| Notes |
Gov. Bradford's son Maj. Wm. by his 2d wife Allice was b. at Plymouth, Mass.; he m. Allice Richards, and had two other wives by whom he had 15 children. His son Thomas had land at Norwich, from his father and removed there and m. Anna Fitch daughter of Rev. James, of Norwich, and had one son recorded at Norwich, viz. Joshua b. Nov. 22, 1682, and a daughter Ann who m. Timothy Dimmick.
source: Hinman, Royal Ralph. A Catalogue of the Names of the Early Puritan Settlers of the Colony of Connecticut, with the Time of their Arrival in the Country and Colony, their Standing in Society, Place of Residence, Condition in Life, where from, Business, &c., as Far as is Found on Record. Hartford, CT: Case, Tiffany and Company, 1852.
MAJOR WILLIAM BRADFORD, ELDEST SON OF GOVERNOR WILLIAM BRADFORD, BY HIS SECOND WIFE MRS. ALICE SOUTHWORTH, NEE CARPENTER.
Major William Bradford was born June 17, 1624. He resided at Stony Brook (Kingston), probably in the same house that had belonged to his father, and the location can be easily traced at the present time. One tree of the old apple orchard that he planted was still remaining as a land mark in 1876. He was next to Miles Standish the chief military man of the colony and bore the rank of Major. In 1662, when Wamsutta or Alexander, the successor of Massasoit was suspected of designs against the English, he was with Major Winslow when the chieftain was surprised and taken prisoner. The next eventful period of his life was during 1675-6. He was chief in command of the forces from Plymouth in the great Narragansett Fort Fight when the attack was made on King Philip's stronghold. In that desperate midwinter encounter both parties fought for their very existence when nearly a thousand Indians fell a sacrifice, and of the attacking force eighty were killed and one hundred and fifty wounded. During the engagement Major Bradford received a musket ball in his flesh which he carried the remainder of his life.
He was Assistant Treasurer and Deputy Governor of Plymouth from 1682 to 1686, and from 1689 to 1691, when the colonial government terminated. He was a member of Sir Edmund Andrew's Council 1687 to 1688. He was afterwards chosen a councillor of Massachusetts. In the year 1689 he is styled by the people of Rehoboth as the Worshipful Major Bradford. It has been thought by some that this title might have been given him in connection with the Masonic Fraternity but there is no evidence of the existence of any Masonic Lodge in this country earlier than 1730-3.
Major Bradford's estate comprised the whole of the present village of Stony Brook, north of the brook, extending to the bounds of Duxbury, besides tracts of land in other parts of the town. All that portion first mentioned was bequeathed to his four younger sons, Israel, Ephraim, David, and Hezekiah.
A large inheritance from his father is described on the records under date of June 1, 1663. “Whereas there was a grant by the Court of an addition of land unto Mr. William Bradford Sen. as appears upon record which was not layed out nor bounded in his lifetime; and whereas Captaine William Bradford the son of Mr. William Bradford Sen., did make request unto the Court that the same might bee performed, the Court held at Plymouth on the third of October 1662 did appoint Mr. William Collyeare and Mr. John Alden, Assistants, to view and bound an addition adjoyning unto the lands which the said William Bradford possesseth. Now wee, the above named Assistants, have this twentyeth of May 1663, viewed and bounded as followeth: on the northeast from a small rundelett that runneth downe to a place commonly called the Tussukes [now called Tussock Brook] and so to range alonge northerly by Plymouth bounds next the bounds of Duxburrow and so as to the brooke that runes into black waters to the place where the old path went to the bay. So ranging downe the brooke a mile in length.”
WILLIAM COLLYEARE
JOHN ALDEN
Major Bradford died Feb. 20, 1704 and was buried by the side of his father on the ancient burial hill at Plymouth. On his tombstone is the following inscription:
Here Lyes the Body
of the
Honourable Major William Bradford
who
Expired February ye 20 1703-4
aged 79 years.
He lived long, but still was doing good
And in his country's service lost much blood
After a life well spent he's now at rest
His very name and memory is blest
Major William Bradford in his will gives to David his house after his mother's decease; to John the land he then lived on; and also “my father's manuscripts, being a narrative of the beginning of New Plymouth; to Thomas, land in Norwich [which was his uncle John's] to Joseph, land at Norwich; to Samuel his right of commons in the Duxbury; to Israel Ephraim, David and Hezekiah, his estate; enjoining upon them to sell it to none that do not bear the name of Bradford, and be not descended from him; to Israel, a house; to David, a silver bowl; not to be alienated from the family of Bradford; to Hezekiah, a gold ring;” to Samuel, his Latin books; “to encourage him in bringing one of his sons to learning, which said books it is my will, that they shall by him be given to his said son whom he shall so bring up”
He married 1st, Alice, daughter of Thomas Richards of Weymouth.
Alice Richards the first wife of Major William Bradford died 12th Dec. 1671. He married 2d Widow - Wiswall; married 3d Mrs. Mary widow, of Rev. John Holmes, second minister of Duxbury, who died Jan. 6, 1714. She was the daughter of John Atwood of Plymouth son of Stephen Atwood and Abigail Dunham, daughter of John Dunham, of Plymouth. The Atwood homestead stood near the spot where the exploring party of the Pilgrims had their first encounter with the Indians before landing at Plymouth.
CHILDREN OF MAJOR WILLIAM BRADFORD.
Major William Bradford by his wife Alice (Richards) Bradford had issue:
I. JOHN born Feb 20. 1653; died Dec. 8, 1736; married Feb. 5, 1674 Mercy, daughter of Joseph Warren.
II. WILLIAM born March 11, 1655; died 1687; married Rebecca Bartlett of Duxbury Mass.
III. THOMAS born about 1657, died 1708, married Anna, daughter of Nehemiah Smith of Norwich, Conn.; settled in Canterbury, Windham County, Conn.
IV. ALICE born about 1659; died 1745; married 1st Rev. William Adams of Dedham, Mass., born March 29, 1650; married 2d Major James Fitch, of Norwich, Conn.
V. MERCY born 1660; married Sep. 16, 1680 to Samuel Steel of Hartford, Conn.
VI. HANNAH born May 9, 1662; died May 28, 1738; married Nov. 28, 1682, Joshua Ripley of Hingham, Mass.
VII. MELATIAH born about 1664; married to John Steel of Norwich, Conn.
VIII. SAMUEL born 1668 died April 11, 1714; married Hannah daughter of John and Elizabeth Rogers of Duxbury, Mass.
IX. MARY born about 1669; married to William Hunt of Weymouth, Mass.
X. SARAH born about 1672; married to Kenelm Baker, of Marshfield, Mass.
Major William Bradford married 2d, widow Wiswall. Their only child was
XI. JOSEPH born 1675; died January 16, 1747; married Anna, daughter of Rev. James Fitch, of Norwich, Conn. Oct. 5, 1698; lived in Lebanon, Conn. and in New London.
Major William Bradford married 3d, Mary, daughter of John Atwood, and widow of Rev. John Holmes; she died June 6, 1714. They had issue:
XII. ISRAEL born 1683; married Sarah Bartlett of Duxbury, daughter of Benjamin (2) son of Benjamin (1) son of Robert.
XIII. EPHRAIM born about 1685; married Feb. 13, 1711, Elizabeth Bartlett.
XIV. DAVID, born about 1690; died March 16, 1730; married Elizabeth Finney or Phinney.
XV. HEZEKIAH born about 1692; died Feb. 20, 1764 married Mary Chandler of Duxbury, Mass.
source: Whittemore, Henry. The Signers of the Mayflower Compact and Their Descendants. New York, NY: Mayflower Publishing Company, 1899.
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1624 - 1704 (79 years)
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