 1651 in Weymouth, Norfolk, MA. Thomas married Welthian LORING in 1622 in , , England.
Welthian LORING [Parents] was born about 1600 in Dorchester, Dorsetshire, England. She died on 3 Jul 1679 in Boston, Suffolk, Mass. Welthian married Thomas RICHARDS in 1622 in , , England.
They had the following children:
F i Alice RICHARDS M ii Robert RICHARDS was born on 13 Sep 1631 in Weymouth, Norfolkshire, England. F iii Mary RICHARDS M iv Samuel RICHARDS was born in 1633 in Weymouth, Norfolk, MA.
William BACKUS [Parents] was born in 1606 in Sheffield, Co. Yorkshire, England. He died on 7 Jun 1664 in Norwich, New London, CT and was buried in 1661 in Post & Gager Cem, Norwich, New London, Connecticut. William married Elizabeth in 1627 in England.
Elizabeth was born in 1603 in Norwich, New London, Conn. She married William BACKUS in 1627 in England.
They had the following children:
M i William BACKUS Jr.
John CHARLES was born in 1604. He died in 1673 in Branford, , New Haven, Conn. John married Sarah Geare MOSS before 1630 in Connecticut, New Haven.
Sarah Geare MOSS was born in 1608. She died in 1677. Sarah married John CHARLES before 1630 in Connecticut, New Haven.
They had the following children:
F i Sarah CHARLES M ii John CHARLES was born about 1641 and was christened on 20 May 1641 in New Haven, New Haven, Conn.. He died in Nov 1690.
William BACKUS III [Parents] was born on 11 May 1660 in Prob. Saybrook, Middlesex, CT. He died on 25 Jan 1742 in Windham, Windham, Connecticut. William married Elizabeth ROYCE on 3 Nov 1681 in Norwich, New London, Connecticut.
Other marriages:BENTON, Mary
Elizabeth ROYCE was born about 1660. She married William BACKUS III on 3 Nov 1681 in Norwich, New London, Connecticut.
William BACKUS III [Parents] was born on 11 May 1660 in Prob. Saybrook, Middlesex, CT. He died on 25 Jan 1742 in Windham, Windham, Connecticut. William married Mary BENTON on 31 Aug 1692 in Windham, Windham, Connecticut.
Other marriages:ROYCE, Elizabeth
Mary BENTON was born about 1660. She married William BACKUS III on 31 Aug 1692 in Windham, Windham, Connecticut.
Jonathan RUDD was born in 1622 in Windham, Windham, CT. He died in 1668 in Saybrook, Middlesex, CT and was buried in 1668 in Saybrook, Middlesex, Connecticut. Jonathan married Mary METCALF in 1646/1647 in Bride Brook, , CT.
Mary METCALF [Parents] was born on 14 Feb 1619 in St. Benedicts, Norwich, Norfolk County, England and was christened on 17 Feb 1619 in St. Benedicts, Norwich, Norfolk County, England. She died on 12 Feb 1672 in Dedham, Suffolk Co., MA. Mary married Jonathan RUDD in 1646/1647 in Bride Brook, , CT.
Other marriages:WILSON, Henry
They had the following children:
F i Mabel "Mary" RUDD
Thomas BINGHAM [Parents] was born on 11 Dec 1667 in Norwich, New London, CT. He died on 5 Apr 1710 in Norwich, New London, CT and was buried on 5 Apr 1710 in Norwich Cmtry, Norwich, New London, Connecticut. Thomas married Hannah BACKUS on 17 Feb 1691/1692 in Norwich, New London, CT.
Hannah BACKUS was born about 1670. She married Thomas BINGHAM on 17 Feb 1691/1692 in Norwich, New London, CT.
Abel BINGHAM [Parents] was born on 25 Jun 1669 in Norwich, New London, CT. He died on 25 Mar 1745 in Windham, Windham, CT. Abel married Elizabeth Mary ODELL on 16 May 1694 in Windham, Windham, CT.
Elizabeth Mary ODELL was born about 1670. She married Abel BINGHAM on 16 May 1694 in Windham, Windham, CT.