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Archiver > BRADFORD > 1999-05 > 0926198298


From: George McSwain <>
Subject: [BRADFORD-L] !!!!!Help!!!!
Date: Sat, 8 May 1999 17:18:18 -0400


You said:
>so anyway, am I wrong in that John Bradford the distinguished Colonel was
the son of John Bradford I and Rebecca Pace and that John I was son of
Richard Bradford and Frances Taylor???<

Some sources, such as the North Carolina Division of Archives and History,
have stated that John Bradford's wife was Rebecca "Bartlett" and thus her
husband was great-grandson of Mayflower Pilgrim Gov. William Bradford of
Plymouth colony, MA. There is little documentary evidence for this theory.
Boddie in "Virginia Historical Genealogies" establishes the link between
John Bradford as son of Richard and Frances Taylor Bradford based on
comparison of the names of the grandparents and children in addition to the
land records, wills and locations. John Bradford's neighbor on Beaver Pond
Creek in Brunswick Co, VA was John Moore who married Tabitha Pace, sister
of Rebecca Pace. Their father, Richard Pace's will probated in Bertie Co,
NC 12 Mar 1736 mentions seven married daughters including Tabitha Moore and
Rebecca Bradford. Furthermore, Richard Pace patented 285 acres of land in
Prince George Co on 12 Jul 1718 which he subsequently assigned or gave to
John Bradford.

Some sources say of Col. John Bradford that he moved to Fanquier County,
Virginia where his uncle William lived and signed his name "John of
Virginia of the House of Bradford". He obtained from John Earl of
Granville, a grant of land under the seal of George II of England, said
grant reserving to the king all gold found on or in said lands, situated in
what is now Halifax County, NC. According to Sandlund, the Fauquier Co, VA
branch of Bradfords (originating with John Bradford who arrived in
Rappahannock Co in 1666 and later moved to Fauquier Co) is a different
branch from the one originating in Charles City Co.

According to an article in the "Littleton (NC) Observer" dated 23 July
1970: He was the great-great grandson of Governor William Bradford of the
Pilgrim Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts and he served with distinction in
the affairs of the colony and state of North Carolina. The direct link to
his great-great grandfather Governor William Bradford of the Pilgrim
Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts is not confirmed by the Genealogical
Register of Plymouth Families or the Four Generations books of the
Mayflower Families In Progress series published by the General Society of
Mayflower descendants which do not list Col. John as a child of John
Bradford and Rebecca Bartlett. It is likely that his parents were John and
Rebecca Pace Bradford of Virginia.

George McSwain
1219 62nd St. NW
Bradenton, FL 34209
e-mail:

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