... [William Bradford, Sr.] was the son of William Bradford and Elizabeth Lightbody, who came to Maryland early in the eighteenth century, and settled upon land at the head of Bush river. His father was one of the early schoolmasters of the colony. He was commissioned by the Bishop of London to teach on the plantations and became later on a soldier in the Colonial Army with the rank of captain.
The subject of this sketch was born in 1739 at his father's home place, on Bynum's Run, just across which lived his near neighbor, Aquila Hall. He obtained a good education under his father's tuition, and he also received an early training in the doctrine of the Christian religion, in which his family had for generations been more or less conspicuous. His father had been registrar, clerk and vestryman in St. John's Parish, and he succeeded him as a member of the same vestry. His paternal grandfather was John Bradford, a merchant of London, whose brother, Samuel Bradford, was Bishop of Rochester and Dean of Westminster, and his paternal grandmother was Mary Skinner daughter of Matthew Skinner, M. D., of London, and a granddaughter of Robert Skinner, Bishop of Bristol. Several of his ancestors had also been closely connected in an official way with St. Ann's Parish, London. His paternal great grandfather, William Bradford, was a parish officer therein during the great plague of 1665, and of whom is a recorded that "so conscientious was he in the performance of his duties that he remained in London, giving his personal attention to the sick and dying, through he removed his family to Islington.
The latter's only children were, as stated above, John and Samuel, and a daughter, Hannah, who married Joseph Presbury, of London, and whose son, James Presbury, came to Maryland and settled near his cousin, William Bradford. He was the ancestor of the Presbury family of Maryland. ...
