William Bradford

William Bradford (1728-1808) was a doctor, and later, lawyer, originally from Plympton, Massachusetts. He was a descendant of the Plymouth Colony governor of the same name. In 1774, as part of a town-wide effort in Bristol, William sent a sum of six pounds to support the people of Boston (that city’s port having been recently closed by the British). That same year, he was sent to meet with the Connecticut General Assembly about “Measures of Common Defence”. In 1775, William was Major General of the Rhode Island Militia. He was also Bristol County’s representative to the Rhode Island Committee of Safety. He then served as Deputy Governor of Rhode Island, as well as on the Council of War. He served on several other committees during the war. William served as a United States Senator from 1793 to 1797. He was married to a woman named Mary, with whom he had six children: William, LeBaron, John, Mary, Hannah, and John.