from Genealogical and Personal Memoirs, Volume 1 edited by William Richard Cutter
Governor Simon Bradstreet, son of Rev. Simon Bradstreet, was baptized March 18, 1603-4, at Horbling, Lincolnshire. He matriculated at Emmanuel College, and doubtless intended to take holy orders as his father had done...in 1628, he married Anne Dudley, then but sixteen years old, daughter of Thomas Dudley.
...He came with Governor Winthrop to Massachusetts Bay colony in the ship Arabella, in 1630. He had become a Puritan in religion, and joined the movement to found a colony of Puritans in America, one of the youngest of the leaders.
He was elected an assistant when he was twenty-six, before leaving England. With Dudley, his father-in-law, he was one of the founders of Newtown, now Cambridge, Massachusetts, in the spring of 1631, and was a resident of that town several years.
In 1639 the general court granted to him five hundred acres of land in Salem, "in the next convenient place to Governor Endicott’s farm."
For a short time, too, he resided at Ipswich,
removing thence to Andover, of which he was one of the first settlers in 1648 and for many years its first citizen. In addition to his office of assistant he was selectman of the town of Andover from the first meeting until 1672. He was also the first secretary of the colony, and held that office continuously from 1630 to 1644.
In 1643 he was appointed one of the commissioners of the united colonies, and served many years. In 1653 he vigorously opposed making war on the Dutch in New York and on the Indians...
In 1650 he was one of the commissioners to determine the boundary between the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam and the English colony at New Haven...
In June, 1654, Mr. Bradstreet was active in a meeting at Ipswich to take action to refute certain calumnies against the colony, forwarded to Protector Cromwell, and in May, 1661, after the restoration of the Stewarts. he was placed on a committee of the general courts to look after their charter rights.
Bradstreet drew up an address to the king, declaring the rights and liberties of the colony as well as the allegiance, loyalty and duty to the king...
In 1673 he was in the public confidence enough to be elected deputy governor. and he continued. through re-election in that ofiice until 1679 when, at the age of seventy-six, he was first chosen governor....
He was the last governor under the charter which in May, 1686. was dissolved...
During the tyrannical administration of Sir Edmund Andros, who followed Dudley, Governor Bradstreet, though nearly ninety years old. was active in resenting the oppressive measures and when the people of Boston rose to arms, April 18, 1689, Mr. Bradstreet and fourteen of the magistrates signed a demand upon Andros to relinquish his office and surrender the government and fortifications to the people.
The revolution took place, Bradstreet took charge of the government and Andros was thrown in prison. The old charter was restored and the general court again assembled. ...
He died March 27, 1697, in the ninety-fifth year of his age, at Salem, and the general court voted "in consideration of the long and extraordinary service of Simon Bradstreet, late governor, one hundred pounds toward defraying the charges of his interment." His tomb is in the old Charter street burying ground, Salem...
His first wife, Anne Dudley, was one of the most intellectual women of the colony. a poet of ability, worthy daughter of a governor. and worthy wife of another governor. ... She died September 16, 1672, aged about sixty.
Governor Bradstreet married second, Ann (Downing) Gardner, sister of Sir George Downing, and widow of Captain Joseph Gardner. His will was dated December 23, 1689, proved January 27, 1692-3.
Children, all by first wife:
1. Dr. Samuel, a physician, graduate of Harvard College, 1653; married first, Mercy Tyng; second, Martha
2. Sarah, married first, Richard Hubbard; second, Major Samuel Ward.
3. Rev. Simon, born 1638; married Lucy Woodbridge, who married second, Daniel Eppes.
4. Colonel Dudley, born 1648; married Ann, widow of Theodore Price.
6. Hannah or Ann, married June 3, 1659, Andrew Wiggin, of Exeter, son of Governor Thomas.
7. Mercy, married October 31, 1672, Major Nathaniel Wade.
8. John,
