Family register
William Bradford
- Mayflower passenger
Mayflower passengerWilliam Bradford (1590 – 9 May 1657) was born in Austerfield, Yorkshire, England to Alice Hanson and William Bradford of Austerfield. He married Alice (Carpenter) Southworth Bradford and Dorothy (May) Bradford. His children were John Bradford, William Bradford, Mercy Bradford and Joseph Bradford. He died in 1657, in Plymouth, Plymouth Colony.
Early life
William Bradford was baptized on 19 March 1589/90 (Old Style) at Austerfield, West Riding of Yorkshire, the parish register entering him as "William sone of Willia' Bradfourth."[3] Wikipedia gives the baptism as 19 March 1590, and a modern work converts the date to 29 March 1590 (New Style).[1][7] The baptism was performed by the Rev. Henry Fletcher in the stone font of St Helen's chapel at Austerfield.[2] The Austerfield register more usually spells the surname "Bradfourth" or "Bradfurth."[6] He was the son of William Bradford and Alice Hanson of Austerfield, who were married there on 21 June 1584.[15][16] His father died when William was about eighteen months old and was buried at Austerfield on 15 July 1591.[4] The infant William was in the care of his grandfather until January 1595/6, when the seven-year-old boy was given into the care of his uncles.[5] His mother, widowed in 1591, appears to have remarried at Austerfield: the register records a marriage there on 23 September 1593, and no other woman of her name is traced at Austerfield at that time.[8]