Oldest item in the Museum
Hello, my name is Hannah Bradford Ripley, born in Plymouth Colony, Massachusetts. After marrying Joshua Ripley from nearby Hingham, we moved to the wilderness of Windham. Among the treasures we brought to our new home was this chair. It was a gift from my grandfather, William Bradford, one of the Pilgrims who came to the New World, onboard the Mayflower, to escape political and religious persecution. His name may be familiar as the second governor of the Plymouth Colony. The chair came from an early meeting house where they worshiped and conducted town business. It remained in Windham and eventually was given to the Windham Historical Society.
We prized the chair, but we didn’t sit idly watching history. I became the first physician in Windham and Joshua was Justice of the Peace and the first Town Clerk.
I’m told that from our twelve children, all of whom thankfully grew into adulthood, we have hundreds of descendants, some of whom made history of their own.
This feature is made possible by a grant from the Leo J. and Rose Pageau Trust.