Part III - Rich Family
Generation 4. John Le Riche (1), emigrated from Normandy, France, to England, during the year of 1307. He procured an estate in Hampshire County, located about 50 miles southwest of London. He called it Rich�s Place. He thrived under the reign of King Edward II, 1307-1327.
Generation 3. Robert Le Riche, son of John Le Riche (1), did well under the reign of King Edward III, 1327-1377.
Generation 2. John Le Riche (2), son of Robert Le Riche, was living during the year of 1412, in the reign of King Henry IV.
Children:
Generation 1. Richard Riche (1), son of John Le Riche, was sheriff of London in 1441, and his will was dated 1463.
Children:
John Riche, son of Richard Riche, died during his father�s lifetime.
Children:
Children:
Thomas Rych (1), son of Richard Riche, will dated 1463.
Children:
Thomas Rych, son of Thomas Rych (2) and Miss Fisher, was baptized at Lesden 7 March 1567. He moved to North Cerney, Gloucestershire; He owned a great estate Essex County; Master in Chancery.
He married Anne Bourchier; 9 sons, 5 dau; He died in North Cerney, 27 October 1647.
Children:
Robert, 3rd Lord Rich, became the richest man in London by inheritance of ill-gotten gains under the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, 1533-1603.
He was married at the age of 18, 30 October 1581, to Lady Penelope Devereaux, 17, whose stepfather forced her to marry him.
Apparently, his oldest child was already born. Question: Was there a first wife? Or was Robert�s birthday about 1588?
On 6 August 1618, he was made the Earl of Warwich, and died 6 months later.
Children:
Robert, 4th Lord Rich, son of Robert, 3rd Lord Rich and Lady Penelope Devereau, was born 1578, and died 1658.
Robert was known as a colonizer. He owned shares in the Virginia Plantation Company who established Jamestown, 70 miles up the James River in the year 1607.
A squadron of 9 ships were to carry 600 more colonists to Jamestown, during the summer of 1609. Admiral Sir George Somers was in charge of the squadron, which sailed from England on 2 June 1609 for Virginia, by way of Bermuda, where they were buffeted for 4 days by a hurricane. All ships rode through to destination except the flag ship �Sea Venture.� Its seams opened so much that it had to be beached at Bermuda. The ship was salvaged and two small ones were built using the salvaged material and native timber.
As a result, the 150 colonists and three Gentlemen of Adventure on board the �Sea Voyage� did not reach Jamestown, Virginia, until the spring of 1610. The company found plenty of food such as wild pigs, pawpaws, birds, eggs, fish, lobsters, clams, oysters, and shrimp. Robert Rich, 4th Lord Rich, was one of the Gentlemen Adventurers aboard the �Sea Voyage.� He was known as a perpetually angry young fellow. These Gentlemen Adventurers would not dirty their hands to help bail out the ship.
Also on that voyage was Richard Rich, English soldier and adventurer, who was the author of �News From Virginia.� He had sailed with Capt. Christopher Newport and the three commissioners. In his verse pamphlet he later relates the adventures undergone by the expedition, and describes the resources of the new county with the advantages offered to colonists. The only known copy of this tract, dated 1610, is in the Huth Library. A reprint edited by J. O. Halliwell-Philips appeared in 1865.
The Rich Family in America
William Rich I, born in England, came to America in 1650. He married Alice __. He died 1684/5, in Maryland.
Alice was married/2 John Paddison, had 3 more children (John, Elizabeth, and Ann Paddison) She died in 1692.
Children documented are:
William Rich II, son of William Rich I & Alice ___, married Elizabeth___.
Children:
Documented:
Partly documented:
There is a family tradition common to several branches of the family, which says: Three brothers came from England and settled here.
Joseph Rich, Sr., the son of William Rich II and Elizabeth ___, was born in 1692, in West Nottingham, Chester County, Pennsylvania.
He was married, 3rd husband, to Elizabeth Grubb, who was born 12 January 1690/1, West Nottingham, Chester County, Pennsylvania, daughter of Henry Grubb and Mary Perkins. (See Grubb Family, Part III)
Where Joseph came from is not known. He was not among the first settlers to arrive in October 1701. There were 12 families that came with William Penn from Philadelphia in 1700 to look over the ground for this colony. By 1704, there was a considerable exodus here from the shores of the Delaware around New Oxford. Friends had been located there long before Penn�s colonies had been established, so our Joseph May have come from there. These early Friends have come mainly from the Barbados.
Richard Beeson, step-son of Joseph Rich, Sr., is known to have owned and/or operated a mill in Cecil County, Maryland, as recorded in 1722. Also, in Cecil County, Joseph Rich was the administrator of the estate of Daniel Jobson during the years of 1723-1737. The tax receipts of Joseph Rich, Sr. were more than for any of his neighbors, which could mean that he had an inheritance.
The families of Joseph Rich, Sr., and John Robinson, and Thomas Coulson lived in West Nottingham, Pennsylvania, located about eight miles west of the brick Nottingham Meeting House which was repaired in 1960, being at that time, more than 230 years old. By 1724, this was one of the most influential colonies west of the Brandywine. Joseph was there at the beginning of the Quaker�s Monthly Meeting, in 1730.
There has been great confusion as to the birth dates of the first two sons of Joseph Rich, Sr. We have accepted Dr. Wendell O. Rich�s order of birth of the first two sons because it seems to fit in with other facts.
Joseph Rich, Sr. died 25 August 1757, in West Nottingham, Chester County, Pennsylvania, which became Cecil County, Maryland, after the year 1769. His will was dated 28 April 1757, and probated 29 November 1757.
�To all Christian People and who this May concern, Know Ye that divine Providence through His Unspeakable Mercy haveing favored me to live many years as being sensible of a drag of health or ability of body, but of a sound and well disposing mind and memory and knowing that I must shortly leave this world�
Abstract: �To my son Joseph, the 100 acres of my plantation which I formerly gave him. To my son John, the remainder of my plantation. to son Peter�s widow Martha, wife of Tobias Lang, five schillings. Residue to be equally divided among my 13 grandchildren: Viz., Elizabeth and Anne, children of son Peter, deceased; Mary, Elizabeth, John, and Sarah, children of son John; Martha, Mary Samuel, Sarah, Rachael, Hannah, and Stephen, children of son Joseph.�
Joseph Rich, Sr. did not mention his wife Elizabeth in his will which probably means that she died before 1730, since her name is not in the records of Nottingham Monthly Meeting.
Children:
Joseph Rich, Jr., son and the heir, of Joseph Rich, Sr. and Elizabeth Grubb, was born about 1715, in West Nottingham, Chester County, Pennsylvania.
He was married in East Nottingham Monthly Meeting, Pennsylvania, to Sarah Coulson, the daughter of Thomas Coulson. He died 1777, in Cecil County, Maryland. She died 31 May 1783.
Dr. Wendell O. Rich has the following comments on two of the sons, John and Joseph
�Joseph was the only son to be favored by a plantation from his father upon reaching maturity. He was the only one of the three whose marriage was not questioned by the Quakers. In the beginning, he was the most active. He was one of the Friends leaders, and within eight years of his marriage, he was made �overseer.� but, like most of the other leaders who were unusually prosperous and hospitable to the extreme, he fell from grace, - in his case, for �taking strong liquor. � The others would regularly repent and present a paper apologizing for their actions, but not young Joseph. He was either too stubborn, or too hurt by their actions and never, never came back after being disowned on 18 December 1756, one year before his old father died. That may be the reason his father cut him off in favor of John, by then a zealous Quaker. Nevertheless, Joseph was the most prosperous. He left all his sons substantial property. Around him were canny Scotch Presbyterians. He seems to have joined them and been buried by them. Their Church is now the aristocratic one there. They early established an Academy where three of the signers of the Declaration of independence were educated. �
Joseph and Sarah had a great-grandson, named Charles Coulson Rich, in Ohio, who joined the Mormon organization, and moved to Salt Lake City, Utah. He was heralded as the pioneer builder of the West. It is reported that he had 6 wives, 50 children, and 250 grandchildren, and more than 1,000 great-grandchildren.
Children:
John Rich, Sr., the son of Joseph Rich, Sr. and Elisabeth Grubb, was born 13d 4m 1717, in West Nottingham, Pennsylvania.
His first marriage was 18 June 1744 to Mary (or Miriam) Robinson, daughter of Martha Coppock and John Robinson, probably no children. (See Coppock Family, Part III) This marriage was out of unity, and he was disowned in August of that year.
He was married again 3 December 1748 to Sarah Frazier, at Kennett Square Monthly Meeting. This was contrary to discipline because Sarah was a cousin to his first wife. Sarah was born 10 7m 1725, in Chester, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Alexander Frazier and Sarah Coppock (See Coppock Family, Part III)
They were not reinstated until 15 June 1754. He had to acknowledge his wrong doing first: to wit, �Whereas, I the subscriber sometime ago did by my misconduct in marriage give my friends occasion to disown me. I now from a sense of my misconduct do acknowledge their judgment and testimony to be just and am sorry that I gave the occasion � signed, John Rich. Clerk�s note-�The above is taken as satisfaction as his future conduct shall agree."
The family joined the East Nottingham Meeting, Pennsylvania, on 4 April 1750. In 1767, they moved to North Carolina and became members at New Garden Monthly Meeting. They settled on a farm some distance south of New Garden, which had been established in 1754. They automatically became members of Center Monthly Meeting, established in 1773, then Back Creek Monthly Meeting, established in 1792. Each was successively closer to their farm. In 1779, the southern half of Guilford County, North Carolina, was split off and named Randolph County, leaving John�s place in Randolph County. Sarah freed her slaves 22 February 1776.
Sarah died 1 February 1798. The will of John was dated 22 February 1797. He died 5 September 1798, and the will was proved in November 1798, Randolph County, North Carolina court.
The John Rich data is taken from his family Bible. The birth dates of his older children shown below are in some cases a month or so different that recorded by the East Nottingham Monthly Meeting. This may be due to the calendar used. The following dates are converted from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian or present calendar where they apply. All but the two youngest children were born near East Nottingham Monthly Meeting, Chester County, Pennsylvania
Peter W. Rich, grandson of John Rich, Sr. carried his grandfather�s family Bible through to Indiana. It was seen at an old book exhibit in Plainfield in 1958, about 20 miles west of Indianapolis. This Bible may now be seen in the library of Earlham College, Richmond, Indiana. It was owned by Pauline Pritchard, who died in 1959.
Children:
John Job Rich, the son of John Rich and Sarah Frazier, was born 8 July 1753, near West Nottingham Meeting, in Chester County, Pennsylvania
He was married 7 September 1775, at Deep River Monthly Meeting, located west and near New Garden Monthly Meeting, in Guilford County, North Carolina, to Martha Wall, who was born in 1748, in Chester County, Pennsylvania, daughter of John Wall and Phebe Buffington, both born about 1720.
They became members of Back Creek Monthly Meeting automatically. Martha died 18 November 1790; John died in 1835, both in Randolph County, North Carolina.
Children:
Peter Wall Rich, son of John Rich and Martha Wall, was born 17 July 1783, in Guilford, North Carolina.
He was married in 1808, by civil marriage in Randolph County, North Carolina, to Sarah Sanders, who was born 11 June 1787, in Randolph County, North Carolina, daughter of Joseph and Rebecca Sanders.
Source: Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.
Generation 3. Henry Sanders, born 1677, Isle of Wight, Virginia, died 1733, Isle of Wight, married 1700, Isle of Wight, to Margaret Sellaway, born 1677, Isle of Wight, daughter of John and Margaret Sellaway
Generation 2. John Sanders, son of Henry, born 1711, Isle of Wight, Virginia, died 3 February 1772, Isle of Wight, married 1747, Isle of Wight, to Elizabeth Hancock, born 22 January 1734, Isle of Wight, died 17 March 1779, Isle of Wight
Generation 1. Joseph Sanders, son of Henry, born about 1755, Isle of Wight, Virginia, died 18 March 1803/5, Randolph County, North Carolina; married Rebecca, born about 1755/7, Isle of Wight, or North Carolina, died after 1811, Randolph County; 7 children
Although Joseph Sanders was not a Quaker, it is interesting to note that his will dated 18 March 1803, includes this statement: �I will and desire that if there should be a necessity of putting out any of my children to trades or any other occasion that they should be put with some Friend or Friends of the Quaker society to be raised up in that religion. �
Daughter:
See:
The Center Monthly Meeting, Guilford County, North Carolina, disowned him for marrying out of unity. Evidently this was only temporary, as he and his family turn up in the records of Marlborough Monthly Meeting, in Randolph County, North Carolina, in 1826.
In the fall of 1837, they moved to Wayne County, Indiana, at Dover Monthly Meeting. In the spring of 1838, they moved to Grant County, Indiana, just east of Hale, and became members of the Back Creek Monthly Meeting.
Peter W. Rich was a farmer who learned the trade of wagon making by hand with few hand tools. He was also an attorney at law in Randolph County, North Carolina. His work was sturdy and lasting. His wife and daughters spun, wove, colored and made all the material to clothe the family. They were a stout family and industrious workers.
Sarah died 26 December 1869; Peter W. died 12 December 1872. They, and their sons Jesse and Isaac were buried in the Back Creek Cemetery, 2 miles north of Fairmount, Grant County, Indiana.Children:
This could be the father of Madison Rich, whose daughter Ella Rich married Henry Albert Winslow, Part I, E-5. See also below Aaron Rich
John Rich, son of Peter Wall Rich, was born 29 December 1817, in Randolph County, North Carolina.
He was married 15 December 1832, in Randolph County, North Carolina, to Mary Hancock, who was born in North Carolina.
They had a family of 7 children, including 1 pair of twins. A young brother, died in South Carolina.
He was moving his family, by team and wagon, from South Carolina to North Carolina, when they were all taken sick with a fever. All died, except Madison and one brother. The boys stayed with a family there, until they could get word to an uncle living in Alabama, a slave owner. The boys went through a rough time with scarcely enough food to live on, until the uncle got to them and gave them a better home. The younger brother died in a few weeks. Madison grew up in Alabama.
Both Mary and John, died of disease, in 1844, in Jackson County, Alabama.
Children:
Madison Hanson Rich, son of John Rich and Mary Hancock, was born 8 May 1834, in South Carolina. He came from a family of 7 children, including 1 pair of twins.
When he was young, he and all of his family, except a younger brother who had died when he was a small boy, were moving by team and wagon, from South Carolina to North Carolina, when they were all taken sick with a fever. All died, except Madison and one brother. They stayed with a family there, until they could get word to an uncle living in Alabama, a slave owner. The boys went through a rough time with scarcely enough food to live on, until the uncle got to them and gave them a better home. The younger brother died in a few weeks. Madison grew up in Alabama.
He was married there to Jane Warren and had 6 children.
Madison had to hide to keep from being forced to join the Confederate Army when the Civil War broke out in 1861. He managed this until the Federal Army came close enough so he could join them. He served until the end of war, in the 1st Indiana Cavalry. He and his family moved to Indiana, where his wife Jane passed away.
He was married/2 about 1875 to Charity Benbow, who was born 13 August 1847, in Fairmount, Grant County, Indiana, the daughter of Benjamin Benbow and Mary Morris. (See Benbow Family, Part VIII and Morris Family, Part IV)
Madison and Charity moved by team and covered wagon to Iowa in the early spring of 1876, and came to Kansas by team in 1878, and settled in Jewell County, near Burr Oak. They bought a homestead for about 200-300 dollars and lived in a dugout until they could build a frame house in the year of 1879. The family lived in this same house until Madison died 3 December 1906. Charity died 17 September 1909. Both were buried in Oak Creek Cemetery, which lies just 1/2 mile east of the family home.
The three oldest of these sons did not stay in Kansas long. Many people were moving to Oregon and Washington. They all got land out there, married and continued to live there. Sam never did come back to Kansas, and the others only came back for a visit while their father was living. The oldest set of children may not be listed in order.
Children:
Bibliography
�Rich Family Association� Records
Eri Rich Family Tree, Ancestors and Descendants 1961-1963 by Everett Eri Thomas, Schenectady, NY Hoosier Heritage Press, 520 N Campbell St, Indianapolis, Indiana