March is Women’s History Month, and in my last entry I introduced you to my 9th great-grandmother, Mary Horton, my favorite fearless female in history, and the heroine in my first novel, A PLACE IN HIS HEART. It releases in June!
Today I’d like to tell you about another fearless female who kept popping up whenever I did research for my 
book. Alice Carpenter Bradford was the second wife of William Bradford, first governor of Plymouth Colony, Massachusetts.
Bradford and his first wife, Dorothy May, arrived from England aboard the Mayflower in November of 1620. They left their three-year-old son in England until they could be sure it was safe for him. The voyage was harsh: the conditions were cramped, the weather severe and there was much sickness. And a few died. On the second day of exploration on land, he returned to the ship to find Dorothy had slipped over the side of the ship and drowned.
Alice and William married in August of 1623. She was a widow and mother of two sons. He had met her previously and sent for her to join him in Massachusetts. She arrived on the ship the Anne with her sister just weeks before the wedding.
I visited Plimoth Plantation several times while researching my novel. It is a historical reenactment of the original colony set in 1627. If you ever have the chance to visit, I highly recommend it! On my last visit I wanted to learn as much as I could of what went through the mind of a young woman coming to the New World across a vast, unpredictable ocean to a land just as unpredictable.
I had my chance when I interviewed Alice Carpenter Bradford! She was a sweet, very gracious woman. She shared a few insights with me. Here are a few snippets from our conversation:
On the question of privacy on a crowded ship: Her polite, matter-of-fact tone told me she thought this was something every civilized person knew: “Privacy is given, not taken.” It helped, too, she said, that it was dark in the bottom of the ship, but in any regard, proper courtesy is to look the other way if someone has a need to use the chamber pot.
On meeting the native people: She had seen them a bit from afar, but her wedding was the first time she met with them. She was fearful at first, because Massaoit, sachem of the Wampanoags and friend of William, came 
accompanied by many men with bows and arrows. They danced and made much noise in their celebration and it was strange, but of good cheer.
“They are men like ourselves,” she said. “But they do not wear much clothing and you do not want to be rude, but I did not know where to put my eyes.” They brought five deer to add to the feast and Alice said it was the first she had tasted of the meat. In England it was against the law to hunt deer, as only the King’s men could do that. She laughed as she told me it was a strange combination at her wedding feast: it was like sitting at the King’s table feasting on deer, yet they drank water. The water in Plymouth was sweet, she said, unlike the poisonous water at home.
On the religious beliefs of the Pilgrims: They were all Christians, but about half were separatists, like herself and William, and half were of the King’s church. And while her father taught her to read so that she might read scripture herself, her husband read scripture to her and their children.
On her wedding in the New World: she described it with the radiance of a new bride. She wore her finest wool gown. She explained if this was her first marriage she would have been able to let her hair down, but she wore her best coif with a bit of lace around the edge—much like the one she had on while we visited. A magistrate married the two and 
Alice told me that in England a minister must seek permission from a magistrate to marry a couple, so magistrates are the ones with authority.
On what she most remembered of coming ashore in New England: It was the sight of her friends who waited for her. Their condition was poor due to harsh winters and droughts. Their food and supplies had not been adequate and many perished. Those who survived worked hard to provide for their families. The most plentiful food seemed to be base creatures from the bottom of the sea, such as lobster, crabs and oysters. “Better to give it to the hogs,” Alice joked. But still, she fell to her knees to praise God and give thanks for their safe arrival.
On what she would want if one wish could be granted: her easy answer was sleep. “I should like some time to sleep.”
On what she would say to future generations, if she could send a message: “I think to work hard, serve the Lord, honor the King, and remember that work brings reward.”
Words we all could live by! I hope you enjoyed meeting Alice as much as I did! Thank you to Sarah MacDonald,Public Relations Representative for Plimoth Plantation, for graciously arranging my interview with Alice! Who would you choose as a fearless female in honor of women’s history month?
Let the words of my mouth, and the meditations of mine heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord my strength and my redeemer. Psalm 19:14, Geneva Bible 1599.