Historical note: The first English settlers of Connecticut arrived between 1633 and 1635. As this individual is likely not a Native American, she is not likely to have been born in Connecticut in 1632.

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The July 2001 issue of the NEHGR gives her name as Sarah, based on a court record referring to the Widdow Sarah Griswell, and denies that she is the daughter of Thomas Tracey. The point of the article is to suggest that Sarah married second Major William Bradford, the son of Governor Bradford. William had three wives - first Alice Richards (d. Dec 1671), second traditionally "widow Wiswell" by whom he had a son in 1675 and third Mary Wood [Holmes], whose first child was born in 1677. The Massachusetts Wiswell family is quite small, and there is no one who could have been this missing widow.

Bradford's will refers to land that Joseph's mother had up in Norwich, which fits with land held by Francis Griswold. (The only others with holdings at that time who died before 1673 were William Backus and John Mason, neither of which had a widow who could have remarried.) In addition, two of Francis' daughters were married in Plymouth, which makes little sense for a family from Norwich, unless their mother had moved to Plymouth with her new husband.

How might they have met? William's brother John was settled in Norwich -- he could have played matchmaker for his newly widowed brother and lovely widowed neighbor.

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2. Lt. Gov. William Bradford, son of Gov. William Bradford [1] and Alice Carpenter. Born on 17 June 1624 in Plymouth, Plymouth County, Massachusetts. Died on 20 Feb. 1703/4 in Plymouth, 79 years old. Buried in Burial Hill, Plymouth.

Married first Alice Richards, dau. of Thomas Richards and Welthian Loring, after 23 April 1650 in Plymouth when at least 25 years old (Alice was at least 22 years old). Alice Richards

• b. on 16 June 1627 in Pitminster, Somerset, England;
• bap. on 7 April 1629 in Pitminster when a year old;
• d. on 12 Dec. 1671 in Plymouth, 44 years old.

Issue of Lt. Gov. William Bradford and Alice Richards:

• i. son Maj. John Bradford b. on 20 Feb. 1652/3 in Plymouth; d. on 8 Dec. 1736 in Kingston, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, 83 years old; bur. in Old Cemetery, Kingston;
  • m. Mercy Warren, dau. of Joseph Warren (son of Richard Warren) and Priscilla Faunce, on 6 Jan. 1674/5 in Plymouth when 21 years old (Mercy was 21 years old); issue:
    • 1. John Bradford (1675–1724),
    • 2. Alice Bradford (1677–1746),
    • 3. Abigail Bradford (1679–1697),
    • 4. Mercy Bradford (1681–1738),
    • 5. Samuel Bradford (1683–1740),
    • 6. Priscilla Bradford (1686–1733) and
    • 7. William Bradford (1688–1728).
• ii. son Maj. William Bradford b. on 11 March 1654/5 in Plymouth; d. on 5 July 1687 in Plymouth, 32 years old;
  • m. Rebecca Bartlett, dau. of Robert Bartlett and Sarah Brewster, about 1679 when about 24 years old; issue:
    • 1. Alice Bradford (1680–1775),
    • 2. William Bradford (bef. 1686–1730) and
    • 3. Sarah Bradford (abt. 1686–1718).
• iii. son Lt. Thomas Bradford b. in 1657/8 in Plymouth; d. on 1 Oct. 1731 in Windham, Windham County, Connecticut, 73 years old; bur. in Old Windham Cemetery, Windham;
  • m. (1) Ann Raymond, dau. of Joshua Raymond and Elizabeth Smith, about 1681 when about 23 years old (Ann was about seventeen years old); issue:
    • 1. Joshua Bradford (1682–1735),
    • 2. James Bradford (1689–1762),
    • 3. Ann Bradford (say 1691–1735),
    • 4. Jerusha Bradford (1692–1739) and
    • 5. William Bradford (bap. 1695–d. y.);
  • m. (2) Katherine _____.
• iv. dau. Alice Bradford b. in 1659 in Plymouth.
• v. dau. Mercy Bradford b. in Plymouth, Plymouth County, Massachusetts; bap. on 2 Sep. 1660 in Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts; d. before 5 April 1720 in Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut;
  • m. Samuel Steele, son of John Steele and Mercy Warner, on 16 Sep. 1680 in Hartford (Samuel was 28 years old); issue:
    • 1. Thomas Steele (1681–1739),
    • 2. Elizabeth Steele (bap. 1683–1712),
    • 3. Samuel Steele (1685–1710),
    • 4. Jerusha Steele (1685–1712),
    • 5. William Steele (1688–1713),
    • 6. Abiel Steele (1693–1769),
    • 7. Daniel Steele (1697–1788) and
    • 8. Eliphalet Steele (1700–1773).
• vi. dau. Hannah Bradford b. on 9 May 1662 in Plymouth; d. on 28 May 1738 in Windham, 76 years old;
  • m. Joshua Ripley, son of John Ripley and Elizabeth Hobart, on 28 Nov. 1682 in Plymouth when twenty years old (Joshua was 24 years old); issue:
    • 1. Alice Ripley (1683–1768),
    • 2. Hannah Ripley (1685–1751),
    • 3. Faith Ripley (1686–1721),
    • 4. Joshua Ripley (1688–1773),
    • 5. Margaret Ripley (1690–1774),
    • 6. Leah Ripley (1693–1775),
    • 7. Rachel Ripley (1693–1782),
    • 8. Hezekiah Ripley (1695–1779),
    • 9. David Ripley (1697–1781),
    • 10. Irena Ripley (1700–1727),
    • 11. Ann Ripley (1704–1747) and
    • 12. Jerusha Ripley (1704–1792).
• vii. dau. Meletiah Bradford b. on 1 Nov. 1664 in Plymouth; d. after 24 April 1739, at least 74 years old;
  • m. (1) John Steele, son of James Steele and Bethia Bishop, about 1689 when about 25 years old (John was about 29 years old); issue:
    • 1. Bethia Steele (abt. 1690–bef. 1732),
    • 2. John Steele (abt. 1692–betw. 1702 and 1715) and
    • 3. Ebenezer Steele (1695–say 1746);
  • m. (2) Ens. Samuel Stevens, son of William Stevens and Mary Meiggs, after 23 June 1702 probably in Killingworth, Middlesex County, Connecticut when at least 37 years old (Ens. Samuel was at least 46 years old); issue:
    • 1. Elizabeth Stevens (abt. 1703–1744) and
    • 2. William Stevens (1706–1751).
• viii. son Lt. Samuel Bradford b. in July 1667 in Plymouth; d. on 11 April 1714 in Duxbury, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, 46 years old;
  • m. Hannah Rogers, dau. of John Rogers (son of John Rogers and Ann Churchman) and Elizabeth Peabody (dau. of William Peabody and Elizabeth Alden), on 31 July 1689 in Plymouth when about 22 years old (Hannah was twenty years old); issue:
    • 1. Hannah Bradford (1690–1772),
    • 2. Gershom Bradford (1691–1757),
    • 3. Perez Bradford (1694–1746),
    • 4. Elizabeth Bradford (1696–1777),
    • 5. Jerusha Bradford (1699–1783),
    • 6. Welthea Bradford (1702–1755) and
    • 7. Gamaliel Bradford (1704–1778).
• ix. dau. Mary Bradford b. in 1668 probably in Plymouth; d. on 7 May 1720 in Chilmark, Dukes County, Massachusetts, 51 or 52 years old;
  • m. William Hunt, son of Ephraim Hunt and Ebbett Brimsmead, about 1687 when about nineteen years old (William was about 32 years old); issue:
    • 1. Mary Hunt (1688–1716) and
    • 2. William Hunt (1693–1769).
• x. dau. Sarah Bradford b. in 1671 in Plymouth; d. before 29 Sep. 1712 in Marshfield, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, at most 41 years old;
  • m. Kenelm Baker, son of Samuel Baker and Eleanor Adams Winslow, about 1687 when about sixteen years old (Kenelm was about 29 years old); issue:
    • 1. Sarah Baker (1688–1765),
    • 2. Alice Baker (1690–1715),
    • 3. Eleanor Baker (1692–1727),
    • 4. Abigail Baker (1693–1753),
    • 5. Kenelm Baker (1695–1771),
    • 6. Bethiah Baker (1699–1741),
    • 7. Keziah Baker (1701–1790),
    • 8. Samuel Baker (1703–1793),
    • 9. William Baker (1705–1785) and
    • 10. Edward Baker (1705–1781).

Married second Sarah _____ about 1674 probably in Norwich, New London County, Connecticut when about 50 years old. Sarah _____

• d. about 1675 probably in Plymouth;
• m. (1) Francis Griswold, son of Edward Griswold and Margaret _____, about 1652 (Francis was about 23 years old); issue:
  • 1. Sarah Griswold,
  • 2. Joseph Griswold,
  • 3. Mary Griswold,
  • 4. Hannah Griswold,
  • 5. Deborah Griswold,
  • 6. Lydia Griswold,
  • 7. Samuel Griswold,
  • 8. Margaret Griswold and
  • 9. Lydia Griswold.

Issue of Lt. Gov. William Bradford and Sarah _____:

• xi. son Lt. Joseph Bradford b. on 18 April 1675 in Plymouth; d. on 16 Jan. 1746/7 in New London, New London County, Connecticut, 71 years old; bur. in Raymond Hill Cemetery, Montville, New London County, Connecticut;
  • m. (1) Anna Fitch, dau. of Rev. James Fitch and Priscilla Mason, on 5 Oct. 1698 in Lebanon, New London County, Connecticut when 23 years old (Anna was 23 years old); issue:
    • 1. Ann Bradford (1699–1788),
    • 2. Joseph Bradford (1702–1777),
    • 3. Priscilla Bradford (1702–1778),
    • 4. Althea Bradford (1704–1704),
    • 5. Irene Bradford (1704–1704),
    • 6. Sarah Bradford (1706–1774),
    • 7. Hannah Bradford (1709–1749),
    • 8. Elizabeth Bradford (1712–1808),
    • 9. Althea Bradford (1715–) and
    • 10. Irena Bradford (1715–1761); m. (2) Mary Sherwood, dau. of Capt. Mathew Sherwood and Mary Fitch, on 25 Feb. 1715/6 in New London when 40 years old (Mary was 41 or 42 years old); issue: John Bradford (1717–1787).

Married third Mary Wood, dau. of John Wood and Mary Masterson, after March 1675/6 in Plymouth when at least 51 years old. Mary Wood

• b. about 1643 in Plymouth;
• d. on 6 Jan. 1714/5 in Plymouth, about 72 years old;
• m. (1) Rev. John Holmes on 11 Dec. 1661 in Plymouth when about eighteen years old; issue:
  • 1. Joseph Holmes,
  • 2. Mary Holmes and
  • 3. Isaac Holmes.

Issue of Lt. Gov. William Bradford and Mary Wood:

• xii. son Israel Bradford b. in 1677/8 in Plymouth; d. on 26 March 1760 in Kingston, 82 years old;
  • m. Sarah Bartlett, dau. of Benjamin Bartlett and Ruth Peabody, on 27 Nov. 1701 in Plymouth when 23 years old (Sarah was nineteen years old); issue:
    • 1. Ruth Bradford (1702–1703),
    • 2. Bathsheba Bradford (1703–1773),
    • 3. Benjamin Bradford (1705–1783),
    • 4. Abner Bradford (1707–1784),
    • 5. Joshua Bradford (1710–1758),
    • 6. Ichabod Bradford (1713–1791) and
    • 7. Elisha Bradford (1718–1801).
• xiii. son David Bradford b. say in 1680 probably in Plymouth; d. on 16 March 1729/30 in Kingston, 49 or 50 years old;
  • m. Elizabeth Phinney, dau. of Jonathan Phinney and Joanna Kinnicutt, on 23 Feb. 1713/4 in Plymouth when 33 or 34 years old; issue:
    • 1. Nathaniel Bradford (1715–1751),
    • 2. Jonathan Bradford (1717–1742),
    • 3. Lydia Bradford (1719–1756),
    • 4. Nathan Bradford (1722–1787) and
    • 5. Lemuel Bradford (1727–1746).
• xiv. son Hezekiah Bradford b. say in 1683 probably in Plymouth; d. on 23 April 1761, 77 or 78 years old;
  • m. Mary Chandler, dau. of Joseph Chandler and Mercy _____, on 21 May 1714 in Plymouth when 30 or 31 years old; issue:
    • 1. Mary Bradford (1717–1803).
• xv. son Ephraim Bradford b. in 1685 in Plymouth; d. before 6 Oct. 1746 in Kingston, at most 61 years old;
  • m. Elizabeth Brewster, dau. of Wrestling Brewster and Mary _____, on 13 Feb. 1709/10 in Plymouth when 24 or 25 years old (Elizabeth was nineteen years old); issue:
    • 1. Deborah Bradford (1712–1732),
    • 2. _____ Bradford (1714–1714),
    • 3. Anna Bradford (1715–1757),
    • 4. _____ Bradford (1716–1716),
    • 5. Elizabeth Bradford (1717–1772),
    • 6. Ephraim Bradford (1719–1741),
    • 7. Abigail Bradford (1720–1790),
    • 8. Lusanna Bradford (1721–1805),
    • 9. Elijah Bradford (1723–1741),
    • 10. _____ Bradford (1724–1741),
    • 11. Ruth Bradford (1725–1767),
    • 12. Ezekiel Bradford (1728–1816),
    • 13. Simon Bradford (1729–1793) and
    • 14. Wait Bradford (abt. 1730–1801).

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Notes on Lt. Gov. William Bradford:

William1 was born on 17 June 1624 in Plymouth and inherited a large estate from his father. He lived on the north side of the Jones river in a section known as Stony Brook by Kingston.

William married first Alice Richards shortly after 23 April 1650 in Plymouth. She was born on 16 June 1627 in Pitminster, Somerset, England, daughter of Thomas Richards and Welthian Loring, and baptized there on 7 Zpril 1629. She inherited property from both her parents.

Alice’ father Thomas2 was baptized on 15 April 1596 in Pitminster. He emigrated to Mattapan (Dorchester), Massachusetts, in 1630 aboard the Mary and John , the first ship to leave in Winthrop’s fleet3, embarking on 20 March 1630 from Plymouth and arriving on 30 May at Nantasket.4

The Massachusetts Bay Colony

John Winthrop (22 January 1588 Groton, England–26 March 1649 Boston, Massachusetts) led the mass migration of the first settlers of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630. Twelve ships left Southhampton and landed at Naumkeag (Salem). The ships were the Mary and John (the first to leave and arrive), Ambrose, Jewel, Talbot, Mayflower, Whale, William and Francis, Trial, Hopewell, Charles, Arbella (the flagship of Winthrop) and Success (the last to arrive). Many more ships followed. The Company moved its capitol from Salem to Charlestown in July.

The majority of the settlers (60%) came from East Anglia and neighboring counties: Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Huntingdonshire and Lincolnshire, plus parts of Bedfordshire and Kent, as shown in the map below. Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex were the core of the Puritan migration.5 They brought with them the folkways6 of East Anglia which are still evident in New England today, as well as in other parts of America to which they migrated. By 1660 more than sixty percent of Massachusetts towns named after English communities were named from the eastern counties.

Compared to the rest of England, the Puritan influence was particularly strong in the east. The “Yankee Twang” derives directly from the seventeenth century “Norfolk Whine.” The “Salt Box” and “Cape Code” styles of architecture were taken from the eastern counties, as was the penchant for baked foods (including the famous baked beans and pies) and conservative dress. The strong orientation towards family and abhorrence of the single state had its roots in East Anglia, as did the attitudes towards religion, witchcraft, respect for elders, sex and the naming and raising of children. East Anglia also provided the predominant settlement pattern of nuclear villages, satellite hamlets and scattered farmsteads, as well as town government by Selectmen and the concept of “ordered liberty.”

The culture and mores of the eastern counties of England dominated New England life then and (to a great degree) now. Indeed, the past is alive and well in the present, wherever the descendants of the Puritans settled.

Thomas married Welthian about 1618 and had nine children.7 Thomas moved to Weymouth, Massachusetts, in 1636 where he was one of the owners of a mill in 1639 and where he was made a freeman on 13 May 1640. He died between 17 December 1650 when his will was dated and 28 January following when it was probated, in the house of his brother-in-law, Thomas Loring, in Weymouth. Welthian’s will was dated 3 July 1679 and probated the November following.

Alice Richards and Major William Bradford had ten children, all born in Plymouth.

Alice Richards died on 12 December 1671 in Plymouth, 44 years old, and Major William married second Sarah _____, widow of Francis Griswold, about 1674, probably in Norwich, Connecticut.8 Sarah and Francis had Sarah, Joseph, Mary, Hannah, Deborah, Lydia, Samuel, Margaret and Lydia. Sarah and William had a son born in Plymouth.

In 1675 William was Major and Commander-in-Chief of the Plymouth forces at the Great Swamp Fight during King Philip’s War, where he was severely wounded but recovered to live another 28 years.

Sarah (_____) Griswold Bradford died about 1675, probably following the birth of her only child, and William married third Mary Wood, widow of Reverend John Holmes, after Mar 1675/6 when she was noted as Mistress Mary Holmes. She was born about 1643 in Plymouth, daughter of John Wood (perhaps Atwood) and Mary Masterson. Mary and John had Joseph, Mary and Isaac. Mary and William had four sons.

William was Assistant and Treasurer of the Colony and Deputy Governor in the periods 1682–86 and again in 1689–91. In 1691 he was a member of the Council of Massachusetts and he was a Commissioner of the United Colonies for twelve years. In 1695–1702 he was Judge of Probate.

William died on 20 February 1703/4 in Plymouth, and was buried next to his father on Burial Hill. His will dated 29 June 1703 and proven 10 March 1703/4 mentions his wife Mary; sons David, Ephraim, Hezekiah, John, Thomas, Samuel and Israel; and daughters Mercy Steel, Hannah Riply [sic], Melatiah Steel, Mary Hunt, Alce [sic] Fitch and Sarah Baker. Wife Mary died on 6 January 1714/5 in Plymouth.

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1 Roser, Mayflower Increasings, 23. Hall, Descendants of Governor William Bradford, 4. Collins, Ancestors of Rejoyce Ballance Collins and Constance Dorothy Van Etten Collins, 8. Lainhart and Wakefield, Mayflower Families through Five Generations, Vol. 22: William Bradford, 5–7.

2 Savage, A Genealogical Dictionary of . . . New England, Vol. III, 532–535. Also see Spear, Search for the Passengers of the Mary and John, Vol. 17, Part I, 127–130, for a provisional ancestry of Thomas Richards.

3 The “Governor and the Company of the Massachusetts Bay in New England” was chartered by King Charles I in March 1629. The original executive power was vested in a Governor, Deputy Governor and eighteen Assistants who were to be elected for a term of one year. The legislature consisted of the foregoing and all of the “freemen,” and was called the General Court. The judiciary consisted of the Governor and seven or more Assistants. The freemen evolved into Deputies/Representatives and in 1644 the General Court was split into two chambers which ultimately became the Senate and House of Representatives.

4 Banks, The Planters of the Commonwealth, 90. Banks notes that the passengers included Thomas of Pitminster, Somerset, Mrs. Welthian Richards and John, James, Mary, Anne and Alice Richards.

5 Michael Metcalf, who emigrated to Dedham seven years later in 1637, was born in Tatterford, married in Hingham and worked in Norwich, all in Norfolk.

6 Fisher, Albion’s Seed, Four British Folkways in America, 13–205.

7 Savage, A Genealogical Dictionary of . . . New England, Vol. III, 532–535. According to Savage, the nine children were: Major John Richards (?–2 April 1694) married first Elizabeth Hawkins (?–1 November 1691) on 3 May 1654 and second Ann Winthrop (?–27 June 1704) on 1 September 1692. James Richards (?–11 July 1680) married Sarah Gibbons. Samuel Richards. Joseph Richards. Benjamin Richards married Hannah Hudson on 10 October 1661. Mary Richards (?–24 June 1659) married Thomas Hinckley of Barnstable on 7 December 1641, later Governor of the Colony. Ann Richards married Ephraim Hunt. Alice Richards (16 June 1627–12 December 1671) above. Hannah Richards (?–10 November 1651).

8 Webber, “Major William Bradford’s Second Wife: Was She the Widow of Francis Griswold?” 245–250.

http://www.lanopalera.net/Genealogy/Bradford.html#A4358