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He was Thomas 8 in the English pedigree and second son of Wymond and Elizabeth (Gill nee Whitgift) Bradbury. He was born on the last day of February as appears by the parish register. Early in 1634 he appeared at Agamenticus, now York, Me., as the agent or steward of Sir Ferdinando gorges, the proprietor of the Province of Maine. He was one of the original proprietors of the ancient town of Salisbury, Mass., one of the earliest settlers there, and was one of the foremost citizens there for a period of more than half a century. He was made a freeman in 1640, held at various the offices of schoolmaster of the town, town clerk, justice of the peace, deputy to the general court, court recorder, associate judge and captain of the Military company, and always filled these important positions with credit to himself and satisfaction to the public. For a rewarding officer he was peculiarly fitted by his tastes and acquirements. He wrote an easy, graceful and legible hand, and had a clear and concise style of expression. His chirography may still be seen in numerous official documents on file in the archives of Essex County, Mass., and also in Exeter, N. H. In 1636, Mr. Bradbury became a grantee of Salisbury, and that year married Mary, daughter of John and Judith Perkins, of Ipswich.
Mr. Bradbury was appointed first clerk of the writs in Salisbury in 1641. In 1651, he was chosen a deputy to the General Court, and again successively in 1652, 1656, 1657, 1660, 1661 and 1666. In 1664, 1656 and 1658 and 1659, he was appointed on various committees to settle differences concerning lands, to fix boundaries and locate grants. As agent for Gorges, he executed some of the earliest deeds recorded in the York County records. An indenture made the 5th day of May, 1636, reads as follows: "Thomas Bradbury, Gent., now agent of Sir Ferdinando Gorges, Knight, confirmed unto Edward Johnson for the proper use of John Treworgy of Dartmouth, merchant, the use of five hundred acres of lend, conditioned to pay annually one hundred merchantable cod dried and well conditioned, as an acknowledgement of the royalty of Sir Ferdinando Gorges, Knight, to Sir Ferdinando Gorges or his assigns, at or upon the Feast of Saint Michaels, the Arch High Angle." This sufficiently establishes the fact that Mr. Bradbury was the recognized agent of the proprietor of the Province of Maine, granted together with New Hampshire, by royal patent in 1622, to Gorges and Mason, and taken as his portion by Gorges, in 1629.
Thomas Bradbury's Will
In the name of God, amen. The fourteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred and ninety-four. I, Thomas Bradbury of the town of Salisbury in the Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, aged, weak in body, but of good and perfect memory, thanks be to God Almighty for the same, do make, ordain, constitute and declare this my last will and testament in manner and form following: revoking and annulling by these presents, all and every testament or testaments, will or wills heretofore by me made and declared either by word or by witting, and this to be taken only for my last will and testament and none other: And being penitent for my sins, I give and commit my soul unto Almighty God my Saviour and my redeemer in whom by the merits of Jesus Christ I trust and believe it assuredly to be saved; and my body to be buried in such place where it shall please my executors to appoint: And for the setting of my temporal estate, such goods, chattels and debts as it hath pleased God far above my deserts to bestow upon me, I do order, give and dispose the same in manner and form following, that is to say: first, I will that all those debts and duties that I owe in right and conscience to any manner of person or persons in favor, shall be well and truly contented and paid or ordained to be paid within a convenient time after my decease. So by my executor or executrixes hereafter named:
Item. I give and bequeath unto my grandchildren, Thomas Bradbury and Jacob Bradbury, all my housing and lands which I have now situate, lying and being within the bounds of Salisbury aforenamed and which arable lands and meadow marsh, pasture and swamp lands, or of sort soever they be, with all my rights and privileges and commonages thereunto belonging or any ways appertaining; unto them my said grandchildren and heirs of their body lawfully begotten; the given and bequeathed and demised to be equally divided between my said grandchildren Thomas and Jacob, and not to be disposed by selling, letting or any other ways improved, but each to other, and my said grandchildren shall pay unto their Aunt True fourteen pounds, each of them in good pay within one year after they come to the age of one and twenty years. As also my said grandchildren shall acquit and discharge their brother, William Bradbury from all orders of court concerning the division of their father's estate; also my will is that said grandchildren Thomas and Jacob shall pay unto their grandmother, twenty bushels of corn yearly, such as she shall have need of during her natural life and to find her sufficient wood, winter and summer cut and fit; as also winter and summer meat for two cows, all during her natural life or widowhood: and my will is that my wife what part of my house she thinks meet to require unto the half of it, shall have during her widowhood or natural life, unto her own particular use if she thinks good to require the same. Item. I give and bequeath unto my grandchild Thomas Bradbury all my implements of husbandry and also my young colt. Item. I give and bequeath unto my daughter Mary Stanyan twenty shillings she having had her portion upon her marriage. Item. I give and bequeath unto my daughter Jane True ten pounds to be made in good pay within one year after my decease. Item. I give to my grandchild Elizabeth Buss five pounds in good pay. Also my will is that five pounds be delivered to the selectmen in good pay, them in being of said town of Salisbury by them to be disposed to such of the poor as they judge to have most need of it. And lastly, I do ordain and appoint by dearly and well beloved wife, Mary Bradbury and my dearly and well beloved daughter Judith Moody my executors or executrixes to this my last will and testament.
In witness wherefore I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year above named
Tho. Bradbury Seal. (13)
"Through Captain Thomas Bradbury's service un the colony we have membership in the Colonial Dames of Massachusetts." (From the Kilpatrick Family Ancestors and Descendents by Marion Douglas Jines, 1930.)
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