The following information on the Cook, Bradford and Yale family histories was received from the international genealogical index of the Church of Jesus Christ of Later-Day Saints and numerous publications of the early American Colonies.
GREGORY COOKE
BORN 1621
DIED 01/01/1690 OR 1691
Gregory Cooke was born in 1621 and his wife’s name was Mary who was born in 1623 and died in 1681. Gregory died January 1, 1690 or 1691.
STEPHEN COOKE
BORN 1647
DIED 1738
Stephen Cooke was born in 1647 in Cambridge, MA. and he married Rebecca Flagg on November 19, 1679.
Stephen was freeman in 1690 and a deacon in 1738.
Rebecca was born in Newton, MA. on September 5, 1660 and she died June 20, 1721. Stephen died in 1738.
SAMUEL COOK
BORN 12/31/1690
DIED 04/11/1745
Samuel was born on December 31, 1690 in Cambridge,MA. He married Leah Ripley on March 14, 1715 or 1716 in Newton, CT. Leah was born about 1693. Samuel died April 11, 1745 in Plainfield, CT.
WEALTHON COOK
BORN 08/20/1724
DIED 11/19/1804
Wealthon was born August 20, 1724 in Windham, CT. She was married to Thomas Pardee. For further information see the Pardee family history.
ROBERT BRADFOURTH
BORN 1435 TO 1450
DIED 1523
Robert Bradfourth was born between 1435 and 1450. He was born in Bentley, Arksey, York, England. Robert was married to Edith Mirfyn who was born about 1439 in Bentley, Arksey, York, England. Records shows he was taxed in 1522 and died the following year in Bentley.
PETER BRADFOURTH
BORN 1460 TO 1475
DIED 01/17/1542
Peter was born between 1460 and 1475 in Bentley, Arksey, York, England. He was taxed in 1522 and died twenty years later. His will was dated January 17, 1542.
Peter had two wives, seven sons and two daughters, however the names of his wives are unknown.
He died January 17, 1542.
ROBERT BRADFOURTH/BRADFORD
BORN 1487
DIED 11/28/1552
Robert Bradford was born in 1487 in Willingley, England. He owned lands in Bentley, Arksey, Tickhill, Stansell, Wadworth and Wilsyke He lived in Willingley, Parish of Tickhill. Robert had nine children by two wives, one named Elizabeth. He died in Willingley, Tickhill, England in 1552.
WILLIAM BRADFORD
BORN
DIED 01/10/1595
William Bradford was married twice and had four children. He moved to Austerfield about 1557. In 1576 he bought a freehold estate of Anthony Morton. His second marriage was to Margaret Fox on October 19, 1567 in Harworth, Nottingham, England.
WILLIAM BRADFORD
BORN 06/21/1560
DIED 07/15/1591
William Bradford was born on June 21, 1560 in Austerfield, York, England. He married Alice Hanson on July 21, 1584 in Austerfield, York, England. Alice was born December 8, 1562 in Austerfield. She was the daughter of John Hanson and Margaret Gressam. Alice died January 10, 1595.
WILLIAM BRADFORD
BORN 03/19/1590
DIED 05/09/1657
William Bradford was born March 19, 1590 in Austerfield, York, England. His father died when he was two and his two uncles raised him.
He married Dorothy May of Amsterdam, Holland December 10. 1613 and the marriage produced one child. It is believed that his first wife, Dorothy may have committed suicide, but regardless she went overboard from the ship Mayflower anchored in Cape Cod, Province Town Harbor and drowned on December 7, 1620.
His second marriage was to Alice Carpenter who traveled to America on the ship the Anne. They were married August 14, 1623 at Plymouth, MA. This marriage produced three children.
Alice was born in 1590 at Wrington, near Bath, Summerset, England. Her father was Alexander Carpenter who moved his family to Holland to escape religious persecution.
Alice remained in Holland for many years before marrying Edward Southworth. He was a silk worker and they married in 1613.
Edward died in 1621 in Holland and Alice sailed without her sons via the Anne to Plymouth in 1623. She quickly married William who by now was Governor of Plymouth Colony.
William joined separatist at Scrooby, England and was imprisoned for trying to leave England. Later he succeeded in joining other Pilgrims in Holland, where many had gone to secure freedom of worship. There he became a tradesman.
According to the book Bradford of Plymouth William had paid his addresses to Alice Carpenter and was favorably received by her, but her father was opposed on account of Bradfords inferior rank and social standing. Edward Southworth and his wife Alice had planned on sailing to America on one of the early trips but stayed in Layden , Holland and planned to sail at a later date. Prior to him sailing to the new world he died.
On September 16, 1620 William sailed with 101 other Pilgrims on the Mayflower for the new world. They sighted Cape Cod on November 19, 1620. He was chosen Governor of the colony in 1621 to succeed John Carver and served in that position for most of the rest of his life.
The book Saints and Strangers indicates that Alice came to Plymouth at Governor Bradford’s invitation and they were married almost immediately.
Bradford authored the book (manuscript) The History of Plymouth Plantation which was published 250 years after William wrote it.
During his first year as Governor he enacted a treaty (Spring 1621) with the great Indian Chief Massasoit and the treaty lasted until the Chief died in 1661.
In the book Bradford of Plymouth a description of Governor Bradford’s home in the colony as it was when Alice arrived:
“This was the governor’s house, standing inside its own fence at Plymouth’s only crossroads and occupying the northwest corner of what is now the junction of Main and Leyden streets. It stood in a larger plot than the eleven other houses, and though small enough it looked large by comparison with the rest.”
Alice Carpenter Bradford died March 26, 1670 at the age of 79. William died May 9, 1657.
The following is the will of William Bradford from the Pilgram Hall Museum
by Dorothy Honiss Kelso
www.pilgrimhall.org
75 Court Street
Plymouth MA 02360
508-746-1620
The last Will and Testament Nunckupative of Mr William Bradford senir : Deceased May the Ninth 1657 and exhibited to the court held att Plymouth June 3d 1657
Mr Willam Bradford senir : being weake in body but in prfect memory haveing Defered the forming of his Will in hopes of haveing the healp of Mr Thomas Prence therin; feeling himselfe very weake anddrawing on to the conclusion of his mortall life spake as followeth; I could have Desired abler than myselfe in the Desposing of that I have; how my estate is none knowes better than youerselfe, said hee to Lieftenant Southworth; I have Desposed to John and WIllam alreddy theire proportions of land which they are possessed of; My Will is that what I stand Ingaged to prforme to my Children and others may bee made good out of my estate that my Name Suffer not;
ffurther my WIll is that my son Josepth bee made in some sort equall to his brthern out of my estate;
My further Will is that my Deare & loveing wife Alice Bradford shalbee the sole Exequitrix of my estate; and for her future maintainance my Will is that my Stocke in the Kennebecke Trad bee reserved for her Comfortable Subsistence as farr as it will extend and soe further in any such way as may bee Judged best for her;
I further request and appoint my welbeloved Christian ffrinds Mr Thomas Prence Captaine Thomas Willett and Leiftenant Thomas Southworth to bee the Suppervissors for the Desposing of my estate according to the prmises Confiding much in theire faithfulness
I commend unto youer Wisdome and Descretions some smale bookes written by my owne hand to bee Improved as you shall see meet; In speciall I Commend to you a little booke with a blacke cover wherin there is a word to Plymouth a word to Boston and a word to New England with sundry usefull verses;
These pticulars were expressed by the said Willam Bradford Govr the 9th of May 1657 in the prsence of us Thomas Cushman Thomas Southworth Nathaniell Morton; whoe were Desposed before the court held att Plymouth the 3d of June 1657 to the truth of the abovesaid Will that it is the last Will and Testament of the abovesaid Mr WIllam Bradford Senir.
WILLIAM BRADFORD
BORN 06/17/1624
DIED 02/20/1703 OR 1704
William Bradford was born June 17, 1624 in Plymouth, MA. On August 4, 1652 he married Alice Richards daughter of Thomas Richards and Welthean Loring. Alice was born on June 16, 1627 and died December 12, 1671. She died at Plymouth,MA.
He then married two more times. The name of his second wife is unknown and his third wife was Mary (wood) Holmes. Alice and William had a daughter Hannah Bradford born in 1662. William died February 20, 1703 or 1704 in Plymouth MA.
HANNAH BRADFORD
BORN 05/09/1662
DIED 05/12/1738
Hannah Bradford was born in Plymouth, MA. May 9, 1662. She married Joshua Ripley. Their daughter Leah Ripley married Samuel Cook. Samuel and Leah had a daughter, Wealthon Cook who married Thomas Pardee.
For further information see the Cook or Pardee sections.
OSBORN YALE
BORN Before 1293
DIED
Osborn son of Fitzgerald was born prior to 1293 in Ireland. He died in Llanaber Parish, England.
CYNRIK YALE
BORN
DIED
No information is known about Cynrik son of Osborn.
LLEWELYN YALE
BORN
DIED
Llewelyn son of Cynrik was married to Nest or Nesta, last name unknown. No further information is known.
GRIFFITH YALE
BORN Before 1382
DIED 1396 TO 1398
Griffith son of Llewelyn was born prior to 1382 and was married to Efa, daughter of Madoc son of Ellis.
EINION YALE
BORN Before 1386
DIED
Einion son of Griffith was born prior to 1386 and he married Tangwystl daughter of Rhydderch son of Ievan Lloyd.
GRIFFITH YALE
BORN Before 1400
DIED
Griffith son of Einion was born before 1400 and married Lowrie daughter of Tudor son of Griffith Wychan.
ELLIS YALE
BORN
DIED 1489
Ellis son of Griffith was married to Margaret daughter of the heir of Jenkyn son of Ievan Yale.
DAVID LLOYD YALE
BORN
DIED
David Lloyd son of Ellis was married to Gynwhyfar daughter of Richard Lloyd of Llwynymaen.
DR. THOMAS YALE
BORN Before 1564
DIED 1577
Thomas Yale son of David Lloyd Yale was born prior to 1564 in England. He was dean of the Arches, and Chancellor of Bangor. Dr. Yale was also Chancellor of Mathew Parker, Archbishop of Canterbury. He died in England in 1577.
DR. DAVID YALE D.C.L.
BORN
DIED About 1626
Doctor David Yale was born in England and died about 1626.
THOMAS YALE
BORN
DIED 1619
Thomas Yale was born in England and he married Anne Lloyd in 1612 at Denbighshire NW, England. He died in 1619.
THOMAS YALE
BORN Between 1615 – 1619
DIED 03/27/1683
Thomas Yale was born in Wales, England between 1615 and 1619.
He traveled to the Boston, MA. with Theophilis Eaton (his stepfather) and his mother around 1637. Theophilis and Thomas went to New Haven, CT. in 1638 to farm. They both signed the planta covenant of 1639.
Thomas married Mary eldest daughter of Captain Nathanial Turner. They were married in 1645 in New Haven, CT. and Mary was born about 1627 in New Haven.
Thomas died on March 27, 1683. Mary died October 15, 1704.
ELIZABETH YALE
BORN 01/29/1667 of 1668
DIED 09/19/1702
Elizabeth Yale was born in New Haven, CT. on January 29, 1667 or 1668 and married Joseph Pardee.
For further information see the Pardee family history.