Ezekiel Richardson first came to America in 1630. He has also been known as Ezechll Richeson, mostly due to the way things were written back then.
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 and 1604.
He died in Woburn, MA on October 21, 1647.
He married Susanna and together they had seven 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)
Ezekiel Richardson was among the early settlers of New England, arriving in America in 1630 as part of the Puritan migration during the Great Migration period (1620–1640). He is also referred to in historical records as “Ezechll Richeson,” reflecting the fluidity of spelling in the 17th century.
Ezekiel was the son of Thomas Richardson and Katherine Duxford. Although his exact date of birth is not recorded, historians estimate it to be between 1601 and 1604, based on the known dates of his parents and siblings. He was born in Westmill, Hertfordshire, England, a village about 30 miles north of London.
The Richardson family were Puritans, part of a religious movement that sought to reform the Church of England. Dissatisfied with the slow pace of reform and the persecution they faced under King Charles I, Ezekiel joined the thousands of Puritans who left England for the New World in search of religious freedom and a fresh start.
Ezekiel Richardson arrived in America in 1630 as part of the Winthrop Fleet, a group of 11 ships carrying nearly 1,000 settlers led by Governor John Winthrop. This expedition established the Massachusetts Bay Colony, a critical milestone in the history of English colonization in North America.
After landing in Salem, Ezekiel became a prominent member of the Puritan community, helping to lay the foundations for a new society governed by strict religious principles and communal cooperation.
Life in the New World
Ezekiel settled first in Charlestown, Massachusetts, one of the earliest settlements in the colony, where he was admitted as a freeman in 1630. Becoming a freeman signified that he was a full member of the church and granted him the right to vote in the colony’s affairs, a privilege reserved for Puritan men who adhered to the church’s strict moral and theological standards.
In Charlestown, Ezekiel and his fellow settlers worked together to clear land, build homes, and establish the Puritan way of life. The early years were challenging, marked by harsh winters, limited supplies, and the need to establish friendly—or at least neutral—relations with local Native American tribes.
In 1640, Ezekiel moved to Woburn, Massachusetts, where he played a key role in founding the town. Woburn was incorporated in 1642, and Ezekiel served as a selectman, helping to manage the town’s governance and development.
The Richardson family would have lived a modest but disciplined life centered on Puritan values. Education and religious instruction were emphasized, as children were expected to learn to read the Bible. Susanna played a critical role in managing the household, ensuring her children grew up with strong moral and religious foundations.
The Boston Church
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.
Ezechiel Richardson and Susan, his wife, were dismissed for participating 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 on 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 Ezekiel Richardson was taken on 18 November 1647 and totaled -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, confirmed 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”.
So what this information tells us, is that Susanna Richardson was the wife of Ezekiel. These are the kinds of historical documents that are the proof we need to trace specific members of our family.
Death and Legacy
Ezekiel Richardson passed away on October 21, 1647, in Woburn, Massachusetts. His death occurred during a period when Woburn was still in its early stages of development, with settlers working hard to carve a new life out of the wilderness.
Ezekiel’s legacy is one of perseverance and faith. As one of the early settlers and founders of Woburn, he helped establish a community that would thrive for generations. His descendants carried on his work, becoming part of the fabric of colonial New England society. His children, including Theophilus Richardson, played significant roles in expanding the Richardson family and contributing to the growth of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.