Mr. Church probably arrived at Boston in the fleet with Winthrop, and requested admission as freeman of Massachusettes Colony, 19 October, 1630, but removed to Plymouth and was there received as freeman, 2 January, 1632-3. He served in the Pequot war, in which he doubtless earned the title of Sergeant, by which he was subsequently known. In 1647, he exchanged his lands at Eel River, Plymouth, given him by Mrs. Warren and removed to Hingham. He made a deposition at Sandwich, 25 August, 1664, in which he gave his age as about "56 years." He died at Hingham. His will, dated two days earlier, provided for wife Elizabeth and all of his children, though naming but son Joseph, who was to receive a double portion in consideration of his lame hand. from "Descendents of the Mayflower."

Perhaps from Polstead, Suffolk (England). Carpenter. Ages 48 in 1657 (b. 1609). Removed to Weymouth, Plymouth and Charlestown. Applied freeman 19 October 1630 (M.C.R.I, 80). Died 1668. He came over as a servant of 'Mr. (Richard) Webb' (Drake, Boston, 132) from "The Winthrop Fleet of 1630"

RICHARD CHURCH OF PLYMOUTH

RICHARD CHURCH, of Plymouth, Mass., founder of one of the large families of that name in America, was born in 1608 as we learn from a deposition made by him:

The Deposition of Richard Church aged about 56 years the Deponent saith that hee being att worke about the mill the 19th. day of august hearing of a Cry that the man was killed; hasted presently and healped to remove the earth from Thomas ffish who being much bruised thereby was gott to bedd and in four dayes and a halfe Dyed; and further saith not."Made at Sandwich 25 Aug. 1664 and recorded in Plymouth Col. Court Orders, Vol. IV. p.-92. (Mayflower Descendents IV-152).

He came to America probably in 1630 since the Council of Massachusetts Bay Colony voted him to the status of "freeman" 19 Oct., 1630. He is supposed to have come 8 Apr., 1630 in the fleet with John Winthrop, later Governor of Massachusetts Bay Colony, but this is conjecture merely.

He left that Colony without taking the oath and went to Plymouth where he became a freeman 4 Oct., 1632. Apparently the authorities there inquired into his status and a letter dated 1631 from Governor Bradford of Plymouth to Governor Winthrop of Massachusetts bay giv es valuable personal details of Richard's situation. The letter gives also a glimpse into the strict oversight which early settlers maintained over the later arrivals, a supervision necessary to weld a hetero-genous mass of immigrants into an effective commonwealth.

Richard Church came likewise as a sojourner to worke for ye present; though he is still hear resident longer than he purposed; and what he will doe, neither we nor I thinks himselfe knows; but if he resolve hereb to settle we shall require him to procure a dismission; but he did affirme to me at ye first that he was one of Mr. Welb's men and freed to goe for England or whither he would ye which we rather beleued because he cane to us from Wessagaacussett (Weymouth) upon ye falling out with his partner." (Mayflower Descendents, IX-I).

The freedom to go whither he would i ndicate that he was not bound for his passage but was an independent adventurer coming at his own charges.

No trace of Mr. "Welb" (Webb) has been found. The partnership spoken of may have been land speculation at Weymouth. Later he bought land which had been granted to Gov. Winslow in Seconnet, now Little Compton, R. I., which remains in the family to this day. The first significant fact that the records disclose about him is that he was assessed on L1116 at Plymouth in 1632-3, two years after landing. (Hinman, Early Puritan Settlers of Conn.) This was a very considerable sum in that day and places Richard among the class of wealthy Pilgrims, if that term could be applied to any of them.

Winsor, in his History of Duxbury, Richard, b. 1608, arrived at Boston, 1630; freeman, 1632; and from 1633 to 1649 inc. a resident of Ply. Mass. Subsequently he was for a short time at Eastham, removing thence to Charlestown. Jan. 24, 1653, he purchased of Thomas Joy 'one halfe or moytie of his Corne mill standeing vpon ye Ryuer caled ye towne Coue in hingham. It is with ye damme head and streame there unto belongeing and halfe ye lott of Lande Lying there unto contayneing fower or six acres weh was formerly ye lands of Abraham Martyn,' etc. (S.R. Vol. II. pp. 82, 83). Richard, without doubt, was a resident of Hing. during the remainder of his life. ... He d. at Dedham, 27 Dec. 1668, 'though he was buried in Hing., and his will was made here.' ... Selectman in 1665. Resided on the spot now owned and occupied by heirs of the late Col. Charles Lane, on North St."36

Richard first appeared in New England records 19 Oct 1630 when he desired to be made a freeman of teh Massachusetts Bay Colony. He was apparently living in Wessagusset (later Weymouth). He moved to Plymouth by 6 Feb 1631.129

Richard was of Plymouth 1631, Eastham 1649, Charlestown by 1653, and Hingham 1654