Descendants of Simon Bradstreet

The earliest ancestors of our Governor Simon Bradstreet are found in Gislingham, County Suffolk towards the end of 15^th century. We find the will of Eleanor (–) Bradstreet, proved 18 Jan 1557, wherein she speaks of her “late husband Simon” with bequests to the church, to “my poor neighbors”, and to “repairing the highways of Gislingham”. She speaks of daughter Joan who married William Muskett, of her daughter Cicely who married Robert Wage and of sons Richard and John. She doesn’t mention son Robert who predeceased her.

Next we find the will of Robert Bradstreet, yeoman, Skole, County Norfolk proved 11 Nov 1553. In this will, he speaks of Eleanor Bradstreet, “widow, my mother” and of Anne (–) “my wife”. He also speaks of bequests to the church, to “the poor man’s box”, and to “mending the highways of Gislingham and of Skole. He also mentions his brother Richard, his brother Sir Thomas, Priest, and his brother John. He also mentions many other persons including his maid Elizabeth Passman. This will of Robert Bradstreet also gives us an insight as to his “way of life” He was a very successful “yeoman”,i.e. farmer. There is much land spoken of and the size of his bequests are significant for the times involved. Of special interest is the concern of “mending the roads”.

References: FH7:2nd V1:106-111

John Bradstreet, the son of Simon and Eleanor (–) Bradstreet was born in the early part of the 16^th century, say 1501-1515. He married Joan (–) around 1535-1545. His will dated 2 May 1559 and proved 20 October 1559 is fairly extensive. Daughters Margaret, Alice, Marie, Elizabeth, Anne, and Dorothy are mentioned . Sons Simon, Humphrey, John and Thomas are spoken of and his executors were named, they being wife Joan and Thomas Nuttall and Clarke, parson of Gislingham. Of the executors, he noted “desiring them of all friendship and charity to see all things in my last will and testament performed in such a sort as may be to the glory of almighty God, my soul and the health and discharge of their own conscience amen”. The extent of John Bradstreet’s will reflects the life of a fairly successful “yeoman”.

References:FH7:2nd V1:106-111

Simon Bradstreet, the son of John and Joan(–) Bradstreet, was born probably in the 1540s and was married in the 1560s.. Little is specifically known of this man except that he was “in all probability” the father of Rev. Simon Bradstreet. Is said that “:Governor Bradstreet’s grandfather was a Suffolk gentleman of fine estate”. The logic is with foundation in that the location is right and continuation of the family name of Simon is consistent.

References:FH7:2nd V1:106-111,282-285

Rev. Simon Bradstreet, son of the above Simon Bradstreet was born 1565-1570 at Gislingham, Suffolk. He was one of the earliest fellows at Emmanuel College at Cambridge. He held a living at Hinderclay, Suffolk which is only five miles from Gislingham. Subsequently, he held a living at Horbling, Lincolnshire. Rev. Simon was a non-conformist/Puritan minister through out his career Rev. Simon m Margaret (–) prior 1601.. Rev Simon Bradstree died 09 Feb 1621 at Horbling. His wife, Margaret, died 1631 at Horbling. His will dated 20 Dec 1620 was proved 12 April 1621.

References: NEHGR:V1:75-77; FH7:2nd V1:106-111,282-285; FH245:59; PH71:52; PH208:213

Simon Bradstreet, son of Rev. Simon Bradstreet and Margaret (–) was baptized 16 March 1604 at Horbling, Lincolnshire. His father died when he was fourtenn years old, and he was committed to the care the Hon. Thomas Dudley, for eight years following. He spent one year at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, pursuing his studies amidst various interruptions. Leaving Cambridge, he resided in the family of the Thomas, Earl of Lincoln, as his steward afterwards, he lived in the same capacity with the Countess of Warwick. Simon married 1628+/- Ann Dudley, daughter of

his mentor Thomas Dudley who he had lived with for eight years. By this time, Simon Bradstreet was considered to be a well educated intelligent gentleman.

Simon Bradstreet, with Mr. Winthrop, Mr. Dudley and others, agreed to emigrate and form a settlement in Massachusetts. He, Simon, was appointed an Assistant, and with his.family went aboard the ship Arbella 29 March 1630. This ship was named after the daughter of the Countess of Warwick who had married Isaac Johnson and were likewise coming to America. The Arbella initially anchored 12 June near Naumkeak, now Salem, but then proceeded to Boston where Simon was admitted to the Boston Church as member #7. Simon was admitted on 25 May 1636 as a Freeman, a formality that recognized that had existed for some time. In the spring of 1631, Mr. Bradstreet, with other gentlemen commenced building at Newtown, now Cambridge, and his name is among those constituting the first company, which settled that town in 1632. In 1639, the Court granted him 500 acres of land in Salem, in the next convenient place to Gov. Endicott’s farm. He built the first mill, in 1644 ,on the Cochichewick. Over the years he acquired much land. He was granted 800 acres located near the farms of Capt. Keane on 23 May 1650. Mr Bradstreet and Thomas Wiggins,gent. were granted 1000 acres near Dover with the privilege of timber for their sawmill on 14 Aug 1651. Simon with Mr. Symonds were granted 500 acres near Haverhill, “in reference to service done at York and Kittery”, 14 Sept 1653. He was granted 500 acres near the Connecticut River 6 May 1657. He was granted 300 acres to be located six miles or more from the Northampton Meeting house on 31 May 1660. Needless to say, our Gov. Simon Bradstreet was a very industrious man and involved in many endeavors.

He was very active in the process of government. He was Assistant, Massachusetts Bay Colony from 1630 to 1678; Secretary from 1630 to 1636; Governor from 1679 to 1685 and 1689 to 1692; Commissioner of the United Colonies 1644 and 1653 to 1657. He held many other local offices such as Cambridge selectman and Essex Magistrate. In 1653, Simon Bradstreet, with some of his colleagues vigorously opposed to making war on the Dutch in New York. He strenuously opposed the arbitrary way of Gov. Andros in 1688-1689. Simon Bradstree was in service of the government for over sixty two years. He was a popular magistrate and was opposed to the “witch delusion” in 1692. Governor Simon Bradstree died on 27 March 1697 at Salem at the age of 93. His first wife, Anne Dudley Bradstreet, predeceased Simon who married on 6 June 1676 for his second wife, Ann (Downing) Gardner, who was sister of Sir George Downing, who was in the first graduating class of Harvard , and was Ambassador of Cromwell and Charles II to Holland.

References:NEHGR:V1:75-77; FH7:2ndV1:111,282-285; FH245:59; PH39:498; PH71:52; PH97:64-65; PH208:209-215; PH211:32

Anne Dudley, first wife of Gov. Simon Bradstree, was a person of note in her own right. She was admitted to Boston Church as member #13, shortly after her husband. She died at Andover 16 Sept. 1672. Anne Dudley Bradstreet was a renowned poetess, the first in this “New World”. Two recent studies of Anne Bradstreet and her poetry are Elizabeth Wade White, “Anne Bradstreet: the Tenth Muse” and Ann Stanford, “Anne Bradstreet: The Worldly Poet”.

Hannah Bradstreet, born in 1642, married Andrew Wiggins on 03 June 1659 at Andover,Ma. References:NEHGR:V1:77; FH245:59; PH39:498; PH71:52; PH97:64-65; PH209:213.