She was born and lived in West Mill her entire life.
This Elizabeth Richardson is not the same that died on September 4, 1630, who was buried in Middlesex, England. Our Elizabeth died in Westmill, England and was buried at St. Mary the Virgin in Westmill – St Albans, St Albans District, Hertfordshire, England.
Ezekiel Richardson first came to America in 1630. He has also been known as Ezechll Richeson.
He was the son of Thomas Richardson and Katherine Duxford. His exact date of birth is unknown but it is thought to be somewhere between 1601-1604.
He died in Woburn, MA on October 21, 1647.
He married Susanna and together they had 7 children.
Phebe (Phoebe) (June 3, 1632)
Theophilus (December 22, 1633)
Josiah (November 7, 1634)
John (July 21, 1638)
Jonathan (February 13, 1639/40?)
James (July 11, 1641)
Ruth (August 23, 1645)
Ezechiel Richardson and his wife were admitted to Boston church as members #80 and #81, which would be in the winter of 1630/1; on 14 October 1632.
Ezechiell Richardson and Susan his wife were dismissed to participate in the organization of Charlestown church; on 2 November 1632 “Ezek:” and “Susan Richeson” were admitted to Charlestown church as founding members.
Ezekiel Richardson was admitted as an inhabitant of Charleston in 1630 and appeared in the lists of inhabitants of January 9, 1633/4 and January 1635/6.
In his will, dated 20 July 1647 and proved 1 June 1648, “Ezekiell Richardson of Woebourne” appointed “my wife Susanna and my eldest son Theophilus joint executors”; and bequeathed to “Josias my son �30” at twenty-one years of age; to “James my son �3O” at twenty-one years of age; to “Phebe my daughter �3O” at “twenty years of age or within six months after the day of her marriage”; if any of these three should die before they come of age, the legacies be shared among the survivors; in case “my son Theophilus die before he shall accomplish one and twenty years of age, then his portion shall be equally divided to my other children”; discharged demands against “my brother Samuell Richardson“; to “my brother Thomas Richardson, his son Thomas, 1Os.”; overseers Ed-ward Converse and John Mousall of Woburn, if either of these die, then the survivor with the consent of Thomas Carter, pastor of the church in Woburn, to choose a replacement overseer; 30s. to each overseer; residue to my executors, “provided that my wife may peacably enjoy her habitation in the house so long as she shall live”.
The inventory of the estate of Ezekiell Richardson was taken 18 November 1647 and totalled �19O 6s. 6d., with no real estate included.
On 6 March 1649/50 Edward Converse confirmed to the heirs of Ezekiel Richardson an earlier sale of twelve acres of meadow & upland in Woburn [MLR 2:71].
Now look at this tidbit of information —
On 27 March 1651 Samuel Richeson of Woburn “having formerly sold unto Ezekill Richeson my brother (who is since deceased) forty acres of arable & meadow land” in Woburn, con-firms the same to “my sister Susanna Brookes (who was the wife of my deceased brother Ezekill Richeson”, On 23 March 1654/5
See that? That shows us that in fact, Ezekiel Richardson was the brother of Samuel Richardson, son of Thomas Richardson. So I’m not sure why Thomas Richardson of Standon left him out of the will, but it could have to do with why Ezekiel left to America a few years prior.
“Susanna Richeson now Brookes formerly the wife of Ezek: Richeson” confirmed a sale made eight years earlier by “Ezekill Richardson & Sussanna Richardson my wife” to Thomas Moulton and John Greenland of thirty-five acres of land in Woburn. On 13 December 1659 “Henry Brookes & Susanna Brookes of Woburn,” in accordance with an award of the court, deeded to Theophilus Richardson the right and title they had in “the moiety or half part of the housing & land of Ezekiell Richardson of Woburn aforesaid, by executorship or otherwise”.
Samuel Richardson was born in 1602 in Westmill, Hertfordshire, England. He died on March 23, 1658, in Woburn, Middlesex, Massachusetts.
He is the son of Thomas Richardson and Catherine Duxford. We know this because Samuel was the executor of his father’s estate on July 31, 1634, in Hutchins, England. This is the Thomas Richardson that we also call Thomas Richardson of Standon.
Samuel Richardson was christened at St. Mary the Virgin in Westmill on December 22, 1604.
Samuel Richardson married Joanna Thake. They were married on October 18, 163 in Great Hormead, Hertfordshire, England.
Together they had at least 9 children.
Mary (1637-1677)
John (1639-1696)
Hannah (1642-1642)
Joseph (1643-1718)
Samuel (1646-1712)
Stephen (1649-1717)
Thomas (1651-1657)
Elizabeth (1653-1677) ?????
In 1636 they arrived in Charlestown, Massachusetts. He was one of the founders and largest landowners of Woburn, Mass.
Benjamin Wayne Richardson (1951 – )
son of Reuben Namon Richardson
Samuel Richardson is one of three brothers who came to America. Ezekiel came to America first in 1630, and Samuel and Thomas followed a few years later (1636).
A list of fifty-eight men, inhabitants of Charlestown, dated Jan. 9, 1633-4, is found on the records of that town. Among them is the name of Ezekiel Richardson, but not Samuel or of Thomas, his brothers.
The first notice we find of Samuel is dated July 1, 1636, when he and his brother Thomas Richardson, with others, were on a committee to lay out lots of land for hay. In 1637, the names of Samuel and Thomas Richardson first appear in a list of inhabitants of Charlestown.
The same year the town of Charlestown granted to each of them a “house-plot,” clearly indicating that they had become residents.
Map of Waterfield 1638 Richardson-Johnson — This map was constructed by the late George Cooke and George T. Littlefield of Winchester and is designed to show “the approximate location in 1638” of the lots in Woburn and Winchester which had been granted to the inhabitants of Charlestown. The descriptions of the lots, from which the compilers prepared their map, were taken from the Charlestown Book of Possessions. This land is situated in the westerly part of Winchester.
Samuel and Thomas were admitted as members of the local church on February 18, 1637-8, making them freeman of the colony on May 2, 1638.
Samuel was chosen surveyor of the highways on March 17, 1636-7.
The three brothers had lots assigned them on April 20, 1638, on “Misticke side above the Ponds,” that is, in Malden, and their names, among others, appear as persons having the privilege of pasturing cows upon the Common, Dec. 30, 1638.
On the 5th of Nov., 1640. the three brothers and four others, Edward Convers, Edward Johnson, John Mousall, and Thomas Graves, were chosen by the church of Charlestown as commissioners or agents for the settlement of a church and town, within what were then the limits of Charlestown, but soon after erected into a separate town, and called Woburn. That whole territory was then a wide, uncultivated waste.
In the February 1641, the commissioners built a bridge over the Aberjona River, north of Mystic Pond. This bridge was known as Converse Bridge, from Edward Converse, the proprietor of the adjacent mill. He lived in the immediate vicinity, in the first house built in Woburn.
This mark is set in the north side of the Converse Bridge, carrying Main St over the Aberjona River in downtown Winchester, MA. The marker reads: “Converse Bridge – 1640 1915 – Site of first bridge crossing the Aberjona river over against the Edward Converse house. Also site of The King’s Ford located at lower side of bridge from 1638 to 1845.”
His descendants lived there, or in that vicinity, and the entire locality is now in the heart of the town of Winchester.
When the church was constituted in Woburn, Aug. 14, 1642, O.S., Samuel Richardson and his two brothers, with John Mousall, Edward Johnson, Edward Converse, and William Leonard, solemnly stood forth, as the nucleus around which the church was to be gathered.
The first organizational Town Meeting was held on April 13, 1644, and the first town officers were chosen. Town Selectmen were Edward Johnson, Edward Converse, John Mousall, William Learned, Ezekiel Richardson, Samuel Richardson, and James Thompson. William Learned was also selected as Constable.
Michael Bacon, Ralph Hill, Thomas Richardson were chosen for Surveyors of Highways. As you may recall, this was a position that Samuel previously held.
The three brothers lived near to each other, on the same street, which has ever since been known as “Richardson’s Row.” In 1647 the town officially named it Richardson Street which still exists to this day.
Samuel Richardson was selectman of Woburn in from 1644-1646 and from 1649-1651.
In 1645, he was listed as having paid the highest tax of any man in Woburn; Capt. Edward Johnson the next.
Samuel Richardson was married to Joanna Thake who united with the church in Charlestown on the 9th of July, (or Sept 9th), 1639.
Samuel Richardson died on March 23, 1658, without leaving a will. His widow and eldest living son John were appointed administrators of his estate. John would have been about 19 at the time his father died.
So many people in my tree named Thomas Richardson. This particular one we are speaking about now was born in 1523 in Westmill, England and he died in 1570.
Although I should note there is a Millennium file document that says he died in March of 1630. But that could be his son.
What I can say for sure is when he was born and married.
Born: May 14, 1523, in Westmill, Hertfordshire, England
Married on June 15, 1567, in St. Albans, in Hertfordshire, England
It was originally thought that Thomas Richardson I of Westmill’s father was Ralph Richardson of the Jersey Channel Islands. That turns out however not to be true.
Thomas Richardson I of Westmill had a son known as Thomas Richardson of Westmill. We call him Thomas Richardson II of Westmill, just to avoid confusion.
This Thomas is not the person known as Sir Thomas Richardson. He is also not the Thomas Richardson from Alphamstone. This is also not the Thomas Richardson who married Margaret that has a son named Thomas who was born in Kirkham, Lancashire, England. We can say this for sure because that child was born on July 20, 1823. Our guy was dead hundreds of years before that.
Many have wrongly associated this Thomas Richardson with Sir Thomas Richardson of the Scottish Peerage. That would be impossible because ancient records tell us that he married on December 14, 1626, at St. Giles-in-the-Fields, London without issue. That means he had no children so he can’t be your ancestor because his line ended with him.
So who is our Thomas Richardson? This gets confusing for a few generations so to clarify …
Thomas Richardson I of Westmill married Margaret Silverside (1523-1570)
Thomas Richardson I of Westmill married Margaret Silverside on June 15, 1567. How do we know when our Thomas was born? Thanks to the “Heritage Consulting. Millennium File”. This record tells us that he was born in 1523.
Heritage Consulting. Millennium File. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2003. Original data: Heritage Consulting. The Millennium File. Salt Lake City, UT, USA: Heritage Consulting.
The problem is, the death date is wrong. It lists the death date of his son Thomas II. This is why it’s so hard to find accurate information when even “official” records are flawed.
Thomas Richardson married Margaret Silverside in 1567 at St. Albans Abbey.
Below is a copy of their marriage register which clearly shows they were married in 1567 on June 15th.
The problem with the name “Thomas Richardson” is that in this time in history there were more than a few of them in the area. This makes it very hard to figure out which one is which. That’s why when you find any sort of absolute proof of information, you have to hold onto it tightly to make sure you don’t confuse or mix up people because it’s so easy to do.
This record comes from the Hertfordshire online archives. Why it is important is because it further proves we have the right Thomas with the right wife.
First name(s)
Thomas
Last name
Richardson
Marriage year
1567
Marriage date
15 Jun 1567
Place
St Albans, Abbey
Groom’s first name(s)
Thomas
Groom’s last name
Richardson
Bride’s first name(s)
Margaret
Bride’s last name
Silvsode
County
Hertfordshire
Country
England
Record set
Hertfordshire Marriages
Category
Birth, Marriage & Death (Parish Registers)
Subcategory
Parish Marriages
Collections from
England, United Kingdom
So now the question is, who is Thomas Richardson I of Westmill’s father?
Thomas Richardson was born on March 15, 1543, in Westmill, Hertfordshire, England. He died on March 4, 1630, also in Westmill, Hertfordshire, England.
He is not the person known as “Sir Thomas Richardson”.
He is also not the person who was buried on December 13, 1630 at St Mary, Whitechapel, Tower Hamlets, Middlesex, England. Although they have the same name and died in the same year, our Thomas Richardson, Thomas Richardson of Westmill II died in March, not in December. Our Thomas died in Westmill, not in Middlesex.
To avoid any confusion with other people named Thomas Richardson in my family tree, I will now refer to him as Thomas Richardson II of Westmill.
St Albans, St Albans District, Hertfordshire, England
There is a record out there stating that Thomas Richardson was buried on December 13, 1630, at St Mary, Whitechapel, Tower Hamlets, Middlesex, England. This is an official Parish register.
This is from “London, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages, and Burials, 1538-1812 – Tower Hamlets – St Mary, Whitechapel – 1558 – 1643”.
Middlesex is in modern day London. That’s about an hour’s drive from Westmill. St. Mary’s was a church in the 1600’s that was located in Whitechapel. This is a district that is now in the East End of London, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.
The document in question is referring to the St Mary Matfelon church, which was an England parish church on Whitechapel Road, in Whitechapel, London.
Horse and carriages were said to go about 3 to 4 miles per hour. This means it would have taken them 4 or 5 hours to go from Westmill to London. That’s not likely that a person who was born, got married and lived in Westmill their entire life would have gone all the way to London, 4 or 5 hours away to be buried in a church there. Therefore we can reasonably assume that the record for Thomas Richardson who was buried on December 13, 1630, is not our Thomas Richardson II of Westmill.
____________________
Thomas Richardson II of Westmill was born in St. Albans Abbey in Westmill. His wife was Mary Margaret Champney and together they had at least one child.
They could have had more children, and likely did but so far I’ve haven’t been able to find any information other than about their son Thomas Richardson of Standon.
His date of death on March 4, 1630, in Westmill comes from the Find a Grave listing. This, however, lists his wife as Mary Margaret Silverside which in fact is his mother.
We have a record called the Millennium File that tells us Thomas Richardson was born in 1523 in Westmill. He died in March of 1630 in Westmill and that his wife was Margaret Silverside. Thier child was Thomas Richardson.
Because this can get confusing I named …
Thomas Richardson born in 1523 – Thomas Richardson I of Westmill
I then named his son Thomas Richardson II of Westmill.
I then named his son Thomas Richardson of Standon.
We next have the England, Select Births and Christenings file that tells us Thomas Richardson of Standon is the father of Samuel Richardson.
Next, we have a document telling us that Thomas Richardson married someone named Mary. Well, guess what? That document is totally useless to us because both Thomas Richardson I and Thomas Richardson II of Westmill, both married someone named Mary.
Thomas Richarson I of Westmill married Mary Margaret Silverside.
Thomas Richarson II of Westmill married Mary Margaret Champney.
See the problem? So we have to keep going to try and figure out more family connections.
Ralph Richardson was originally thought to be the son of Bedo ap Richard, who was from Wales, making him the grandson of Richard ap Hywel. That turns out not to be true.
Born in 1455 – Died 1520.
Ralph Richardson lived in the Jersey Chanel Islands.
Ralph Richardson, is presumed to have been an officer in the army of Richard III, and he came to Jersey after the King was killed at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485.
What we know of Ralph Richardson of The Channel Islands early records which state …
He must have had previous connections to Jersey because he became a tenant of the Seigneur of Rosel and is believed to have farmed 70 vergées in St Martin. There is some dispute about the timings because family tradition has it that he arrived immediately after the battle, the last significant engagement of the English Civil War, and took up farming then.
“An Account of the Island of Jersey” by Rev. Rhilip Falle in 1837 tells us that in the 1400s …
"Seigneur of Rose was slain in an assault during that siege on the eve of Corpus Christi day. The siege lasted nineteen weelts."
_______________
Going back to the Island Wiki data, it says ….
However, 19th century historian J Bertrand Payne, in his Armorial of Jersey says that Ralph took up farming in St Martin in 1507, four years after the birth of his son Thomas in England and the death of his wife.
Ralph married Jane Mychiel, daughter of John, in Jersey, but their son Thomas was born in England. He had a son, also Thomas, who stayed in England and his lineage is traced in one of the trees below. Another of Ralph’s children, Edmund, was born in Jersey, and other sons of Thomas also established families in the island. One branch moved to Guernsey, where their surname was corrupted to Reserson. The two island families were united by the marriage of Clement Richardson and Jacquine Reserson in the 18th century.
This was very much a St Martin family and the first baptism was recorded there in 1599. Although the family largely remained in the parish, it did spread into neighbouring Grouville, Trinity and St Saviour, and ultimately throughout the island, most notably in St Ouen.
What we learned is that Ralph Richardson is not only not related to Bedo ap Richard but also is not be the father of Thomas Richardson I of Westmill.
1 Ralph Richardson m Jane Mychiell, d of John
2 Thomas Richardson
3 John Richardson m Isabel Le Marquand, d of Raulin
4 Nicholas Richardson (1571- )
4 Jane Richardson m John Collas
3 Hugh Richardson ( -1598) m Phillippine de Quetteville, d of Michael
4 Nicholas Richardson m Jeanette Le Quesne, d of Richard
1 Thomas Richardson m (1605, Gr) Jeanne Giffard, d of Richard )Thomas is possibly the son of Jean and Marie Averty, of Grouville, or Thomas and Anne Le Ray, of St Martin)
There is a rule when it comes to researching your family tree and that is, just because someone says something, doesn’t make it true. What the rule should be is just because someone or 200 someone’s says something, doesn’t mean it’s true. This rule has never been more true when it comes to Bed ap Richard.
If I were to believe the hundreds of family trees on Ancestry.com and other similar sites, I would be here telling you today that Bedo Ap Richard was the father of the very first “Richardson”. His name means Bedo son of Richard ap Hywel and that he was He was born in 1430 in Glamorgan, Wales. He died in 1470.
Hundreds and hundreds of family trees have this information wrong. Why? Because they all just accepted that the information was true because someone else said it was.
So then who is Bedo ap Richard? He was born in Mathraval. I googled that and it turns out Mathraval (also known as Mathrafal) is a castle. It was the original capital of the Princes of Powys, one of the three royal seats in Wales. The castle was destroyed in 1212. That means he couldn’t have been born in 1430, two hundred years after his birthplace was destroyed. So that tells us Bedo ap Richard was born some time before 1212.
Now I found a document that tells us who his family is. His father was in fact Richard ap Hywel. Just not the one from Glamorgan. This document comes from page 416 of the book “The Montgomeryshire Collections, Volume 8”.
So from this document, we can say for sure that the line here starts with Hywel ap Einws. This would be Bedo ap Richard’s grandfather. (Remember ap = son of).
Hywel ap Einws
Richard ap Hywel son of Hywel ap Einws
Bedo ap Richard son of Richard ap Hywel (Mawd Verch Ieuan Vychan)
Robert ap y Bedo son of Bedo ap Richard – (married Jane Verch Dafydd ??)
Ieuan ap Robert son of Robert ap y Bedo – (married Jane Verch Rhys Dafydd ??)
The document also tells us who married who. Bedo ap Richard’s son married Jane daughter of Rhys Dafydd. This makes her name Jane Verch Rhys Dafydd. (Remember Verch means daughter of like ap means son of).
At the very bottom of this document, we see that Bedo ap Richard’s son Robert’s mother was Mawd Verch Ieuan Vychan.
Bedo ap Richard is in fact son of Richard ap Hywell, not the same Richard ap Hywell who has the son Morgan ap Hywell who married Joan Button.
Bedo could also be known as Blddn or Bleddyn.
Other variations of Hywel include Hywell, or Howell or Howel.
That means you may find documents calling him Blddn ap Richard or Bleddyn ap Richard or even Bedo ap Rich’d, which is a variation of “Richard”.
So anyone doing their family tree and want to list Ralph Richardson of the Jersey Channel Islands as having a father named Bedo ap Richard would be wrong.
Are there any other references to Bedo ap Richard in old books? Turns out there are!
In a document called Montgomeryshire Pedigrees (page 137) it says …
Griffith ap Thomas, of Halchton, ap Llywelyn ap Madock ap David ap Evan.
Griffith's mother was Jonet, vrch. Owen Bedo ap Rich'd ap Howell ap Einion, of Drewern.
Griffith ap Thomas's children were Rich'd; Edw'd; David ; Evan ;
Catherin, who maried Tho. Lewis ap David ap Griffith; Mawd ;
Alice ; and Catherin. Their mother was Catherin, vrch. Llewelyn ap Reynold.
The previous document said that Bedo ap Richard’s father was Richard ap Hywel (howel) who’s father was Hywel ap Einws. This document tells us something similar.
It says Griffith’s mother was Jonet verch Owen (Jonet daughter of Owen).
Then it says Bedo ap Richard is the son of Richard ap Hywel (Howell) who is the son of Hywel ap Einion of Drewern.
Now we have two different new spellings. The first is Bedo ap Rich’d. The next is Hywel (Howell) ap Einion of Drewern.
With this new variation in his name I was about to find a Hywel ap Einion.
This led me to a new book called – “Montgomeryshire Pedigrees: Heraldic Visitations of Wales and Part of the Marches, Between the Years 1586 and 1613; Ed. with Notes by Samuel Rush Meyrick”.
This book reveals to us a new family tree of this previously mentioned Griffith.
David ap Evan
Madog ap David Son of David ap Evan
Llyweln ap Madock (Madog) Son of Madog ap David
Thomas ap Llywelyn Son of Llyweln ap Madog
Griffith ap Thomas of Halchton’s Son of Thomas ap Llyweln
Again they reference Griffith’s mother as Jonet vrch. Owen Bedo ap Richard ap Howell ap Einion, of Drewern.
This means that his mother was Jonet verch (daughter of) Owen. Owen may be a spelling variation of Owain (just as Hywel is of Howel or Rich’d is of Richard).
What I don’t know is, does this make her Bedo ap Richard’s wife? Or is Owen Bedo ap Richard’s son?
If you recall in a previous document, where we learned about Robert ap y Bedo (son of Bedo ap Richard), we learned his wife was Mawd. So that means that this Jonet isn’t his wife. But she could be the wife of a child of Bedo or maybe the daughter of a child of Bedo?
Thomas Richardson of Standon is my 12th great-grandfather.
Thomas Richardson of Standon short biographical details from the book The Wymans: First Wyman Generation
This is a person that I was struggling to verify information about. Luckily the UK is big on record keeping and thanks to the fact that Hertfordshire in England has their very own records database I was able to confirm the identity of Thomas Richardson who from now we will refer to as Thomas Richardson of Standon.
Birth: Aug 24, 1560 (1565??) – Standon, Hertfordshire, England
Death: Jan 7, 1633 – Westmill, Hertfordshire, England
The International Genealogical Index says that he was born on August 24, 1560, and died on January 8, 1633. It also states that he was married on August 24, 1590.
Here is an image, although not a clear one — proving his marriage in 1590 – August 24, 1590, to be exact.
First name(s)
Thoms
Last name
Richardson
Marriage year
1590
Marriage date
24 Aug 1590
Place
Westmill
Groom’s first name(s)
Thoms
Groom’s last name
Richardson
Groom’s parish
Stondon
Bride’s first name(s)
Kathren
Bride’s last name
Duxforde
Bride’s parish
West
County
Hertfordshire
Country
England
Record set
Hertfordshire Marriages
Category
Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records
Subcategory
Parish Marriages
Collections from
England, Great Britain
Notice the typos in the name. It’s not really as much a typo as a variation of the spelling. Look at this clearer image of his grandmother’s marriage registry (Thomas Richardson I of Westmill)
We spell May as May and they spell it, Maye. We spell July they spell it, Julie. February to them was Februarie. Obviously, in context, we know what they meant, but it’s just a perfect example of why it’s so hard sometimes to find certain information.
So while we know they are talking about Thomas Richardson of Standon, it can complicate things when we are trying to find out the details Thoms Richardson of Stondon’s life.
We know he married Katherine Duxford of Westmill, but they call her Kathren Duxforde of West.
Thomas Richardson married Kathern Duxford (Katherine Duxford) on August 24, 1590, in Westmill, Hertfordshire, England. Their marriage took place at the St. Mary the Virgin Parish Church in Westmill. This is also where he would later be buried.
We know for a fact this is his wife because a copy of his will still exists in the Hertfordshire, England archives to this day.
For clarification purposes, this Thomas Richardson’s mother is not Agnes. So if you find a record that says something else, then it is not a record that belongs to this Thomas Richardson who we are now referring to as Thomas Richardson of Standon. Thomas Richardson of Standon’s mother was Mary “Margaret” Champney and his father, who married his father, almost named Thomas Richardson.
This Thomas Richardson is not Sir Thomas Richardson. Sir Thomas has some association with Alphamstone, while our Thomas does not. If you come across a Thomas Richardson record that references Alphamstone, then that isn’t Thomas Richardson of Standon.
Westmill is a very tiny village in England. Today less than 300 people live there. It’s just north of London.
We know the names of his children from his will. His will lists the name of each child as well as the exact date of their baptism.
Elizabeth y^ daughter to Thomas Richardson baptized 13 Jan. 1593. John son to Thomas Richardson baptized 7 Nov. 1596. James, y” sonne of Thomas Richardson baptized 6 Apr. 1600. Samuel y® sonne of Thomas Richardson baptized 22 Dec. 1602 [or 1604], Margaret ye daughter of Thomas Richardson baptized 19 April 1607. Thomas ye sonne of Thomas Richardson baptized 3 July 1608.
Notice that their son Ezekiel who had gone off to America in 1630, wasn’t event acknowledged in the will.
Thomas’ will indicates he was a farmer of moderate means. He was a Husbandman when his will was created on March 4 in 1630 (31?).
A husbandman in England at that time period was a free tenant farmer or small landowner. The social status of a husbandman was below that of a yeoman. The meaning of “husband” in this term is “master of the house” rather than “married man” like we know it today.
Back then yeomen were farmers who owned land. Their wealth and the size of their landholding varied. Sir Anthony Richard Wagner, Garter Principal King of Arms, wrote that “a Yeoman would not normally have less than 100 acres and in social status is one step down from the Landed Gentry, but above, say, a husbandman.”
Often it was hard to distinguish minor landed gentry from the wealthier yeomen, and wealthier husbandmen from the poorer yeomen.
Landed gentry basically meant the lesser nobility in England. They basically consisted of Baronets, Knights, Esquires, and Gentlemen.
So it went Landed gentry, then yeoman and then husbandmen — which is what Thomas Richardson of Standon was.
When he passed he left Katherine “my littell close of pasture called little hunnymease, containing half an acre”.
*** half an acre in Westmill today will cost you upwards of a million bucks.
After her death, he wishes it all to go to his son Samuel and his heirs.
John is to be paid 40 shillings for 3 years, after both his mother and father die.
James is to be paid 12 pence and his son Thomas will get 3 pounds, to be paid within 5 years of his and Katherine’s death.
In other words, after Thomas and Katherine are both dead, he wants Thomas to be paid 3 pounds within 5 years.
To his beloved with Katherine, he gives her all his movable goods for her life and thereafter they should go to his son Samuel who was named his executor. The will was witnessed by Richard Baker and Philip Baker.
You’ll also notice that in his will he leaves everything to Samuel and not John. Back then in England, they left everything to their eldest son. That means that John and James would have probably died prior to the creation of the will, sometime prior to March 4, 1630.
Thomas Richardson of Standon and Katherine Duxford of West mill were married 24 Aug. 1590.
Elizabeth y^ daughter to Thomas Richardson baptized 13 Jan. 1593.
John son to Thomas Richardson baptized 7 Nov. 1596.
James, y'' sonne of Thomas Richardson baptized 6 Apr. 1600.
Samuel y® sonne of Thomas Richardson baptized 22 Dec. 1602 [or 1604],
Margaret ye daughter of Thomas Richardson baptized 19 April 1607.
Thomas ye sonne of Thomas Richardson baptized 3 July 1608.
Catherine the wife of Thomas Richardson buryed the x*** of March 1631.
Thomas Richardson was bui*yed the viii daye of January 1633.
It would naturally be supposed that the will of Thomas Richardson would
be found in the Commissary Court of Essex and Hertfordshire, but the
Archdeaconry Court of Huntingdon, or that portion in the Hitchin Reg-
istry, had jurisdiction over part of Hertfordshire, and included 77 parishes.
The original will of Thomas Richardson of West Mill, Herts, found at
Hitchin, reads : .
March the 4'^'^ Ano domini 1630. In the name of God Amen I Thomas )
Richardson of Westmill in the County of Herts, husbandman, being sick /
in bodye but of good an perfect memory thanks be to God doe make and
ordeyne this my laste will in manner and forme following, firste. I bequeath
my soull unto the hands of God my maker and Redeemer by whose merits
I only truste to be saved, and my body to be buryed in the i^lace of Chris-
tian buryall and Touchinge my temporall goods I doe dispose of them as
followeth.
First. I gyve unto Katherine my wife duringe the tearme of her natu-
rall life my littell close of pastm-e called little hunnymeade cont half an
acre and after her decease I give the same to my sonn Samuell and his
heyers for ever.
Item. I give to my sonn John forty^ shillings to be payed to him within
the space of three yeares next ensueing the decease of me and Katherine
my now wife by my executor.
Item. I give to my sonn James Twelve pence.
Item. I give to my sonn Thomas three pounds to be payed to him with-
in the space of fyve yeares next ensueing the decease of me and Kathy-
rine my now wife.
Item. I gyve unto Katherine my wife all my movable goods to use for
and during the terme of her life and after her decease I gyve the same
unto my sonn Samuel whom I doe ordeyne and make my sole executor.
In Witness whereof I have sett my hand and Seal the daye and yeare
above sayd.
Sealed and declared vSig™ Thomas
in the presence of us [mark] Richardson
Richard Baker.
Philip Baker,
proved 31 July 1634 at Hitchin presented by son Samuel Richardson."
The three brothers, Ezekiel, Samuel and Thomas Richardson, are known
as such by the will of Ezekiel, who names the other two as his brothers.
Ezekiel, evidently the oldest, was the first to come to New England, and
was a planter in Charlestown in 1630. His departure previous to the
making of the will, perhaps against his father's wishes, or possibly having
received his share of his father's small estate, maj' account for the name of
Ezekiel not appearing in the will. His baptism is not found at "West
Mill, as are the baptisms of Samuel and Thomas.
Ezekiel probably came with Winthrop, he and his wife becoming mem-
bers of the Charlestown church, 27 Aug., 1630.
Thomas Richardson, baptized at West mill, 3 July, 1608, had wife Mary,
who joined the Charlestown church, 21 Feb., 1635-6, and he joined, 18
Feb., 1637-8.
Samuel presented the will of his father for probate ^t Ilitchin, England,
31 July, 1634. He had previously married ; and had baptized, at West
Mill, a son Samuel, 3 July, 1633, and a daughter Elizabeth, 22 May, 1635.
Samuel Richardson's name does not appear in the Tithe Book of West
Mill after 1635. Against Over Green, where he (and also his father,
Thomas) lived, is written " none." It was, therefore, after that date he
and his brother Thomas sailed for New England, with their families ; and
we find, on 1 July, 1636, the brothers were on a committee to lay out lots
of land in Charlestown, for hay. There is no record of the birth or bap-
tism of a daughter Elizabeth to Samuel in Woburn, but the will of his
wife Joanna, in 1666, mentions a daughter Elizabeth, who was probably
the one baptized at West Mill, 22 May, 1635.
Doubtless the register of the parish of Standon, which is but a few
miles south of West Mill, would, if it existed, give further particulars of
the Richardsons, or at least of Thomas who married in 1590 ; but the ear-
liest entry to be found is 1671. Braughing, just east of West Mill, has
a register which begins in 1563, but it gives no items of the Richardson
name. Great and Little Hormead, north-east of West Mill, was the
home of some of the Wymans in the past, but there are no traces of
the Richardsons there. Just east of this locality is the border of Essex,
and there are many of the name in that county, though the name is com-
mon in aU the counties of England. From Nazing, Essex, about ten miles
from West Mill, came John Eliot, the apostle, and many of the settlers of
Roxbury, Mass.
St. Mary the Virgin Parish Church in Westmill, where Thomas was married and buried has been around for a thousand years. The church still stands to this day.
It has the oldest bell in Hertfordshire, it’s 600 years old and still rings. Below you’ll find a video about the effort to rebuild the roof. Searching for roofing companies near me. Call Overson Roofing in Arizona.
He made a will on 4 Mar 1630/31 at Westmill, Hertfordshire, England.1
Thomas RICHARDSON357, 9G Grandfather. Born abt 1565-70. Buried on 7 Jan
1633/4 in Westmill, Hertfordshire, England. Will dated on 4 Mar 1630/1 at Westmill,
Hertfordshire, England. Will proved on 31 Jul 1634.
According to Threlfall’s GMC50358, “THOMAS RICHARDSON was born about 1565-70. On
24 August 1590 [Threlfall gives this date as 25 August on p. 536] at West Mill, Hertfordshire,
he married Katherine Duxford of that parish. The marriage record states that he was of Standon,
which is the next parish to the south. She was the daughter of Richard and Joan Duxford, and
was born about 1565-70. They settled down in West Mill.
“Katherine was buried 10 March 1630/31 [Threlfall gives this date as 1631/32 on p. 536] at
West Mill. Thomas was buried there 7 January 1633/4. An abstract of his will follows.”
Thomas Richardson’s son Ezekiel had been comprehensively documented in Anderson’s
GMB359 where it is noted that “Samuel Richardson and Thomas Richardson, brothers of
Ezekiel, arrived in New England by 1635; Francis Wyman and John Wyman, sons of Ezekiel
Richardson’s sister Elizabeth, also came to New England [Sarah Hildreth Anc 25-27].”
Thomas Richardson and Katherine Duxford are ancestors to U.S. Presidents Bush, Coolidge,
Hoover (probably), and Pierce,360 and to suffragist Susan B. Anthony.281
Gary Boyd Roberts, Ancestors of American Presidents: First Authoritative Edition, Santa
Clarita, CA: Carl Boyer, 1995 (published in cooperation with the New England Historic
Genealogical Society).
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
It would naturally be supposed that the will of Thomas Richardson would be found in the Commissary Court of Essex and
Ilertfordshire, but the Archdeaconry Court of lluntingdon. or that portion in the Hitchin Registry, had jurisdiction over part of
Tlertfordshire, and included 77 parishes.
The original will of Thomas Richardson of West Mill, Herts, found at Hitchin, reads:
March the 4th Ano domini 1630. In the name of God Amen I Thomas Richardson of Westmill in the County of Herts,
husbandman, being sick in hodye but of good an perfect memory thanks be to God doe make and ordeyne this my laste will in
manner and forme following, llrste. I bequeath my soul1 auto the hands of God my maker and Redeemer by whose merits I
only truste to be saved. and my body to be buryed in t.he place of Christian buryall and Touchinge my teniporall goods I doe
dispose of them as followeth.
First. I gyve unto Katherine my wife (luringe the tearme of her naturall life my littelI close of pasture called little
hunnymeade cont half an acre and after her decease I give the same to my sonn Samuel] aud his heyers for ever.
Item. I give to my sonn John forty shillings to be payed to him within
the space of three yeares next ensueing the decease of me and Katherine
my now wife by my executor.
Item. I give to my sonn James Twelve pence.
Item. I give to my sonn Thomas three pounds to be payed to him within the space of fyve yeares next ensueing the decease of
me and Kathy-
rifle my now wife.
Item. I gyve unto Katherine my wife all my movable goods to use for and during the terme of her life and after her decease I
gyve the same unto my sonu Samuel whom I doe ordeyne and make my sole executor. In Witness whereof I have sett my hand
and Seal the daye and yeare above sayd.
Sealed and declared Sigm THOMAS
in the presence of us [mark] . RICHARDSON
Richard Baker.
Philip Baker.
proved 81 July 1634 at I-Iitchin presented by son Samuel Richardson.” He was married to Katherine DUXFORD on 13 Jan
1593 in , West Mill, Herts, England. (1288)
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