AMERICA THE GREAT MELTING POT
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Direct descendant is highlighted in red
WIFE
Lydia Beman
CHILDREN
From the History of New London by Frances Manwaring Caulkins, 1852 pg 318
"John Richards, died in 1687
Of this person, no account previous to his appearance in New London, has been
found. His marriage is not recorded, and it is probable that it took place
elsewhere. He has seven children baptized, March 26, 1671 - John, Israel,
Mary, Penelope, Lydia, Elizabeth and Hannah. David was baptized July 27th,
1673. It is presumed that these eight form a complete list of his
children. John, the oldest son, was born in 1666."
From Rev. Abner Morse, "A Genealogical Register of the Descendants of Several
Ancient Puritans, Volume III" (Boston: H.W. Dutton & Son, 1861, p. 93, Records
of Richard R. Wilson online:
http://www.familytreemaker.com/_glc_/3158/3158_93.html
JOHN RICHARDS
"John Richards1 of Eele River," in Plymouth, is first mentioned July 12, 1637.
The General Court then placed him under bonds, and probably indentured him for
one year, for some slight breach of the peace; and "he acknowledged himself
indebted to the king, XIII;" and Thomas Little became his surety that "he should
keep the peace towards the king &c., and especially towards Mark Mendall and
appear at the next Gen. Court." He was then a young man, and not until many
years after a member of the church. At the next session of the General Court he
seems to have given satisfaction and was made rectus in curia; and Nov 5, 1638,
received from the Court "25 acres at Mannamet Pond due to him by indenture." He
is supposed to have married, late in life, Lydia Beman, and continued for 20
years a peaceful and respected citizen in the community of Plymouth. In 1644 he
had no doubt become a merchant, was dignified with the title of Mr., and sued
Gowen White for a debt of L4.10s. and recovered. In 1652 he was perhaps absent,
as "Mrs. Richards," a rare title in that age, and indicative of consideration,
if not of quality, is reported in Plymouth as claiming "a stray steere." He was
doubtless the brother of William, and the nephew of Thomas, Richards, Sr. His
cousins had become the wives of Thomas Hinckley, afterwards Governor, and of
William Bradford, the son of Gov. Bradford, and afterwards Dep. Governor, which
naturally improved his standing. No further notice of him, or of any of his
family, is to be found on Plymouth or Mass. records, and he is believed to have
removed about 1658, with Thomas Crocker and Thos. Leonard, to New London, where
he died, 1687. "In 1660 he there purchased two house lots, on" what is now
"State street, and built his house at the corner of Huntington street," which,
says Miss Caulkins, in her invaluable history of New London, "remained the seat
of the family for more than a century." In 1671, when he was probably received a
member of the church in New London, he had seven children baptized. Some of
these must then have been far advanced in their minority; for he had a dau.
married in 1678, and only one child subsequently born. Nothing of their ages can
be inferred from the order in which their names are recorded; but John is
elsewhere called his oldest son."
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