About William Bradford
William Bradford (1590-1657) was one of the Pilgrim Fathers and American colonial governor and historian, born in Austerfield, Yorkshire, England. In 1606 he joined the Brownists and three years later, in search of freedom of worship, went with them to Holland, where he became an apprentice to a silk manufacturer. William Bradford sailed on the Mayflower in 1620 and after his arrival in the New World became one of the founders of Plymouth Colony. In April 1621, he succeeded Governor John Carver, becoming the second chief executive of Plymouth Colony. Except for five years, William Bradford served as governor continuously from 1621 through 1656. In 1621 he negotiated a treaty with Massasoit, the chief of the Wampanoag Indians. Under the treaty, which was vital to the maintenance and growth of the colony, Massasoit disavowed Indian claims to the Plymouth area and pledged his tribes to peace with the colonists. William Bradford was a delegate on four occasions to the New England Confederation and was twice elected its president.
William Bradford wrote History of Plymouth Plantation (published for the first time in 1856), which has furnished, directly or indirectly, much of the present knowledge of the Pilgrims. The manuscript of this work was stored for many years in the tower of Old South Church, but disappeared during the Revolutionary War. It was found in the Fulham Library, England, in 1855, and in 1897 was returned to the United States and deposited among the Massachusetts archives. |
