William Bradford

1590–1657 · Governor of Plymouth Colony for most of its first generation, and author of Of Plymouth Plantation.

Statesmen & Founders Writers & Poets Renaissance Early Modern Record-breaker

William Bradford was born in March 1590 in Austerfield, Yorkshire, and was baptized there the same month. As a young man he joined the Separatist congregation at Scrooby. When an early plan to leave England was discovered, he was briefly imprisoned; the next year he reached Holland, first Amsterdam and then Leiden, where he learned silk weaving and later went into business. In 1620 he sailed on the Mayflower and was among those who bound themselves, at Cape Cod, in the civil compact later called the Mayflower Compact. After Governor John Carver died in April 1621, Bradford was chosen governor of Plymouth Colony. He was reelected some thirty times and, except for five years, served until 1656. He recorded a formal peace with the Wampanoag sachem Massasoit and wrote the history Of Plimoth Plantation, begun in 1630, in a plain style and in his own spelling. The manuscript disappeared from Boston during the American Revolution, was found in the bishop of London’s library at Fulham, and was returned to Massachusetts in 1897. Bradford died at Plymouth on 9 May 1657.

William Bradford is also an author in the library: author page and works.

Key dates

1590 Born in Austerfield, Yorkshire, and baptized there in March
1609 Reaches Holland with the Separatist exiles
1620 Sails on the Mayflower and signs the compact at Cape Cod
1621 Chosen governor after the death of John Carver
1630 Begins the manuscript history Of Plimoth Plantation
1657 Dies at Plymouth on 9 May

Fun facts

The manuscript of his history disappeared from Boston during the American Revolution, was found in the Fulham library in London in 1855, and was returned to Massachusetts by the bishop of London in 1897. (Source: 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica, “Bradford, William (governor)” (Wikisource))

Record-breaker

Firsts and records, worded as the sources give them ("first known", "at the time").

After Governor John Carver died in April 1621, Bradford was elected governor of Plymouth Colony and, except for five years (1633, 1634, 1636, 1638 and 1644), served until shortly before his death. (Source: 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica, “Bradford, William (governor)” (Wikisource))

In their words

“they knew they were pilgrimes, & looked not much on those things, but lift up their eyes to y^e heavens, their dearest cuntrie, and quieted their spirits.”
Of Plymouth Plantation, The departure from Leyden

“as one small candle may light a thousand, so y^e light here kindled hath shone to many, yea in some sorte to our whole nation; let y^e glorious name of Jehova have all y^e praise.”
Of Plymouth Plantation, A thanksgiving for the light kindled at Plymouth

Read about them

Grades 6–8

The Mayflower Compact · In the library

Grades 9–12

Of Plymouth Plantation · In the library
Mourt's Relation · In the library

More lives

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