VITAL RECORDS

BRADFORD

MASSACHUSETTS

To the end of the year 1849

Transcriptions of the "Tan Book"
Published by
The Topsfield Historical Society
Topsfield, MA
1907

Title Page

BRADFORD

The territory included within the limits of Bradford was originally a part of Rowley and was first known as "Merrimac Lands," and "Rowley Village by the Merrimack," and then as "Merrimack," which name was changed to Bradford at a town meeting held Jan. 7, 1672, in memory of Bradford in the West Riding of Yorkshire, England, several of the settlers having emigrated from that place.

At a session of the General Court held May 27, 1668, it was recorded: "In ans^r to the petition of the inhabitants of Rouley liuing ouer against Hauerill, the Court, hauing considered the peticon, pervsed the towne of Rouleys grant to the petitioners, heard Rouley deputy, and also considering a writing sent from Rouley, w^th what els hath been presented in the case, doe finde that there is liberty granted the petitioners by the towne of Rouley to prouide themselues of a minister, & also an intent to release them from their towneship when they are accordingly prouided, and therefore see not but this Court may grant their petition to be a towneship, provided they doe gett & setle an able & Orthodox minister, & continue to majntejne him, or els to remaine to Rouley as formerly."

The first town meeting was held in 1668, the "orthodox minister," Rev. Zechariah Symmes, of Charlestown, already having been secured. The meeting house was erected in 1670. The town first paid a colonial tax on October 13, 1675.

On March 8, 1850, part of its territory was set off and incorporated as the town of Groveland.

On January 4, 1897, the town of Bradford was annexed to the city of Haverhill.

The population of Bradford at different periods was as follows:

1765,	1,125.	1800,	1,420.	1840,	2,222.
1776,	1,240.	1810,	1,360.	1850,	1,328.
1790,	1,371.	1820,	1,600.	1895,	4,736.
		1830,	1,856.

EXPLANATIONS and ABBREVIATIONS

SURNAME INDEX

Births
Abbott - Ayer
Bacheller - Buzwell
Caldwell - Curtise
Danford - Dwinnels
Eames - Everett
Fails - Frye
Gadd - Guile
Haget - Hutchins
Ingersoll - Ingals
Jackson - Juett
Kelly - Knowlton
Ladd - Lydston
McLaughlin - Muzzy
Nelson - Noyes
Ordway - Osgood
Page - Pudne
Quimby
Reed - Russell
Sanders - Symmes
Tandy - Tylor
Vance - Vickery
Waldo - Wouster
Negroes
Indians

Marriages
Abbot - Ayer
Bachelor - Buzzil
Calbreath - Cutter
Dalton - Dwinnels
Eames - Eton
Fails - Frothingham
Gadge - Guile
Haget - Hutchins
Ilsley - Ingersoll
Jackman - Juett
Kelley - Knowlton
Lacount - Lyford
McAm - Muzzy
Nelson - Nutter
Ordeway - Ozgood
Page - Putnam
Quimby
Rand - Rutherford
Safford - Symmons
Talford - Tylor
Uran - Usher
Vance - Vine
Waddington - Wyman
Young
Negroes

Deaths
Abbot - Ayer
Bachellor - Byrge
Campbell - Curtis
Daken - Dwinnels
Eames - Everet
Fails - Fry
Gadd - Guile
Hagget - Hutchins
Ingersoll
Jackson - Juet
Kambel - Knight
Ladd - Lurve
Marble - Myars
Nelson - Noyes
Ordway - Osgood
Page - Puffer
Quimby
Redford - Russell
Sanders - Symonds
Tandy - Tylor
Vance - Vickery
Wabster - Wyman
Negroes