Richard Pearce of Portsmouth, Newport, Rhode Island

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Richard Pearce [a] b abt 1622, Essex, England, d 1678, Portsmouth, Newport, RI. He md Susannah Wright 5 May 1642, Waltham Abbey, Essex, England, daughter of John Wright and Mary Dell. She was bapt. 5 Aug 1627, Waltham Abbey, Essex, England, d 1678, Portsmouth, Newport, RI.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

a. The will of Richard Pearce:

To all Christian people whome these presents may concerne Know yee that I Richard Pearce through the mercye of God being perfect in mind and memory but not well in bodye For the preventing further trouble amongst my children make this my last will and Testament as followeth

Imprimis. I do will and bequeath unto my eldest sonne Richard Pearce my now dwelling House and land and fencing, orchard and swamps, house and out houses with all appurtenances thereunto belonging, I also give unto my eledest son Richard one pair of Oxen with a cart and wheels, with the bed and bedding that I myself lodge in with the Plough and tackeling thereunto belonging, with all the goods and Furniture belonging to the said house whatsoever.

My will is to give unto my sonn John Pearce, one shilling in silver and unto my sonn Giles Pearce one shilling in silver and unto my sonn William Pearce one shilling in silver and unto my sonn James Pearce one shilling in silver and unto my sonn George Pearce one shilling in silver and unto my sonn Jeremiah Pearce one shilling in silver and unto my foure daughters one shilling apeece in silver, to be paid within six months after my decease if demanded by the elder of them and unto the younger when they come to full age according to law. Also my will is that my sonn Richard take care, and sec this my will performed and him I doe ordaine constitute and make my whole and sole executor to see this my will in all things performed and fulfilled according to the true interest and meaning of the same.

In witness thereunto I have set to my hand this two and twenty daye of April in the year of our lord God, one thousand six hundred and seventy-seven.

RICHARD PEARCE (SEAL).

Signed and sealed

in presence of

John Heath

John Hurd

The mark

of Elizabeth Heath

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SOURCES:

LCF: [Vol II:466]; GL: English Origins of New England Families, 1500s-1800s, Series 2, Vol. 3, Parentage of Susannah Wright, Wife of Richard Pearce of Portsmouth, RI, pp 881-887; Pearce Genealogy, by Frederick C. Pierce, 1888, p 38. -------------------- Resided at Waltham Abbey, County Essex, England until circa 1648.

He then brought his wife and three children to America and settled at Portsmouth, RI by July 1651 when their fourth child was born.

Siblings: John born 1617, Samuel born 1620, Hannah born 1622, Martha born 1624, Sarah born 1626, William born 1628, and Mary born 1630. -------------------- The ancestry of this family is traced to Manfield, a Danish chieftain; one who assisted in the subjugation of Normandy 912. The renowned family of Percy of Northumberland, England, derived their name from Percy Forest in Province of Maen, Normandy, whence they came with William the Conqueror to England in 1066; one bearing the name was commander of his fleet. The name signifies a stony place from Pierre. It may signify a hunting place, from pierren, Teutonic, to hunt; percer, French, to penetrate, to force one's way.

He emigrated on 5 Mar 1630 from Bristol, Somerset, England. Arrival date of Ship "Lyon". He died on 28 Oct 1678 in Portsmouth, Rhode Island.

-------------------- Richard and his wife Martha and all children came to Boston, MA in 1638 on the ship DESIRE captained by his brother William.