The BRADFORD family of Austerfield in Yorkshire, England, Leiden in South Holland, the Netherlands and Plymouth in Plymouth co., Massachusetts

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First Generation

UNKNOWN BRADFORD of Bentley, co. York

Early generations often spelled their name "Bradforthe".

The father of Peter and William may have been the Robert Bradford who was taxed in Bentley cum Arkesey in 14 Henry VIII (1522/3) along with William, Peter Senior, Peter Junior and John. Robert's wife was taxed in 16 Henry VIII (1524/5), along with William, Peter Senior, Peter Junior and John. [Ref, p. 260]

Children of Unknown Bradford:

1. William Bradford of Bentley, co. York died between 19 Jul 1533, when he signed his will and 11 Nov 1533, when it was proved. [Ref, p. 245-6] He married Edith [Myrfyn?]
   William's will is reproduced in Browne [Ref, p. 245-6] In his will, Peter asks to be buried in the church of All Hallows in Arkesey. He mentions his brother Peter; his brothers William, John and Thomas Myrfyn; his wife Edith; Peter's sons, John, Robert, William, George, Thomas and Richard.
2. Peter Bradford died between 17 Jan 1542/3 and 19 March 1542/3.
3. John Bradford who was taxed in Bentley may have been the brother of William and Peter.
4. Robert Bradford who was taxed in Bentley in 1522/3, but who was apparently dead by 1524/5 could have been the brother or father of William and Peter.

Second Generation

PETER BRADFORD (d. 1543) of Bentley, co. York

Parents: Unknown Bradford

Peter Bradford of Bentley died between 17 Jan 1542/3, when he signed his will, and 19 March 1542/3, when it was proved. [Ref, p. 246-7] He asked to be buried in the church yard of All Hallows in Arkesey. [Ref, p. 245-6]

In his will, Peter mentions Katherine Seall, Agnes Ellis; his sons John, Robert, Thomas, William, Richard and George; George Felde's children. [Ref, p. 245-6] His will was proved by his sons William and Richard. [Ref, p. 245-6]

Children of Peter Bradford:

1. Peter Bradford died between 12 Feb 1557, when he signed his will, and 6 Apr 1558, when it was proved. [Ref, p. 262]
2. John Bradford of Alme Home in the parish of Arkesey died between 6 Jul 1541, when he signed his will, and 1 Aug 1541, when it was proved. He asks to be buried in the parish at Arkesey and mentions his wife and children. [Ref, p. 246-7] He married Cecily Unknown. Cecily Bradford of Almholme in the parish of Arkesey died between 15 Aug 1557, when she wrote her will, and 26 Apr 1558, when it was proved. In her will, she asks to be buried in the church of All Saints in Arkesey, near her husband. [Ref, p. 248]
   John was mentioned in his uncle William Bradford's will and his father's will.
3. Robert Bradford died between 28 Nov 1552 and 5 Oct 1553. He married an unknown first wife. He married second Elizabeth Unknown.
4. Katherine Bradford may be the Katherine Seall named in her supposed father's will.
5. Agnes Bradford may be the Agnes Ellis named in her supposed father's will.
6. George Bradford was mentioned in his uncle William Bradford's will and his father's will.
7. Thomas Bradford was mentioned in his uncle William Bradford's will and his father's will.
8. William Bradford was mentioned in his uncle William Bradford's will and his father's will.
9. An unknown daughter who died before 17 Jan 1542/3 may have married the George Felde named in her father's will.
10. Richard Bradford may have married the Catherine Unknown who signed her will on 14 Aug 1603. [Ref, p. 266] He was mentioned in his uncle William Bradford's will and his father's will.

Third Generation

ROBERT BRADFORD (d. 1552/3) of Wellingly, Tickhill, co. York

Parents: Peter Bradford [Ref, p. 245-6]

Robert Bradford of Wellingly in the parish of Tickhill, co. York died between 28 Nov 1552, when he signed his will, and 5 Oct 1553, when it was proved. [Ref, p. 247-8] He married an unknown first wife. [Ref, p. 265] He married second Elizabeth Unknown.

Robert is mentioned in his uncle William Bradford's will of 19 Jul 1533 [Ref, p. 245-6] and his father's will of 17 Jan 1542/3 [Ref, p. 246-7].

In his will, Robert mentions his sons William, Robert, Richard, Peter, Thomas and Hugh; his daughters Katherine and Alice; his brother William's daughter Alice; his brother Peter Bradford of Bentley; his wife Elizabeth. [Ref, p. 247-8]

Children of Robert Bradford and his first wife:

1. William Bradford was buried on 10 Jan 1595 in Austerfield. He married first Alice Unknown. He married second Margaret Fox.

Children of Robert Bradford and Elizabeth Unknown:

1. Robert Bradford of Wellingly signed his will on 19 Apr 1578. [Ref, p. 266, 271] He called his half brother William his brother-in-law, the term being used more loosely at the time.
2. Richard Bradford
3. Peter Bradford was probably the Peter Bradford who was buried on 4 Jul 1557 at Tickhill. [Ref, p. 266]
4. Thomas Bradford signed his will in 1605. [Ref, p. 266]
5. Hugh Bradford
6. Katherine Bradford married John Ogden. [Ref, p. 266]
7. Alice Bradford

Fourth Generation

WILLIAM BRADFORD (d. 1595) of Austerfield

Parents: Robert Bradford and his first wife [Ref, p. 266]

William was buried on 10 Jan 1595 in Austerfield. [Ref][Ref] He married first Alice Unknown. Hunt [Ref] argues that she may be Alice Morton, the sister of Anthony Morton. He married second Margaret, the daughter of William Fox of Harworth, co. Nottingham on 19 Oct 1567 [Ref gives only the year] in Harworth. [Ref, p. 270]

William came from Wellingly in the parish of Tickhill in Yorkshire to Austerfield in about 1557. [Ref]

An amicable settlement of a dispute over lands in Austerfield and Bawtry, dated Trinity 1577, has William Bradford, plaintiff, and Anthony Morton and Mary his wife, deforciants. [Ref]

Children of William Bradford and Alice Unknown:

1. Alice Bradford was born before 28 Nov 1552. She married Robert Brigge on 23 Oct 1593 in Austerfield. [Ref] She is mentioned in her grandfather Robert's will of 28 Nov 1552. [Ref, p. 247-8]
2. William Bradford was buried on 15 July 1591 in Austerfield. He married Alice Hanson.
3. It is often claimed that William and Alice had a son Thomas Bradford (see [Ref]), but Thomas is more likely William's brother, who signed his will in 1605, than his son. [Ref, p. 271]
4. Robert Bradford was baptised on 25 Jun 1561 in Austerfield. [Ref] He was buried on 23 Apr 1609 in Austerfield. [Ref] He married Alice Waingate on 31 Jan 1585 in Austerfield. [Ref][Ref] She was buried on 6 Mar 1614 in Austerfield. [Ref] Robert and Alice had two sons and three daughters baptised in Austerfield. [Ref]
   Robert Bradford, yeoman of Austerfield, signed his will on 15 Apr 1609. It was proved on 16 Jul 1609. He mentions his brother-in-law James Hull and his sister Hull. [Ref, p. 255]

Image: 12th century St. Helena's church in Austerfield

Children of William Bradford and Margaret Fox:

1. Elizabeth Bradford was baptised on 16 Jul 1570 in Austerfield. [Ref] She married James Hall on 25 Jan 1595 in Austerfield. [Ref]
   Elizabeth is mentioned in her brother Robert's will of 15 Apr 1609. [Ref, p. 255]

JOHN HANSON (d. 1602) of Austerfield

John Hanson was buried on 27 Feb 1601/2 in Austerfield. [Ref, p. 274] He married Margaret Gressam on 23 Jul 1560 in Austerfield. [Ref, p. 273] Margaret was buried on 31 Jul 1603 in Austerfield. [Ref, p. 274]

John was the village shopkeeper. [Ref: introduction]

Children of John Hanson and Margaret Gressam:

1. Alice Hanson was baptised on 8 Dec 1562 in Austerfield. She was buried on 23 May 1597 in Austerfeld. She married first William Bradford. She married second Robert Briggs.
2. George Hanson was baptised on 8 Nov 1564 in Austerfield. [Ref, p. 273]
3. Robert Hanson was baptised on 24 Aug 1569 in Austerfield. [Ref, p. 273] He married Anne Hyde on 24 Oct 1596 in Austerfield. [Ref, p. 274]
4. Catheran Hanson was baptised on 11 Apr 1571 in Austerfield. [Ref, p. 273]
5. Joan Hanson was baptised on 26 Jul 1572 in Austerfield. [Ref, p. 273] She married Thomas Lawe on 10 Feb 1594/5 in Austerfield. [Ref, p. 274]

Fifth Generation

WILLIAM BRADFORD (d. 1591) of Austerfield

Parents: William Bradford [Ref, p. 273]

William Bradford was buried on 15 July 1591 in Austerfield. He married Alice Hanson on 28 Jun 1584 in Austerfield. [Ref, p. 273]

William was a yeoman farmer.

William was mentioned in the 29 Apr 1578 will of his half uncle Robert Bradford of Wellingly. [Ref, p. 274]

Children of William Bradford and Alice Hanson:

1. Margaret Bradford was baptised on 8 Mar 1585/6 in Austerfield. [Ref][Ref][Ref, p. 274] She was buried on 9 Mar 1585/6 in Austerfield. [Ref][Ref, p. 274]
2. Alice Bradford was baptised on 30 Oct 1587 in Austerfield. [Ref][Ref][Ref, p. 274] She was buried on 30 Jan 1607/8 in Austerfield. [Ref, p. 274]
3. Gov. William Bradford was born about 1588 in Austerfield. He was baptised on 19 Mar 1589/90 in Austerfield. He died on 9 May 1657 and was buried at Plymouth. He married first Dorothy May. He married second the widow Alice Carpenter Southworth.

Image: Bradford manor house in Austerfield

ALICE HANSON

Parents: John Hanson and Margaret Gressam [Ref, p. 273]

Alice Hanson was baptised on 8 Dec 1562 in Austerfeld. [Ref, p. 273] She died soon after giving birth to her last child and was buried on 23 May 1597 in Austerfeld. [Ref, p. 274] She married first William Bradford on 28 Jun 1584 in Austerfield. [Ref] She married second Robert Briggs on 23 Sep 1593. [Ref, p. 273] Robert was buried on 16 Aug 1629 in Austerfield. [Ref, p. 274]

Children of Alice Hanson and Robert Briggs:

1. Agnes Briggs was baptised on 22 Sep 1594 in Austerfield. [Ref, p. 274]
2. Robert Briggs was baptised on 8 May 1597 in Austerfield. [Ref, p. 274]

Sixth Generation

GOV. WILLIAM BRADFORD (bp. 1590 - 1657) of Austerfield, Leiden and Plymouth

Parents: William Bradford and Alice Hanson

William Bradford was born about 1588 in Austerfield. [Ref] He was baptised on 19 Mar 1589/90. [Ref] He died on 9 May 1657 and was buried at Plymouth. [Ref] He married first Dorothy May [Ref] on 10 Dec 1613 in Amsterdam. [Refsays 30 Nov and that Dorothy is of Witzbuts, England][Ref][Ref: introduction, gives only the year] The marriage intention says that William was 23 years old and from Austerfield and that Dorothy was 16 years old and from Wisbeach in England. [Ref] There is controversy over whether Dorothy is the daughter of John or Henry May. [Ref] He married second the widow Alice Carpenter Southworth [Ref] on 14 Aug 1623. [Ref] It was the fourth marriage in Plymouth. [Ref]

"His father died when William was only a year old, his mother married again, and his grandfather and uncles then took him in hand to be trained as a farmer. At the age of twelve he became a constant reader of the Bible ... and when still a lad he was so moved by the Word as to join a group of Puritans who met for prayer and discussion at the house of William Brewster in the nearby village of Scrooby." [Ref: introduction]

In 1608 William went to Holland and joined the pilgrims. [Ref]When he came of age in 1611, he received an inheritance from his parents. He used some of it to purchase a house in Leiden, where he was a fustian or corduroy weaver. [Ref: introduction][Ref] He learned Dutch and some Latin. [Ref: introduction] In recognition of his standing in the community, William became a citizen of Leiden in 1612. [Ref] At some point poor business decisions led to the loss of a significant portion of his inheritance. [Ref] In June 1619 the Leiden Separatists acquired a patent from the Virginia Colony to establish a colony in the New World and in that year William sold his house in Leiden. [Ref]

William and his first wife Dorothy came to New England on the Mayflower. [Ref] Dorothy drowned on 7 Dec 1620 while she was still on the Mayflower and her husband was exploring on land. [Ref] "It may be that [William] suspected (as do we) that Dorothy Bradford took her own life, after gazing for six weeks at the barren sand dunes of Cape Cod." [Ref: introduction]

William was chosen Governor of Plymouth Colony in 1621, after the death of John Carver, and he was re-elected every year but five until his death in 1657. [Ref] William was the primary leader of the Pilgrim fathers; William Brewster was the church elder; Edward Winslow handled diplomatic business. [Ref: introduction]

William Bradford received three lots on the south side of the brook to baywards in the 1623 Plymouth land division. [Ref] He, his wife Alice and his children William, Jr. and Mercy were in lot 11 of the 22 May 1627 Plymouth cattle division. [Ref]

The relations between the Plymouth colonists and the Adventurers became fraught as the colonists' indebtedness to the Adventurers grew. In 1627 eight leading men of Plymouth joined four Adventurers in London in undertaking responsibility for the repayment of the entire debt in return for certain monopolies granted to them by other colonists. These eight men, who along with the four Adventurers called Undertakers, included William Brewster, Edward Winslow, Miles Standish, William Bradford, John Howland, John Alden, Isaac Allerton and Thomas Prence. [Ref]

On 2 Jan 1632/3 the General Court appointed William to a committee to assess taxes on the colonists, payable in grain or the equivalent. [Ref][Ref] He was again on the committee to set rates on 2 Jan 1633/4. Both years he was assessed relatively high taxes. [Ref]

He is in the Plymouth section of the 1643 list of those between 16 and 60 able to bear arms in Plymouth Colony; one of only four referred to as "Mr.". [Ref]

In the last days of his life, William studied Hebrew. [Ref] He began to feel unwell in the winter of 1657 and died on 9 May. [Ref] The day that he died he made a nuncupative will, asking Mr. Thomas Prence for help with his bequests. He left his wife Alice his stock in the Kennebec trade. He said that he had already given land to John and William and asked for a bequest to be made to Joseph. He appointed Mr. Thomas Prence, Capt. Thomas Willet and Lieut. Thomas Southworth to be the supervisors of his estate. He said to them, "I commend to your wisdom some small bookes written in my own hand to be improved as you shall meet." [spelling changed]. [Ref]

Children of William Bradford and Dorothy May:

1. Lt. John Bradford was born about 1618 in Leiden. [Ref] He died in 1678 [Ref] in Norwich, New London, CT. [Ref says before 21 Sep 1676]
   John did not accompany his parents on the Mayflower, instead he was left with his mother's parents in Amsterdam. [Ref] He arrived in New England when he was 11 years old. [Ref] He married Martha Bourne, the daughter of Thomas and Martha Bourne of Marshfield. [Ref] John was of Duxbury in 1645. [Ref] He was deputy to the General Court from Duxbury in 1652. [Ref] He moved to Marshfield and was deputy to the General Court from Marshfield in 1653. [Ref] He left no children.[Ref]

Children of William Bradford and the widow Alice Carpenter Southworth:

1. Maj. William Bradford was born on 17 Jun 1624 in Plymouth and died there on 20 Feb 1703/4. He married first Alice Richards. He married second the widow Wiswall. He married third Mary (Wood or Atwood) Holmes.[Ref]
2. Mercy Bradford was born before 1627. [Ref] She married Capt. Benjamin Vermayes of Boston on 21 Dec 1648 [Ref] in Plymouth. [Ref says "or Fearmayes"] He died at "Ginne" before 28 (9) 1665. [Ref asks "Africa?"] She left no known children. [Ref] [Refsays that Mrs. Mercy Bradford married Benjamin Vermages on 15 Jun 1648 in Yarmouth]
3. Joseph Bradford was born in 1630. [Ref] He died on 10 Jul 1715, age 85. [Ref] He married Jael Hobart on 25 May 1664. [Ref] Jael was the daughter of Rev. Peter Hobart, the first minister of Hingham, [Ref] and Elizabeth Ilbrook. [Ref] She was baptised on 30 Dec 1643 in Hingham and died on 14 Apr 1730 in Kingston. [Ref]

Seventh Generation

MAJ. WILLIAM BRADFORD (1624 - 1704) of Plymouth

Parents: Gov. William Bradford and Alice Carpenter

Maj. William Bradford was born on 17 Jun 1624 [Ref] in Plymouth. [Ref] He died on 20 Feb 1703/4 [Ref] in Plymouth. [Ref] He married first Alice Richards. [Ref] He married second the widow Wiswall. [Ref] Weber [Ref] argues that his second wife may have been the widow of Francis Griswold. He married third Mary (Wood or Atwood) Holmes [Ref] about 1676. [Ref] Mary was the daughter of John Wood (Atwood) and Mary Masterson [should this be Sarah?] and the widow of Rev. John Homes. [Ref] She was born about 1643 in Plymouth. [Ref] She died on 6 Jan 1714/5 [Ref] in Plymouth. [Ref]

William was the commander-in-chief of the Plymouth forces during King Philip's War. [Ref] He was Assistant Treasurer and Deputy Governor of Plymouth in 1682 - 86 and 1689 - 91. [Ref] He lived in Kingston.[Ref]

On 23 Apr 1650 William Bradford deeded land to his son William upon his agreement to marry Alice, daughter of Mr. Thomas Richards of Weymouth. [Ref]

In 1664, a lot was laid out for Capt. William Bradford near Namasket (Middleborough). [Ref]

On 10 Jun 1679 Maj. William Bradford released all his rights to Paul Sears in land at Sesuet that his mother had sold to Richard Sears, deceased, late of Yarmouth, father of Paul Sears. [Ref]

In his will, dated 29 Jun 1703 and proved 10 Mar 1703/4, William names his wife Mary; sons David, Ephraim, Hezekiah, John, William (deceased), Thomas, Samuel, Joseph and Israel; daughters Mercy Steel, Hannah Ripley, Melatiah Steel, Mary Hunt, Alice Fitch and Sarah Baker. [Ref]

Children of William and Alice Richards

1. Maj. John Bradford was born on 20 Feb 1652/3 [Ref] in Plymouth. [Ref] He died on 8 Dec 1763 [Ref] in Kingston. [Ref] He married Mercy Warren on 5 Feb 1674. [Ref] Mercy was the daughter of Joseph Warren and Priscilla Faunce of Plymouth. She died in Mar 1747, age 94. [Ref] William was the first representative to the General Court of Massachusetts from Plymouth.[Ref] He had seven children. [Ref]
2. William Bradford was born on 11 Mar 1654/5 [Ref] in Plymouth. [Ref] He died there on 5 Jul 1687. [Ref] He married Rebecca Bartlett of Duxbury in 1679. [Ref] She was the daughter of Benjamin and Sarah (Brewster) Bartlett. [Ref] She was probably Rebecca Samson who was later the wife of Caleb Samson, Sr. and who died on 14 Dec 1741. [Ref] William had three children. [Ref]
3. Thomas Bradford was born about 1658 in Plymouth. [Ref] He died on 1 Oct 1731, age 73, in Windham, CT. [Ref] He inherited lands in Norwich from his father and moved there. [Ref] He married first Anne Raymond, the daughter of Joshua and Elizabeth (Smith) Raymond, about 1681. [Ref] She died before 8 May 1705. [Ref] He married second Katherine Unknown, who died on 6 Nov 1733 in Lyme, CT. [Ref] He had five children. [Ref]
   some descendants of Thomas Bradford
   
4. Alice Bradford was born about 1659 in Plymouth. She died on 15 Mar 1745/6, age 84, in Canterbury, Windham, CT. She married first Rev. William Adams of Dedham. She married second Maj. James Fitch.
5. Mercy Bradford was baptised on 2 Sep 1660 in Boston. [Ref] She died before 5 Apr 1720 in Hartford. [Ref] She married Samuel Steel of Hartford [Ref] on 16 Sep 1680 in Hartford. [Ref] Samuel, the son of John and Mary (Warner) Steele, was born on 15 Mar 1652 in Farmington, CT and died there before 2 Jan 1709/10.[Ref] Mercy had eight children. [Ref]
6. Hannah Bradford was born on 9 May 1662 in Plymouth. [Ref] She died on 28 May 1738 in Windham, CT. [Ref] She married Joshua Ripley of Hingham on 28 Nov 1682. [Ref] Joshua, the son of John and Elizabeth (Hobart) Ripley, was born on 9 Nov 1658 in Hingham and died on 18 May 1739 in Windham. [Ref] Hannah had twelve children. [Ref]
7. Meletiah Bradford was born on 1 Nov 1664 in Plymouth. [Ref] She died after 24 Apr 1739. [Ref]She married first John Steel of Norwich [Ref] about 1689. [Ref] John, the son of James and Bethia (Bishop) Steele, was born about 1660 in Hartford and died there before 6 Mar 1697/8. [Ref] She married second Samuel Stevens after 23 Jun 1702 in probably Killingworth, CT. [Ref] Samuel, the son of William and Mary (Meiggs) Stevens, was born on 1 Mar 1656 in Guilford, CT and died before 7 Jul 1712 in Killingworth. [Ref] Meletiah had three children with her first husband and two with her second. [Ref]
8. Samuel Bradford of Duxbury was born in 1668 [Ref] or about 1667 [Ref]. He married Hannah Rogers, the daughter of Lt. John Rogers [Ref] and Elizabeth Pabodie. [Ref] Hannah was born on 16 Nov 1668 in Duxbury and died in Sep 1754 in Hingham. [Ref] Samuel had seven children. [Ref]
9. Mary Bradford was born in 1668. [Ref] She died on 7 May 1720 in Chilmark. [Ref] She married William Hunt. [Ref] William was the son of Ephraim and Ebbet (Brimsmead) Hunt. [Ref][Ref, p. 7] His father Ephraim's first wife was Mary's aunt Anne Richards. He was born in 1655 in Weymouth and died on 2 Jan 1727 in Chilmark, Martha's Vineyard. [Ref] Mary had two children. [Ref] William married second Hannah (Skiffe) Mayhew. [Ref, p. 7] Hannah was the daughter of Nathaniel and Mary Skiffe and the widow of Benjamin Mayhew. [Ref, p. 7]
10. Sarah Bradford was born in 1671. [Ref] She died between 18 Oct 1705 and 29 Sep 1712 in Marshfield. [Ref] She married Kenelm Baker of Marshfield. [Ref] Kenelm, the son of Samuel and Eleanor (Winslow) Baker was born on 23 Mar 1657/8 in Marshfield and died there between 29 Sep 1712 and 30 Mar 1713. [Ref] Sarah had ten children.

Children of William and the widow Wisall:

1. Joseph Bradford was born on 18 Apr 1675 in Plymouth. [Ref] He died on 17 Jan 1747 in New London. [Ref]
   

   He married first Anne Fitch on 5 Oct 1698. [Ref] argues that the records prove that it was Joseph, not his half-brother Thomas, as claimed by Ref] He married second Mary (Sherwood) Fitch [Ref] after 25 Feb 1715/16 (int.) in New London.	Thomas Fitch of Bocking
   	| Thomas Fitch | Mary (Fitch) Sherwood | Mary (Sherwood) Fitch	| Rev. James Fitch
   		| Capt. Daniel Fitch	| Anne Fitch

   
   

Children of William and Mary (Wood or Atwood) Holmes:

1. Israel Bradford died on 26 Mar 1760, age 83, in Kingston. [Ref] He married Sarah Bartlett of Duxbury [Ref] on 27 Nov 1701 in Duxbury. Sarah, the daughter of Benjamin and Ruth (Pabodie) Bartlett, was born about 1681 probably in Duxbury and died on 3 Apr 1761 in Kingston. [Ref] Israel had seven children.
2. Ephraim Bradford of Kingston was born in 1685 in Plymouth. [Ref] He died between 20 Feb 1743/4 and 6 Oct 1746 in Kingston. [Ref] He married Elizabeth Brewster on 13 Feb 1709/10 in Plymouth. [Ref] Elizabeth, the daughter of Wrestling and Mary Brewster, and granddaughter of William Brewster, was born about 1690 in Duxbury and died on 5 Dec 1741 in Kingston. [Ref] Ephraim had 14 children. [Ref]
3. David Bradford was born before 1687 probably in Plymouth. [Ref] He died on 16 Mar 1729/30 in Kingston. [Ref] He married Elizabeth Finney on 23 Feb 1713/4 in Plymouth. [Ref] Elizabeth, the daughter of Jonathan and Joanna (Kinnicut) Phinney, was baptised on 27 Oct 1695 in Bristol and was living on 9 Oct 1746 in Bristol. [Ref] David had five children. [Ref]
4. Hezekiah Bradford was born before 1687 probably in Plymouth. [Ref] He died after 23 Apr 1761. [Ref] He married Mary Chandler on 21 May 1714 in Plymouth. [Ref] Mary, the daughter of Joseph and Mercy Chandler, died after 23 Apr 1761. Hezekiah had a daughter. [Ref]

Eighth Generation

ALICE BRADFORD (abt. 1659 - 1745)

Parents: Maj. William Bradford and Alice Richards

Alice was born about 1659 in Plymouth. [Ref] She died on 15 Mar 1745, age 84, in Canterbury, Windham, CT. [Ref] She is buried in the Cleveland Cemetery in Canterbury. [Ref] Alice Bradford married first as his second wife Rev. William Adams of Dedham [Ref] on 29 Mar 1680. [Ref] William, the son of William Adams, was born on 27 May 1650 in Ipswich. [Ref] He died on 17 Aug 1685 [Ref][Ref] in Dedham. [Ref] William married first Mary Manning of Cambridge. [Ref] Mary, the daughter of William Manning, died on 24 Jan 1679. [Ref] He graduated from Harvard College in 1671. [Ref] William was the second minister of Dedham [Ref], ordained on 3 Dec 1673. [Ref] Alice married second Maj. James Fitch on 8 May 1687 in Norwich. [Ref]

In March 1544/5 Alice Fitch was recommended to and accepted as a member in the Congregational Church in Canterbury. [Ref]

The following is (despite the unexpected first name) the inscription from her tombstone: [Ref]

In Memory of Mrs Abee Fitch
Daughter to Honbl Wm. Bradford Esq
Lieut Govr Of ye Colony of New plymuth Relict of ye Honorble James Fitch Esq Late of Canterbury
A person of Rare qualities & Excellent Indowments
An Example of Virtue & Patrn of piety
She after an exemplary Life Fell Asleep March ye 15 A D [broken] 84 years of her age

Children of Alice Bradford and William Adams:

1. Elizabeth Adams was born on 23 Feb 1680/1 [Ref] in Dedham. [Ref][Ref] She died on 21 Dec 1766 in New Haven. [Ref] She married first Rev. Samuel Whiting on 14 Sep 1696 in Windham. [Ref] Samuel, the son of John and Sybil (Collins) Whiting was baptised on 24 Apr 1670 in Hartford and died on 27 Sep 1725 in Enfield, CT. [Ref] He was the grandson of William Whiting. [Ref] She married second Rev. Samuel Niles on 22 Dec 1737 in Windham. [Ref] Samuel, the son of Nathaniel and Sarah (Sand) Niles was born on 1 May 1674 in New Shoreham, Block Island and died on 1 May 1762 in Braintree. [Ref] He graduated from Harvard in 1699. [Ref] Elizabeth had 14 children.
   some descendants of Elizabeth Adams
2. Alice Adams was born on 3 Apr 1682 in Dedham. [Ref] She married Rev. Nathaniel Collins on 7 Jan 1700/1 in Enfield, CT. [Ref] Nathaniel, the son of Nathaniel and Mary (Whiting) Collins was born on 13 Jun 1677 in Middletown, CT and die on 31 Dec 1756 in Glasonbury, CT. [Ref] He graduated from Harvard in 1697. [Ref] He was the first minister of Enfield. [Ref] Alice had eight children. [Ref]
3. William Adams was born on 17 Dec 1683. [Ref] He died in 1699. [Ref] He was a helpless invalid. [Ref]
4. Abiel Adams was born on 15 Dec 1685 in Dedham. [Ref] She died in 1758. [Ref] She married first Rev. Joseph Metcalf after 3 Sep 1707 (int. in Falmouth). [Ref] Joseph, the son of Jonathan and Hannah (Kenric) Metcalf, was born on 2 Apr 1683 in Dedham and died on 24 May 1723 in Falmouth. [Ref] He graduated from Harvard in 1703. [Ref]. [Ref] He was minister of Falmouth. [Ref] Abiel married second Rev. Isaac Chauncey. [Ref] Isaac, the son of Israel and Mary (Nichols) Chauncey was born on 5 Oct 1670 in Stratford, CT and died on 2 May 1745 in Hadley. [Ref] He graduated from Harvard in 1693. [Ref] Abiel had 11 children. [Ref]

References

Cemeteries

Johnson, Alfred, trans., "Inscriptions in the Cleveland Cemetery, Canterbury, Conn.", New England Historical and Genealogical Register 70, 1916.

Court Records

Court Records, Laws and 17th Century Texts, Plymouth Colony Archive Project, http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/users/deetz.

Family Genealogies

Allen, William, "Descendants of Alice Bradford," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 9, 1855.

Browne, William Bradford, Ancestry of the Bradfields of Austerfield, co. York," in Roberts, Gary Boyd, ed., English Origins of New England Families: From the New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Baltimore, Genealogical Publishing Co., 1985.

Crowell, F. E., New Englanders in Nova Scotia, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1938.

Fessenden, G. M., "A Genealogy of the Bradford Family," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 4, 1850.

Sherwood, W. L., "Fitch - Bradford - Sherwood," Notes and Queries Section, New England Historical and Genealogical Register 39, 1885, 388.

Venard, Haskell, "The Family of Major James Fitch of Norwich and Canterbury, Conn.," The American Genealogist, 46, 1970, 36 - 46.

Wakefield, Robert S., William Bradford of the Mayflower and His Descendants for Four Generations, 3rd ed., General Society of Mayflower Descendants, 1991.

Walworth, Hon. Reuben H., "Minutes Relative to the Bradford Family," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 14, 1860.

History

Philbrick, Nathaniel, Mayflower, Viking, New York, 2006.

Stratton, Eugene Aubrey, Plymouth Colony: Its History and People 1620 - 1691, Salt Lake City, Ancestry, 1986.

Local Histories

Editors, "Sketches of the Early History of Middleborough, in the County of Plymouth," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 2, 1849, 213-220, 330-344.

Personal Records

Bradford, William, Of Plymouth Plantation, Alfred A. Knopf , New York, 2001, with an introduction and notes by Samuel Eliot Morison.

Public Records

Editors, "Items from the City Records at Leyden," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 15, 1861, 30 - 32.

Editor, "Major William Bradford's Confirmation of his Mother's Deed to Richard Sears with an Autograph of John Alden," Mayflower Descendant 25, 1923, 49-51.

Hayward, Elijah, "Plymouth Colony Records," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 9, 1855, 313-318.

Shurtleff, Nathaniel B., "Plymouth Colony Rates," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 4, 1850 252-3.

Puzzles

Hunt, J. G., "A Possible Added Morton-Bradford Connection," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 111, 1957, 68.

Vital Records

Barbour Vital Records for Windham County Connecticut

Somerby, H. G., "Extracts from the Register Books of Austerfield in Yorkshire, 1561 - 1631," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 4, 1850, 177.