Person:Alice Carpenter (3)

Alice Carpenter bp Aug. 3, 1590, Wrington (Wrenthan), co Somersetshire. Died Mar 26, 1670, Plymouth, Mass. widow of Edward Southworth.

"Alice: Arrived in the "Ann" in July, 1623. Shortly afterwards married Gov. Bradford-the 4th marriage in the colony. Not able to write. Had a strong personality, deep faith and was of great influence in the colony. Died on Sat. interred next Tues near her husband which she wished. She brought her two young sons: Constant (married Elizabeth Collier), Thomas (married Elizabeth Raynor). Had property in her own right." Source:Decendants of Governor William Bradford--Complied by Ruth Gardiner (Mrs. Francis C.) Hall 1951

Letter of Robert Cushman to Edward Southworth at Heneage House, London, 17 Aug 1620, in Bradford's "History of Plimouth Plantation", Boston, 1901, page 86. Edward's wife was a widow in July 1623.

Alice came to Plymouth in 1623 and married (2) 14 Aug 1623 in Plymouth to Gov. William Bradford. The sons, Constant and Thomas, were brought up in the home of Gov. Bradford. (Goodwin:"Pilgrim Republic", 1920,460-464; Col. Charles E. Banks:"The English Ancestry and Homes of the Pilgrim Fathers". Best discussion in "Boston Evening Transcript" (I) 31 Aug 1931; (II) 2 Sep 1931. Bradford of Plymouth by Bradford smith 1951 p 267

In 1637 both her sons were married. Alice was born in Wirington near Bath, Somerset, Eng. Her father Alexander moved his family to Holland because of religious persecution in England 1600. Alice was born in Holland (from Family News 1988 pg 5). William of COBHAM was without a doubt the son of Alexander. Edward Southworth was her 1st husband and her 2nd was Gov Willaim Bradford. It was a well know fact her father opposed this marriage because of Bradfords inferiorty in social standing and she was induced to marry a Southworth. Alexander Carpenter was a man of great wealth. Gov Bradford was already in the Colonies and upon hearing of Edwards death sent word pleading for Alice to join him. The Carpenters lived in Amsterdam Holland then in 1609 in Leyden Holland they were members of the ancient Brethren.

Saints and Strangers by William F. Willison 1945 pg 88 Living in Leyden, Holland. Were members of the original Scooby England congergation. 1610 Several pages in this book tell the story of Alice and of Edwards death. Alice came to Mass by Ship ANNE 1623 "Ancestral Roots of Sixty Colonists" by Frederick Lewis Weis, Th. D., Lancaster, MA, 1951.

from: BRADFORD OF PLYMOUTH by Bradford Smith, 1951, p.267 "In 1637, both of Alice`s sons were married- Constant to Elizabeth Collier, daughter of one of two London adventuers who had settled in Plymouth, and Thomas to Elizabeth Reynor, the pastor`s daughter. As Collier`s other daughters married Love Brewster and Thomas Prence (whose first wife, Patience Brewster, had died in 1634), most of the leading families were now interconnected. Both of the Southworth boys went on to become leaders in the Colony-- Constant as a deputy from Duxbury, Colony treasurer (1659-16790 and assistant governor (1670-1678), Thomas as deputy from Plymouth (1651), assistant Gov (1653-1653, 1657-1669) and commissioner of the New England Confederacy." from: FAMILY HISTORY NEWS 1988, p 5 William of Cobham was without a doubt the son of Alexander, and therefore a brother to Alice who married her first husband a Southworth and for her second Gov William Bradford. It is a well known fact that Gov Bradford paid his addresses to Alice Carpenter and was favorably received by her, but the marriage was opposed by her father on account of Bradford`s inferiorty in rank and social standing and she was therefore induced to marry Southworth. from: SAINTS AND SINNERS p. 124-6 --"Alice had come at Bradford`s invitation , it would seem, for they they were immediately married."--

1.   Mayflower Society, William Bradford of the Mayflower, p. 5.
2.   Webber, Samuel G. (Samuel Gilbert). A genealogy of the Southworths (Southards), descendants of Constant Southworth: with a sketch of the family in England. (Salt Lake City, Utah: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1981), p 5.

   http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=720130&pid=-2055860656

3. ↑ Webber, Samuel G. (Samuel Gilbert). A genealogy of the Southworths (Southards), descendants of Constant Southworth: with a sketch of the family in England. (Salt Lake City, Utah: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1981), p.11.

   Text of Last Will and Testament http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=720130&pid=-2055860656

When Alice comes to Plymouth, she leaves her two boys behind, probably with sister Julia (they arrive in 1628 with Julia).