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An American Family History

Captain Moses Bradstreet

The town of Ipswich was established on August 5, 1634, from common land called Agawam. On October 18, 1648, that portion called the "Village" at the New Meadows was set off as Topsfield. The boundary line between Ipswich and Topsfield was established, February 28, 1694.

Anne Dudley Bradstreet (1612-1672) was the first women poet published in America and England. She was the wife of Governor Simon Bradstreet.

Captain Moses Bradstreet was born about 1636 in Ipswich, (now Rowley), Essex County, Massachusetts. His parents were Humphrey and Bridget Bradstreet

In 1666 he inherited from his mother his father’s farm, a barn, a musket a chest and chair, a kettle, a Bern vessell, two kelers, and a churn.

His first wife was Elizabeth Harris. They married on March 11, 1661/62 in Rowley. Elizabeth was born November 14, 1644. Her parents were John Harris and Bridget Angier.

Their children included:
John Bradstreet (1662),
Elizabeth Bradstreet (1667)
Moses Bradstreet (1675),
Dr. Humphrey Bradstreet (1669, married Sarah Pierce),
Nathaniel Bradstreet (1671/72, married Priscilla Carrell)
Hannah Bradstreet (1673),
Samuel Bradstreet (1675),
Bridget Bradstreet (1676),
Aaron Bradstreet (1680), and
Samuel Bradstreet (1682).

Elizabeth died about 1682. She probably died in childbirth.

He his second wife was Sarah Platts Prime. She was the daughter of Samuel and Sarah Platts and her first husband was Samuel Prime. Sarah was born August 16, 1654 in Rowley.

Moses died on August 17, 1690 in Rowley, Essex County, Massachusetts.
MaryRolandson
Mary White Rowlandson,Talcot
was captured by Native Americans
during King Philip's War (1675-1676).
Children of Humphrey and Bridget Bradstreet
  • Hannah Bradstreet Rolfe Holt
  • John Bradstreet
  • Martha Bradstreet Beale
  • Mary Bradstreet Kimball
  • Captain Moses Bradstreet
  • Sarah Bradstreet Wallis
  • Rebecca Bradstreet Bonfield
  • Old Style Calendar
    Before 1752 the year began on Lady Day, March 25th,. Dates between January 1st and March 24th were at the end of the year. Old Style (O.S.) and New Style (N.S.) are used to indicate whether the year has been adjusted. Often both dates are used.
    Children of Humphrey and Bridget Bradstreet
  • Hannah Bradstreet Rolfe Holt
  • John Bradstreet
  • Martha Bradstreet Beale
  • Mary Bradstreet Kimball
  • Captain Moses Bradstreet
  • Sarah Bradstreet Wallis
  • Rebecca Bradstreet Bonfield
  • Estate inventories give us a glance into the home life of Colonial Americans.
    Childbirth was was perilous. Around 1.5 percent of births ended in the mother's death. Since women gave birth to many children, chances of dying in childbirth were quite high.

    Rowley, Essex County, Massachusetts was first settled in 1639.

     

    HERE LYS WHAT WAS MORTAL
    OF ye WORTHY CAP. MOSES BRADSTREET
    DESEASED AUGUST ye 17, 1690, & IN ye
    47th YEAR OF HIS AGE.
    FRIENDS & RELATIVES
    YOU MIGHT BEHOLD
    A LAMB OF GOD
    FITT FOR THE FOLD

         
    HERE LIES THE
    BODY OF Mrs
    HANNAH BRADSTREET
    THE WIFE OF MR
    MOSES BRADSTREET WHO
    DIED JANUARY THE 3
    1737 AGED 67 YEARS
     
     

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    Essex County, Massachusetts was created on May 10, 1643 by the General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, when it ordered "that the whole plantation within this jurisdiction be divided into four sheires."
    Guardianship is when a court gives an adult custody of a child and/or the responsibility of managing the child's property. Before women could own property, guardians were appointed for their minor children if their husband died.

    Some Account of the Family of Prime of Rowley by Temple Prime

    Samuel Prime
    Born: Rowley August 14th 1649.
    Died: Rowley March 18th 1683-84; buried there.
    Will: intestate; Sarah his widow and Abel Platts were appointed administrators April 15th 1684; they died and were replaced March 31st 1695-96 by Samuel Platts, the estate was finally wound up with that of Mark Prime March 8th 1696-97.
    Married: January 1st 1673-74 Sarah daughter of Samuel Platts and of Sarah his wife; born Rowley October 16th 1654; her second husband was Capt. Moses Bradstreet of Ipswich, Mass.; died before 1696.

    Issue.
    1. Samuel Prime,
    2. Sarah Prime, born May 8th 1678; married June 25th 1733 James Stewart; died December 29th 1747.
    3. Mark Prime, baptized March 13th 1680-81; founder of the family still settled at Rowley.
    4. Anne Prime, born June 27th 1683; joined the church September 12th 1714, at that time unmarried.

    Samuel Prime
    Born: Rowley December 29th 1675.
    Died: Rowley March 4th 1717-18; buried there
    Will: intestate; Sarah his widow, later the wife of Robert Rogers having died, Moses Bradstreet was on the 10th of February 1722-23 appointed guardian of the surviving children: Samuel Prime aged over 14, Joshua Prime aged under 14, Sarah Prime aged under 14; final settlement of the estate February 12th 1722-23.
    Married: (published March 23d 1705-06) Sarah daughter of Joseph Jewett: and of Ruth Wood his wife; born February 3d 1689-90; married again October 7th 1718 to Robert Rogers; died November 20th 1722.

    Issue.
    1. An infant died January 14th 1706-07.
    2. Samuel Prime, born December 2d 1707; drowned September 30th 1730.(church register said "Poor Sam'l")
    3. Mark Prime, born July 30th, 1710; died April 1717. (church register said "A hopefull child."
    4. Joshua Prime, of whom later.
    5. Sarah Prime, baptized February 5th 1715-16; married December 19th 1732 Josiah White of Wenham, Mass.
    6. Mark Prime, posthumous; baptized March 23d 1717-18; died August 13th 1719.

    Account of Samuel Prime.

    In 1708 he had permission given to him to erect for himself a pew in the meeting house at Rowley in the north corner in the gallery, and also one for his wife in the easterly corner of the gallery; besides the minister's pew, these were the first built.

    The New England Meetinghouse was the only municipal building in a town. Both worship and civil meetings were held there. It was customary for men and women to sit separately and the town chose a committee once a year to assign seats according to what was paid, age, and dignity.
     

     
     

    Genealogical and Family History of the State of Maine by George Thomas Little, Henry Sweetser Burrage, Albert Roscoe Stubbs published by Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1909

    (II) Captain Moses, youngest child of Humphrey and Bridget Bradstreet, was born in 1643. He was a man of substance and influence, and was a captain of the military company. His will, dated August 16, 1690, proved September 30, 1690, mentions a ship, his home farm, lands in Haverhill and other property of his.

    He married, March 11, 1662, Elizabeth, daughter of John and Bridget Harris of Rowley. After her death he married (second) Sarah, widow of Samuel Prime, of Rowley, and daughter of Samuel Platts. The dates cannot be found. Samuel Prime died March 18, 1684. She died before 1697,

    Moses Bradstreet's gravestone, the oldest in Rowley burying ground, bears the following inscription: [above]

    The children of Moses Bradstreet were: John, Moses, Elizabeth, Humphrey, Nathaniel, Hannah, Samuel (died young), Bridget, Aaron, Samuel (died young) and Jonathan.

     
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    ©Roberta Tuller 2023
    tuller.roberta@gmail.com
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