The Bradford Legacy - Updated December 26, 2016

[SilverBelle]

Welcome to my legacy. I've played several over the years, but never had the courage to document one and share it with the world. Well, here it goes.

This legacy is loosely based on the history of the United States, and takes place in the colony (and later commonwealth) of Massimchusetts. I'm a big fan of historical CC, and the most logical way to utilize it was to have the legacy start in the Colonial era, and move forward from there (we've now roared past the 1920s and the Great Depression is upon us). For even further historical accuracy, the names of heirs, spares, and their families come from old Census reports of common names during each era.

I am playing with the following handicaps: Patriarchy (specifically first-born male inherits), and One-Way Street (no elixir of life). I was doing Free Roaming Ghosts, but they became impossible after I had to do a rebuild so I gave that one up. I am also following the Strict Family Values rule, even if my founder was a Fortune sim, at least until I get to the 1960s, since there was no reliable birth control until then.

The Bradford Legacy - Prologue

Generation 1: John Bradford
The Bradford Legacy - Chapter 1
The Bradford Legacy - Chapter 2

Generation 2: Elias Bradford
The Bradford Legacy - Chapter 3
The Bradford Legacy - Chapter 4
The Bradford Legacy - Chapter 5
The Bradford Legacy - Chapter 6

Generation 3: Thomas Bradford
The Bradford Legacy - Chapter 7
The Bradford Legacy - Chapter 8
The Bradford Legacy - Chapter 9
The Bradford Legacy - Chapter 10
The Bradford Legacy - Chapter 11
The Bradford Legacy - Chapter 12
The Bradford Legacy - Interlude 1
The Bradford Legacy - Interlude 2

Generation 4: Matthew Bradford
The Bradford Legacy - Chapter 13
The Bradford Legacy - Chapter 14
The Bradford Legacy - Chapter 15
The Bradford Legacy - Chapter 16
The Bradford Legacy - Chapter 17
The Bradford Legacy - Chapter 18
The Bradford Legacy - Chapter 19

Generation 5: Jefferson Bradford
The Bradford Legacy - Chapter 20
The Bradford Legacy - Chapter 21
The Bradford Legacy - Chapter 22
The Bradford Legacy - Chapter 23
The Bradford Legacy - Chapter 24
The Bradford Legacy - Chapter 25
The Bradford Legacy - Chapter 26

Generation 6: James Bradford
The Bradford Legacy - Chapter 27
The Bradford Legacy - Chapter 28
The Bradford Legacy - Chapter 29 Part 1: Rosalie
The Bradford Legacy - Chapter 29 Part 2: Shirley
The Bradford Legacy - Chapter 29 Part 3: Alice & Nick
The Bradford Legacy - Chapter 29 Part 4: Dotty'
The Bradford Legacy - Chapter 29 Part 5: Danny
The Bradford Legacy - Chapter 30
The Bradford Legacy - Chapter 31
The Bradford Legacy - Chapter 32
The Bradford Legacy - Chapter 33

Generation 7: Nicholas Bradford
The Bradford Legacy - Chapter 34 *New* December 26, 2016

Christmas 2010 Special - A Very Bradford Christmas December 23, 2010

I hope you enjoy my stories! Comments are welcome and appreciated.

[Teresa]

Woo 6 generations. You have passed the halfway point!

[SilverBelle]

Gen 8 is actually about to go to college, but my heirs get to "own" the legacy until they die, so that's how I index my chapters.

[Faye Silver]

Spoiler:

Going back through and rereading, I forgot how much I absolutely detested Matthew's generation...and him in general. I normally don't say that about sims but he's an exception. Him and his wife...they almost killed John's garden. *growls* His poor sisters.

[SilverBelle]

Faye Silver:

Spoiler:

Heh, Matthew' was pretty horrible, wasn't he? In some ways, I kind of miss him. Might be time find another legacy villain.

[SilverBelle]

Bumping for an update. Chapter 31 can be read here.

[Ani-Mei]

Spoiler:

They changed something on Slideshare, you can't full screen it unless you actually go to the site and I can't find the link to take me there. Also you spelled Bradford wrong on the post. I will try to look at it later though. Nevermind, I found it, just a little slow on the uptake. So I suppose we've reached 1958 and Sputnik has just gone up? My dad would remember that, he was 6 when that happened. Ah, the Cult of Domesticity, otherwise known as the 50's. Looking forward to seeing the 60's now, even how they deal with the Kennedy assassination. That should be interesting.

[Faye Silver]

Oh man,

Spoiler:

For a while there, I thought the person under investigation was James, but I'm actually more than just a little relieved that it was Bruce. I always thought that he was a little bit meh. Still, good for Rosalie on standing up for herself. I hope Taddy makes mincemeat of him, if (and when) he finds out everything that that good for nothing has put Rosalie through. Congrats though, about being almost to the end of your legacy!

[SilverBelle]

Replies!

Ani-Mei:

Spoiler:

Yes, the Space Race is beginning. The 50s are so interesting to look back on, but I don’t know if I could live in a time like that. I’m looking forward to the 60s, and I have a plan for the Kennedy assassination. I think that it will come two chapters down the road (so not the next one, but the one after that).

Thanks for commenting!

Faye Silver:

Spoiler:

Yikes! No, not James, though his reaction to being under investigation would be fun to see. Bruce has always been a bit sketchy, and it was good to see Rosalie stand up for herself. I haven’t decided if Rosalie will tell Taddy or not, but if she does, Bruce better watch out. I’m very excited to be close to the end.

Thanks for commenting!

[katrisims]

Hello, new reader signing up! I've been meaning to catch up on your legacy for ages, and now that I saw you updated, I thought now's a good time.

Spoiler:

I'm really impressed by the story you tell, with all that plot you really kept me on the edge of my seat! And it brought me to tears, too, several times. The civil war and Horace's fate, poor Eldon's story, Kaylynn's past, and of course in the more recent times, poor Dotty losing her prince charming... It was so believable! And interesting. I'm not great at history myself, but I do enjoy reading about it.

Of course, I did enjoy the happy times and the likeable characters as well. Chris and Uma making up after the bad beginning, Phily and Meadow finding a way to be together, Jefferson and Marsha figuring things out and standing out to Jefferson's parents... And of course I have to mention Matthew and Jan; they were truly a pleasure to hate! It was really interesting how you made Matthew, the heir, also the villain, and it worked so well. I don't think I've seen anyone else do that.

I'm looking forward to seeing how things develop when we start approaching the more modern times. And of course, how young Steven turns out. So far, he seems like a very responsible kid, maybe even too hardworking for his own good. Oh, and naturally I'm curious about how things turn out for Rosalie. I can't say I like her much, but I do sympathize her for the recent hardships, she didn't deserve them. With some luck, maybe she'll turn out more likeable if she learns something... Well, in any case I'm looking forward to seeing how that turns out!

All in all, I know plot is a lot of work, so it's pretty jaw-dropping to think how much work and effort you must have put into this. (It's really no wonder if you've felt burned out about it.) The work definitely pays off, it's a thoroughly enjoyable story!

Excellent work!

[SilverBelle]

katrisims:

Yay for new readers!

Spoiler:

I’m glad you like the plot and how I’ve weaved history into the story. At the beginning, it was a way to use all the historic CC I’d collected, and it morphed into something more. I find history much more interesting now that I’m not forced to study it and can go off on my own tangents. I’m glad you’re enjoying it as well.

I try to balance the good and the bad, as that’s how life works out (for the most part). Heh, everyone loves to hate Matthew and Jan. I certainly didn’t intend on making an heir a villain as well, but his personality and some of the wants he kept throwing (influencing people to do stuff for him) helped me shape his character. I thought it worked well and I’m glad you agree.

I’m excited about the more modern times too, and partially because I don’t need to worry about hiding some of the game features for historical accuracy. I have part of Steven’s story planned out, but I want to let what the game does play a more active role, instead of me bending it to fit history all the time. Steven is responsible and dutiful to a fault, and that will certainly impact him going forward. Yeah, Rosalie isn’t the most likeable character, but she doesn’t deserve all that she’s had to deal with. I’m not 100% sure how her story will end, but overall I do like to give my characters happy endings.

Plot is a ton of work, and I had no idea what I was getting into when I started this. I’m glad that you feel it’s worth it, and I’m very excited about moving forward at last and finishing this story.

Thanks for commenting!

[SilverBelle]

Bumping for an update. Chapter 32 is here.

[katrisims]

Hooray for updates!

Spoiler:

Glad to see everyone growing up! It must give a nice sense of progress.

I can see why Nick and Alice would be worried about Steven. He's a bit too studious for his own good. Studying oneself to death is not such a great idea.

I'm happy for Dotty, I hope she enjoys her travels and gets to make the world a better place like she would like to.

Oh Nettie. It must be tough for her to be living in that world. I hope she finds a good spot for herself, astronaut or not. Good thing for her that she's so young.

Oh goodness. That's a completely terrible reason to have a baby. But with Rosalie, I can't say that I'm surprised that she came up with something like this. I feel sorry for the poor kid already. At least Alice and Shirley are going to try and help where they can.

Oh, twins. I suppose that makes for a ten kids want, then! In any case, I hope that the poor kids don't get to suffer terribly for the decisions of their parents...

Poor Peggy. It does seem Doug is pretty serious about leaving. It's going to hurt her. At least Doug is thoughtful about it, so I hope she doesn't get hurt terribly badly.

I'm glad Walt got Shirley to come to her senses there, it would have been very unfair towards Pauline otherwise. I do hope that Walt is right and the two of them will find things to bond over.

Mary seems like a nice girl. Looking forward to getting to know her better.

A very enjoyable chapter, as always!

[platformperil]

Spoiler:

I love this legacy so much. I really feel like I need to go back and give it a full reread and write down all my thoughts relating to each chapter. Right now my only thought is YES SO GOOD PLEASE CONTINUE WITH MORE.

Which is barely coherant.

But god, I love this, two thumbs up

[SilverBelle]

Replies!

Katrisims:

Spoiler:

Birthdays are great. It does make things feel like they are moving along and that I’m getting closer to the end.

Nick and Alice are worried because Steven is so much like Nick. No playful points whatsoever.

Dotty will enjoy doing her nursing wherever she is needed. I’m glad I finally figured out what to do with her character.

It is still tough to be a girl in this world, but Nettie will find a way to get as close to what she wants as she can.

Oh, yeah. Rosalie is not thinking straight. It is very much something that she would do too. I hope the kids turn out okay.

Peggy hasn’t quite come to the realization that she likes Doug, and he is very serious about leaving. It’s not going to be good, sadly.

Walter is very much a voice of reason, and I think Shirley just got so worried about how to connect with Pauline that she forgot to allow her to be herself. They’ll find stuff to connect over.

I am looking forward to introducing everyone to Steven and Mary’s story.

Thanks for commenting!

Platformperil:

Spoiler:

I’m so glad you like my legacy! Please know that I plan to finish it, though it may take me some time. Thank you for taking the time to comment!

[SilverBelle]

Good evening! The latest installment of the Bradford Legacy can be found here. Enjoy!

[Sam]

I couldn't remember where I'd read up to, so I've reread from the War Years today

Spoiler:

The War Years were an awesome series of chapters, great job! It was really interesting seeing how the war effected them all in different ways. I almost teared up at the tragedies, so you should be proud of yourself for such amazing storytelling.

As for the chapters that followed, man, Rosalie is like a one woman baby boom, isn't she? Shame about Bruce, but there had to come a time for Rosalie to realise life just isn't going to be perfect, no matter what you do. What I wondered is whether or not some of her kids would feel ignored or left out, given how many of them there are.

I still feel sad for Dotty. She may be doing what she wants, travelling the world, but she's still sort of alone, bless her.

I'm not sure how to feel about Mary. I mean, she's obviously got good intentions (in a way) - to build a strong and respectable family name - but I do feel like it'll all come crashing down. In some ways, she reminds me of Rosalie. And she's not into Steven for Steven, which makes me sad - he deserves someone who loves him! He also needs to live for himself rather than his duties, the poor boy.

I'm rooting for Peggy & Doug, not going to lie. I have no reason to dislike Bobby, but I'm still rooting for Doug.

I'm loving the idea of Nettie as some sort of hippy, I will admit, though, that I immediately thought of Jenny from Forrest Gump! I'm looking forward to seeing how things actually turn out.

I'm not very good at American history, being British and all, so all I know is we're roughly in the late 50s/early 60s now (right?) but I look forward to seeing what you have up your sleeve.

Basically, I'm really enjoying your legacy, and very much looking forward to the next update!

[SilverBelle]

Sam:

Glad to have you on board for the stretch run!

Spoiler:

Thank you! I really enjoyed writing the War Years chapters, even if they did burn me out. I think they’re some of my favorite chapters, along with the interludes I did was back when I was still in the Victorian era.

Yeah, Rosalie is something. 10 kids is insanity. She did need to realize that life isn’t always going to be what you think it is. As far as her kids, I imagine that they do feel overlooked, and had to compete for Rosalie’s attention.

I feel sad for Dotty too. At one point, I thought about her remarrying, but she seems the type who would be quietly devoted to Edward for the rest of her life.

Mary’s interesting, that’s for sure. She’s not necessarily malicious in her actions and intentions, but she’s not being upfront with anyone (except the girls). It’s tough because Steven is doing things because he thinks it’s what he should do, not necessarily because he wants to.

Peggy and Doug would be cute together for a lot of reasons, I agree. We’ll have to wait and see how things play out.

Nettie is going to be a great hippie. She’s a bit of a free spirit, and her aspiration is Romance, so it made sense to me. LOL, I don’t think she’ll be quite like Jenny; Nettie’s a bit of her own woman.

Yes, we’re in the early 1960s how. I don’t know how much of “real” history I’ll be pulling in moving forward, other than someone is going to die in the Vietnam War; I guess I’ll see how things line up.

Thanks for commenting!

[Faye Silver]

EEE!! New chapter!!

Spoiler:

So many of gen six... but such is the cycle of life.

Doug breaking down in simte fe can't be a coincidence can it? Still it's sad to see two people who belong together torn apart. But still there's always hope and I'm still holding a candle for them to be together eventually.

Mary...eh....I'm not sure how I feel about her? I'd almost feel like she's a Jan 2.0, but not /near/ as bad. She does have good intentions, as Sam said. However, she's definitely going about it in the wrong way.

I'm not looking forward to the next chapter because I have bad feeling that that's when Cindy and James are gonna go. Because neither of them were much younger than the others of their generation.

[katrisims]

Yay for an update!

Spoiler:

I have a hard time making up my mind about Mary. Last chapter, she came off as quite likeable, and in the beginning my sympathies were on her side, trying to make a good impression on the boyfriend's family. But then, starting with the discussion with Peggy and Nettie, I'm not so sure... Of course, it could be just that she got irritated by Peggy's impolite directness, but still her attitude seems a bit harsh. At worst, it could be as Cindy fears and she's a Jan 2.0 *shudders*, but maybe I should yet give Mary the benefit of doubt. Maybe it is as the others have said and she has good intentions, only she's going about things the wrong way.

Still, Mary seems pretty calculating about her relationship with Steven. That makes me sad, he'd deserve better than that.

Poor Peggy. Seeing Doug leave clearly was hard on her. At least she got to say goodbye, even if Doug tried to sneak out unnoticed.

Poor James. Losing both Taddy and Sterling must have been tough. And it goes to show that he and Cindy are quite old themselves. And it's always hard when the elders go, there's just no way around it.

It was a beautiful wedding for Steven and Mary. One can only hope that there'll be happiness in the future.

It seems that Doug is at least relatively happy with his new life in Simta Fe. I'm curious to see how things go for him. And Peggy, too, seems to be on the mend. Bobby seems a nice fellow, so maybe he can be what Dough couldn't.

So Nettie abandoned her childhood dreams and became a hippie instead. It'll be interesting to see how things develop for her, and how the family reacts.

Hmm, so politics for Steven. I have a suspicion that it might not turn out so great... But we'll see.

In any case, great meeting little Gregory! Congrats on reaching generation nine, it's getting very close indeed!

Lovely chapter!