Col. Gamaliel Bradford II was born 2 September 1731 in Duxbury, Plymouth County, Massachusetts to Gamaliel Bradford (1704-1778) and Abigail Bartlett (1703-1776) and died 4 January 1807 Duxbury, Plymouth County, Massachusetts of unspecified causes. He married Sarah Alden (1731-1788) 10 March 1757 in Duxbury, Plymouth County, Massachusetts.
Biography
American Revolutionary War
Battle flag of 1777
14th Massachusetts Regiment was raised on September 16, 1776, under Colonel Gamaliel Bradford at Boston, Massachusetts. The regiment would see action in the American Revolutionary War at the Battle of Saratoga and the Battle of Monmouth. before encamping with the army for its final cantonment at New Windsor, New York. When the number of Massachusetts regiments was reduced in January 1781, the men of the 14th were folded into the 7th Massachusetts Regiment at which point the 14th was disbanded.
Without a doubt, the Duxbury soldiers that saw the hardest duty were those that were sent to the Continental Army. Two companies, under Captains Joseph Wadsworth and Thomas Turner, were formed in 1777 soon found themselves in some of the fiercest fighting in the Revolution. They served with the 14th Massachusetts Regiment commanded by Duxbury Colonel Gamaliel Bradford. Turner’s Company served the longest of any Duxbury company, from 1777 to 1780. They were with Washington during the hard winter at Valley Forge and fought at the battles of Germantown and Monmouth.
The sheer number of Duxbury men who signed up for service is remarkable. Some 270 are on record, representing the vast majority of the town’s adult male population.
This unit included his son Gamaliel Bradford (1763-1824), a private at age 13. He was later captain of a privateer raider in the French Quasi-War of 1800.
Marriage and Family
- Perez Bradford (1758-1802)
- Sophia Bradford (1761-1855)
- Capt Gamaliel Bradford III - Served with father in Revolutionary War. Afterwards he commanded the American private armed ship Mary in 1799, during the Quasi-War with France. In July 1800, in command of Industry, he routed four French privateers at Gibraltar.
- Alden Bradford (1765-1843)
- Sarah Bradford (1768-1840)
- Jerusha Bradford (1770-1833) - married in Duxbury to Shipping tycoon Ezra Weston (1772-1842), AKA: King Caesar II, they became the wealthiest couple in all of early 19th Century Plymouth County.
- Daniel Bradford (1771-1838)
- Gershom Bradford (1774-1844)
Children
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Perez Bradford (1758-1802) | |||
| Sophia Bradford (1761-1855) | |||
| Gamaliel Bradford (1763-1824) | 4 November 1763 Duxbury, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States | 7 March 1824 Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States | Elizabeth Hickling (1767-1817) |
| Alden Bradford (1765-1843) | |||
| Sarah Bradford (1768-1840) | |||
| Jerusha Bradford (1770-1833) | 3 January 1770 Duxbury, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States | 11 October 1833 Duxbury, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States | Ezra Weston (1772-1842) |
| Daniel Bradford (1771-1838) | |||
| Gershom Bradford (1774-1844) | |||
Siblings
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Abigail Bradford (1728-1768) | 24 September 1728 Duxbury, Plymouth County, Massachusetts | 1768 Duxbury, Plymouth County, Massachusetts | Wait Wadsworth (1714-1799) |
| Samuel Bradford (1729-1777) | |||
| Gamaliel Bradford (1731-1807) | 2 September 1731 Duxbury, Plymouth County, Massachusetts | 4 January 1807 Duxbury, Plymouth County, Massachusetts | Sarah Alden (1731-1788) Mary Cooper (1753-1833) |
| Seth Bradford (1733-1807) | |||
| Peabody Bradford (1735-1782) | |||
| Deborah Bradford (1738-1827) | |||
| Hannah Bradford (1740-1790) | |||
| Ruth Bradford (1743-1812) | |||
| Peter Bradford (1745-1834) | |||
| Andrew Bradford (1745-1836) | |||
Vital Records
Gravestone
Gravestone of Col Gamaliel Bradford at Mayflower Cemeter - Duxbury MA
Gravestone Location: Mayflower Cemetery - Duxbury MA / Lot 5L, Grave 1A Oak Street
References
- Gamaliel Bradford - Wikipedia
- Gamaliel Bradford - disambiguation
- Gamaliel Bradford - FindAGrave #37088985
- Tour Historic Duxbury MA - Notable Families of Duxbury
- History of the Town of Duxbury MA - Free on Google Books
- DuxburyHistory.org
- Alden Family Kindred Society
Residences
References
- Elizabeth (Alden) Pabodie and Descendants (1897) - by Mary Langford Taylor Alden (Author). Fascinating story of this family of Mayflower descendants that helped settle Duxbury MA and parts of New England.
- Descendant of Mayflower Pilgrims.
- Bradford in Plymouth County, Massachusetts
- Gamaliel Bradford - Disambiguation page