William Bradford

William Bradford was born in Austerfield, Yorkshire, a tiny farming village in northern England. His family was prosperous, but he lost his father, mother, sister, and grandfather before he reached the age of twelve. After he went to live with two uncles, he was struck by a mysterious ailment. Seeking comfort from his sickness, Bradford turned to the Bible and soon became uneasy about the way people worshipped God. He sought out a group of Separatists in a nearby town and began meeting with them secretly. He went with the group to Leiden, Holland after the group was discovered. He married Dorothy May in 1613 and their son, John, was born four years later. Both Bradford and his wife sailed on the Mayflower for the New World.

Although Bradford had shown leadership skills in Europe, he came into his own in the New World. When Governor Carver died...