Richard Bushnell, Esq.

Richard and his wife Elizabeth were step-sister and brother. Richard was the son of Richard and Mary (Marvin) Bushnell. On Dec. 7, 1672, he married Elizabeth Adgate, daughter of Thomas. Elizabeth was family, since his mother married Thomas Adgate after his father died. (Elizabeth was a daughter of Thomas by his first wife, so there was no blood relationship.)

Their children were: Anne, w. William Hyde. Caleb, h. Anne Leffingwell Benajah, h. Zerviah Leffingwell Elizabeh, w. Jabez Hyde

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Sep 6 2017, 10:13:34 UTC

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Richard Bushnell, born 1652, perhaps in Saybrook, came to Norwich, Conn. when abt. 8 years old and at the age of 20, married his step-sister, Elizabeth Adgate. He was a Sergt. in the train band in 1686, and in 1687, was a legatee in the will of his gr-father Matthew Marvin (R-61). Was a legatee in the will of his aunt Elizabeth (Marvin) Olmstead (R-61) who died in 1689, widow of Dr. John Olmstead, and eldest dau. of. Matthew Marvin. He was appointed Ensign of the Train band in May 1693, Lieut. in 1698, and Capt. in 1701 (R-62). The deed for his home lot in Norwich is dated 1698, and in the same year he was a legatee in the will of Owenoco, Sachem of the Mohigan Indians, who gave him 400 acres of land, "in consideration of the kind and free entertainment I have had for many years received of my loving friend Richard Bushnell of Norwick." The deed was given 20 Dec. 1708 for a tract lying between Lebanon and Colchester, and was recorded 24 Mar. 1709, and bears the signatures of Thomas Leffingwell and Samuel Allen as witnesses (R-63). In 1669 he received from the Proprietors of Lebanon, of which he was one, 100 acres of land, "for setting up of the place, and surveying the town lines," and in May of the same year he established the line between Norwich and New London by survey. From 1691 to 1699 he had been a Deputy to the General Court, and from 1702 to 1711, excepting the year 1706, was Clerk, and from 1712 to 1720 was the Speaker of the House. He was a member of the Governor's Council, and served as a Representative in the Mason controversy, and was one of the Commission appointed by Royal authority to settle the Morgan incident, the meetings of which were held in his home. He was almost constantly in the public service, acting as Constable, Town Clerk, Schoolmaster, Justice of the Peace, Townsman, Surveyor, Town Agent, Judge of the New London County Court, and Dea. of the 1st ch. of Norwich, and his popularity as a justice of the Peace brought cases from most of the surrounding towns, including Windham, Plainfield, Canterbury, Killingly, Preston, North Groton, North Stonington, etc. His town records are still extant in neat round handwriting. His headstone is still standing in the old cemetery in Norwichtown, Conn. a suburb of Norwich.

Source: www.familysearch.org