William Bradford (governor)

William Bradford
A conjectural image of Bradford, produced as a postcard in 1904 by A.S. Burbank of Plymouth[1]
2nd, 5th, 7th, 9th & 11th Governor of Plymouth Colony
In office May 1621 – 1 January 1633
Preceded by	John Carver
Succeeded by	Edward Winslow
In office 3 March 1635 – 1 March 1636
Preceded by	Thomas Prence
Succeeded by	Edward Winslow
In office 7 March 1637 – 5 June 1638
Preceded by	Edward Winslow
Succeeded by	Thomas Prence
In office 3 June 1639 – 5 June 1644
Preceded by	Thomas Prence
Succeeded by	Edward Winslow
In office 4 June 1645 – 9 May 1657
Preceded by	Edward Winslow
Succeeded by	Thomas Prence
Commissioner of the United Colonies
In office 1647–1647
In office 1648–1648
In office 1649–1649
In office 1652–1652
In office 1656–1656
Personal details
Born	ca. 19 March 1590 Austerfield, West Riding of Yorkshire, England
Died	9 May 1657(1657-05-09) (aged 67) Plymouth Colony
Spouse(s)	Dorothy May[2] Alice (Carpenter) Southworth[3]
Children	4
Occupation	Weaver, settler
Profession	Colonial governor, judge
Portfolio	Treasurer, chief magistrate
Signature

William Bradford (c. 19 March 1590 – 9 May 1657) was an English Puritan Separatist originally from the West Riding of Yorkshire in Northern England. He moved to Leiden in Holland in order to escape persecution from King James I of England, and then emigrated to the Plymouth Colony on the Mayflower in 1620. He was a signatory to the Mayflower Compact and went on to serve as Governor of the Plymouth Colony intermittently for about 30 years between 1621 and 1657. He served as a commissioner of the United Colonies of New England on multiple occasions and served twice as president.^[4] His journal Of Plymouth Plantation covered the years from 1620 to 1646 in Plymouth.^[5]