William Bradford (15901657) was a passenger on the Mayflower in 1620. He travelled to the New World to live in religious freedom. He became the second Governor of Plymouth Colony and served for over 30 years. Bradford kept a journal of the history of the early life in Plymouth Colony. It is called Of Plymouth Plantation.
Childhood
Bradford was born to William and Alice Bradford in Austerfield, Yorkshire, England. His family were farmers. The Bradford family owned a large farm and were considered rich.
Bradford's father died was he was one year old. When he was four years old he was sent to live with his grandfather. Two years later, his grandfather died and he returned to live with his mother and stepfather. A year later, in 1597, his mother died. Bradford became an orphan at age 7. He was sent to live with two uncles.
His uncles wanted Bradford to help on the farm but Bradford was ill and was not able to work. Bradford started to read many books. One of the books was the Bible. This may be where he started learning of a religion that was different from the church of England.
When Bradford was 12 years old he went with a friend to hear the pastor Richard Clyfton. Clyfton was a minister who did not believe in the Church of England. Bradford believed in Clyfton’s words. His uncles told him not to go to that church but he went anyway.
During one meeting he became friends with William Brewster. Brewster did not live far away and Bradford borrowed books from him about the new church.
King James I of England started to punish the people who did not follow the Church of England. They were called Separatists. By 1607 many members of the Separatists were arrested. Brewster was made to pay a fine for going to the church. Some members were put into prison and others were watched night and day. The people also learned that other Separatists in London had been put into prison and left to starve to death.
The Separatists decided to leave England for the Dutch Republic (where religious freedom was permitted). William Bradford went with them. It was illegal to leave England. The group was betrayed by an English sea captain who brought them to the English authorities. Most of the congregation, and Bradford, were put into prison. By the summer of 1608, the Separatists, and William Bradford, escaped to Leiden, Netherlands. Bradford was 18.
In the Dutch Republic
William Bradford moved to Amsterdam in August 1608. He lived with the Brewsters in Stink Alley. The Separatists had spent most of their money leaving England and were poor. After nine months, the congregation moved to the smaller city of Leiden.
When Bradford turned 21 he received some money. Bradford purchased his own house. He built a workshop and worked as a weaver. He was liked.
In 1613, Bradford married Dorothy May, the daughter of a rich English couple living in Amsterdam. In 1617, the Bradfords had their first child, John Bradford.
By 1617, the Separatists decided to travel to Virginia Colony in North America. The Separatists could practice their religion in the Dutch Republic, they wanted their children to keep their English customs and language. The colonists made a business arrangement with the Merchant Adventurers. These were a group of men who were willing to pay for the Pilgrims to go to the New World with the promise that the pilgrims would pay them back with furs and other goods they got from the colony. By July 1620, Robert Cushman and John Carver had made the plans and fifty Separatists left Delftshaven on the ship Speedwell.
Many families were split as some Separatists stayed behind in the Netherlands, planning to make the voyage to the New World after the colony had been established. William and Dorothy Bradford left their three-year-old son John with Dorothy's parents in Amsterdam, possibly because he was too frail to make the voyage.
Departure
The Speedwell planned to meet with the Mayflower and both ships would travel to Virginia Colony. The Speedwell proved unsafe and the passengers were put on the Mayflower. This made the ship very crowded. Not all the passengers were Separatists. There were about 50 colonists who went because they had certain skills. These skills would prove useful on the Mayflower and at the colony. Bradford said they hugged each other and cried and said goodbye to family and friends for the last time. They knew they were pilgrims and lifted their eyes to heaven, their dearest country and this comforted them.