Under this stone rest the ashes of William Bradford, a zealous Puritan and sincere Christian Gov. of Ply. Col. from 1621 to 1657, (the year he died, aged 69) except 5 yrs. which he declined.
There is also a text in Hebrew, now almost obliterated, which has been translated,
“Let the right hand of the Lord awake.”
Descendants of Governor William Bradford are buried in the immediate vicinity.
No. 33—Major William Bradford, Dep. Gov. of Plymouth Colony, and a son of Gov. Bradford. The inscription on this stone is as follows:
Here lyes ye body of ye honorable Major William Bradford who expired Feb’ ye 20th. 1703-4 aged 79 years.
He lived long, but still was doing good,
And in his country’s service lost much blood,
And a life well spent, he’s now at rest,
His very name and memory is blest.
At the grave of Joseph Bradford, another son, the inscription on the stone reads as follows:
Here lyes ye body of Joseph Bradford, son of the late Honorable William Bradford, Esq., Governor of Plymouth Colony, who departed this life July the 10th, in the eighty-fifth year of his age.
No. 35—Stone over the grave of John Howland, the last of the Mayflower passengers who lived in Plymouth. The inscription on this stone reads as follows:
Here ended the Pilgrimage of John Howland, who died February 23, 1672-3 aged above 80 years. He married Elizabeth, daughter of John Tilley, who came with him in the Mayflower Dec. 1620. From them are descended a numerous posterity.
“He was a godly man and an ancient professor in the wayes of Christ. Hee was one of the first comers into this land and was the last man that was left of those that came over in the Shipp called the Mayflower that lived in Plymouth.” (Plymouth Records.)