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iel Bacon, David Alden, Daniel Smith, Barnabas Lothrop, John Thacher, John Walley, and John Cushing.

The last election of governour and assistants, in the Old Colony, was on the 2 of June, 1691. The new charter, which united the Old Colony to Massachusetts, arrived, in May, 1692, a little more, than 71 years after the first permanent settlement in New-England.

PLYMOUTH, MASS.

604. Note.-Mr. WILLIAM MULLINS was one of the pilgrims of Leyden, who commenced the settlement of the ancient dominion of the Old Colony, in December, 1620. He brought his wife and family with him, consisting of five with himself; but was soon called, with about half of his fellow adventurers, to exchange this world for that, which is unseen and eternal. He departed this life for a better, on the 21 of February, 1621. Every testimony to the worth of those noble christian heroes, who encountered hardships, of which the present generation can scarcely form an adequate conception, ought to be had in remembrance.

Morton says, "that mr. William Mullins was a man pious and well deserving, endowed also with a considerable outward estate, and, had it been the will of God that he had survived, might have proved an useful member in his place."

605.

PLYMOUTH, MASS.

Note. From the church records at Plymouth, it appears, that NATHANIEL MORTON, esq. for many years secretary to the Old Colony, died 28-29 June, 1685, having entered upon his 75 year. His New England's Memorial contains many precious documents relative to the first settlers of the Old Colony. It was recommended to the publick, on its first appearance, in 1669, by two distinguished clergymen, mr. Higginson of Salem, and mr. Thacher of Weymouth. They say of the author, that he is an approved godly man, and that the work is compiled with modesty of spirit, containing the annals of New England for the space of fortyseven years, with special reference to Plymouth Colony, where the author made his constant abode.

It is gratifying to the antiquaries of New England, that, under the editorial superintendance of the hon. John Davis, Morton's Memorial is about to be re-published, with great additions from the old records of Plymouth church, in which many noti ces, respectful to the memory of the pious puritanick fathers of New England, will be brought more generally into view.

606. Here lies the body of the honourable WILLIAM BRADFORD, who expired the 20 of February, 1703-4, aged 79 years. He lived long, but still was doing good, And, in his country's service, lost much blood,

After a life well spent, he's now at rest,
His very name and memory is blest.

Note. The hon. William Bradford, deputy governour in the Old Colony, was the oldest son of William Bradford, one of the pilgrims of Leyden, who came to Plymouth, in 1620, who was governour of the Old Colony thirty years, and who died, in 1657, being 71 years of age. He had one brother, Joseph Bradford, who, having entered his 85 year, died, in 1715, and left a son by the name of Elisha.

The subject of this article, served as an officer in the wars of his country with the aborigines. In a certain engagement he received a musket ball, which he carried in his flesh for twenty years before his death. By his first wife he had four sons; Israel, Ephraim, Samuel, John; by his second, one son, Joseph, who settled in Connecticut; by his third, four sons; William, Thomas, David, Hezekiah. He also had three daughters. His son Samuel had three sons; 1. Perez, who was graduated at Harvard college, 1713, and was a member of the council; 2. Gershom, who lived in Kingston; 3. Gamaliel, who was a judge and counsellor, and died at the age of 73 years. One of the sons of judge Bradford, bearing the same name, was the father of the present secretary of state in Massachusetts.

With the aid of these data, the families, descended from governour Bradford, which are become numerous, and are in various parts of the United States, may be enabled to trace their ancestors to one, who magnanimously recommended, 1624, in

reference to the office of governour, he long after sustained and that of the assistants, that the people of the Old Colony should “ change the persons as well as renew the election, and also add more assistants to the governour for help and counsel, and for the better carrying on of publick affairs, showing that it was necessary it should so be; for, if it were an honour or a benefit, it was fit that others should be made partakers of it, and if it were a burden, it was but equal that others should help to bear it, and that this was the end of yearly elections;" a noble sentiment! how happy for our country, were it generally to prevail!

PLYMOUTH, MASS.

607. Nate. "On the 11 June, 1761, died the rev. NATHANIEL LEONARD at Norton in the 62 year of his age and was decently interred on saturday the 13. His funeral being attended by a considerable concourse of people from that and other He was towns in token of respect and regard. settled in the ministry in Plymouth, 29 July, 1724, and continued, labouring in word and doctrine among them, till he was taken off from his work by his growing infirmities. He was subject from his youth to an hereditary phthisick and headach, which many times prevented his publick labours. But these and other disorders were all at last swallowed up in a paralytick distemper, which seized him, as he was preaching on the sabbath, 9 Nov. 1755. After this, he desisted from his work,

ant.

for some months, his flock providing him an assistBut in the spring of the year, 1756, being somewhat recruited, he preached again and followed it constantly till the 22 of July. But his infirmities of body increasing, he was again obliged to desist. And after he had rested some months, not seeing any prospect of recovering his health and so of discharging his work, he thought it best to ask a dismission, which his flock with regreet and concern consented to. And then, removing with his family to Norton, his native place, and where his estate lay, he remained in a weak and declining condition, though not confined to his house, to the day of his death, which happened very suddenly. A repeated shock, it is thought, of his former distemper, carried him out of the world, in a moment, after he made some little complaint of a pain in his stomach, and a numbness in one of his arms. But we have the utmost reason to think that death was no surprise to him. He at times seemed to long for its approach and, no doubt, was habitually ready for the awful summons. He was a man of considerable natural abilities, as well as of acquired accomplishments, of a clear head, solid judgment, penetrating thought, excelling in conference and in giving counsel and advice in difficult cases. He had made great improvements in philosophy, but especially divinity, was a clear and sound gospel preacher, making Christ his Alpha and Omega in his preaching. He seemed to be carried above all his natural infirmities, in the late time of remarkable

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