Richard Smith, of Wethersfield

Richard Smith was born about 1583, and died after 1669 in Wethersfield, Hartford County, Connecticut, where he was buried.

Family

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Smith-40488

In 1949, Rebecca Buswell was identified as the wife of Richard Smith of Wethersfield, Connecticut.[6] Research has confirmed that Richard Smith of Wethersfield, Connecticut was married and had children in Husbands Bosworth, county Leicester, where his wife's family lived; his children were not baptized at Stratford-on-Avon. Richard Smith's ancestry remains to be established.

Richard married Rebecca Buswell, daughter of Roger Buswell and Margaret Unknown (Buswell), on 13 February 1614/15 in Husbands Bosworth, Leicestershire, England. (Rebecca Buswell was born in 1593 in Leicester, England and was christened 23 April 1595, at Husbands Bosworth, Leicestershire, England. She died about 1667 in Wethersfield, Hartford County, Connecticut.).

The 8 - 10 children of Richard Smith and Rebecca Buswell baptized at Husbands Bosworth, Leicestershire were:

1. Richard Smith, (1616/17 - 1690), christened 1 January 1616/1617 in Husbands Bosworth, Leicestershire, England. Married Mary Weed.
2. Susanna Smith, (1619 -), christened 30 May 1619 in Husbands Bosworth, Leicestershire, England. Married Thomas Standish.
3. Anne Smith, (1621/22 -), christened 24 February 1621/1622 in Husbands Bosworth, Leicestershire, England. Died young.
4. Joseph Smith, (1625 - abt 1673), christened 25 December 1625 in Husbands Bosworth, Leicestershire, England. Married Lydia Wright.
5. Mary Smith, (1630 - after1684), christened 11 December 1630 in Husbands Bosworth, Leicestershire, England. Married three times: 1) Matthias Treat 2) Anthony Wright 3) John Smith
6. Rebecca Smith, (1630 -), christened 11 December 1630 in Husbands Bosworth, Leicestershire, England. Probably died young.
7. Jonathan Smith, (1635 - 1711), christened 4 October 1635 in Husbands Bosworth, Leicestershire, England. Married twice: 1) Hannah Adams 2) Martha Bushnell
8. Abigail Smith, (1637/38 - after1683), christened 21 January 1637/1638 in Husbands Bosworth, Leicestershire, England. Married twice: 1) John Addams.[10] 2) John Betts.

This Richard and Rebecca may have also had children Anne Smith baptized on 24 February 1621, and Rebecca baptized on 11 December 1630 that probably died young as there is no record of them in New England.[11]

Biography

Jones (454) suggests Richard Smith of Wethersfield was one of the twenty men that George Wyllys, esq., lord of the manor of Fenny Compton, 13 miles east of Stratford, sent ahead to set up his seat in Hartford, Conn. before he came in 1636.

Richard served jury duty twice in 1650 and was involved in a lawsuit in 1652 (Records of the Particular Court). In 1658 he sold a lot to his son-in-law Matthias Treat and in 1662 he gave his youngest son Jonathan all his real estate in Wethersfield. There is no will, so presumably he provided for his other children some other way (TAG 25:126).

Above Information are notes on Ancestry.com/Rootsweb under Family Group Sheets. All information was researched and has documentation at their website.

Disputed Origins

Richard Smith of Stratford-on-Avon is listed in several records as a "mercer" (merchant of silk and fine cloth, the same profession as his grandfather). He may have been trained by Henry Walker, the overseer of his father's will. [note: this ancestry is disputed, see notes below]

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Smith-40488

Author Gale Ion Harris in “The First Wife of Ralph Keeler of Hartford and Norwalk, Connecticut,” states with a careful analysis that Richard Smith's parents were unknown.[1]

Parents John Smith-3649, Alice Walker-950, John Smith-7466, and Mary Browning-71, and wife Rebecca Taylor have been disconnected for lack of documentation. Please provide a substantial source and post your proof in the comments before attempting to reconnect these profiles.

Notes

• Who was Richard Smith that died about1644? Conclusively establishing the English parentage of Richard Smith, the 17th century immigrant to Connecticut, is extremely difficult.
• In his article " The English Ancestry of Richard Smith of Wethersfield, Connecticut," [16][17] Roderick Bissell Jones concluded that Richard Smith, the immigrant to Connecticut, was the same person as the Richard Smith, baptized 16 Nov. 1595 in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England, the son of John Smith and Alice Walker. [6]
• In "The English Ancestry of Richard Smith of Wethersfield," Richard Smith is identified as the man baptized 16 November 1585 at Stratford-on-Avon, county Warwick. This identification was questioned in "The Doubtful English Ancestry of Richard Smith of Wethersfield, Connecticut.[11]
• These parents and their ancestors have been copied and compiled into family trees everywhere. The evidence provided in that [16]article is based on Richard Smith's approximate age and a similarity in the names of family members. No documents indicate the emigration of Richard Smith from Stratford, England to New England.
• In 1989, this connection to Stratford was dismissed as unlikely.[11]
• Gale Ion Harris points out the inconsistencies in Jones' proposed ancestry of Richard Smith based on known facts found in records in Connecticut at odds with details known about the Smith family in Stratford.
• In the medical records of John Winthrop his age is given as about 84 years on 2 Feb. 16667 putting his birth at about 1583 rather than late 1595

.

References

• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/157393648/richard-smith
• Harris, Gale Ion. The Doubtful English Ancestry of Richard Smith of Wethersfield, Connecticut. New England Historical and Genealogical Register. (New England Historic Genealogical Society, Jul1989), 143:244.
• Thompson, Neil D. Isaac Buswell and Rebecca (Buswell) Smith of Husbands Bosworth, Co. Leicester, and New England. New England Historical and Genealogical Register. (New England Historic Genealogical Society, Jan 2004), 158:38. '... Richard Smith, b. say 1583 [footnote: Aged "about 84 years" on 2 February 1666/7 ("Medical Records of John Winthrop," Manuscript, 701, ... cited by Harris, "Doubtful English Ancestry of Richard Smith", Register 143:243)], living Wethersfield in 1669 [footnote: See Jacobus, "Richard Smith of Wethersfield", The American Genealogist 25:126, for the 1669 reference to him "come 80 years."].' Harris, in the Register article cited, indicates that the 1669 entry actually reads 'above 80 y', and uses a birth year of about 1583, based on the 1666/7 reference giving his age as 84.
• Richard Smith is given as the name of the father of Mary (Smith) Treat, wife of Mathias Treat, in genealogies of both the Treat and Seymour families. Treat, John Harvey, AM (1893) The Treat Family. Salem, MA: The Salem Press Publishing and Printing, CO. Morris, Tyler Seymour (1900) The Seymour Family, A Reprint from the Morris Genealogy. Chicago: ??
• https://www.myheritage.com/research/record-1-223227851-2-231/richar...
• https://www.myheritage.com/research/record-40000-212950865/richard-...
• http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~amorrow/fg05/fg05_3

1. Edgar F. Waterman, Richard Smith of Wethersfield, American Genealogist 1949, 25:126 link
2. Harris, Gale Ion. The Doubtful English Ancestry of Richard Smith of Wethersfield, Connecticut. New England Historical and Genealogical Register. (New England Historic Genealogical Society, Jul1989), 143:244. link
3. Thompson, Neil D. Isaac Buswell and Rebecca (Buswell) Smith of Husbands Bosworth, Co. Leicester, and New England. New England Historical and Genealogical Register. (New England Historic Genealogical Society, Jan 2004), 158:38.link

• GEDCOM Note 2 AGE About 80-81
• !Inform. from Nancy Ranck, internet, 19 Dec 2002. "In 1838 he sold a lot to his son in law, Matthias Treat.”
• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Smith-40488 cites
• ↑ 1.0 1.1 Harris, Gale Ion, "The First Wife of Ralph Keeler of Hartford and Norwalk, Connecticut," The American Genealogist (80:3 Jul 2005), p. 178. Harris, in the Register article cited, indicates that the 1669 entry actually reads 'above 80 y', and uses a birth year of about 1583, based on the 1666/7 reference giving his age as 84.
• ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Thompson, Neil D., "Isaac Buswell and Rebecca (Buswell) Smith of Husbands Bosworth, county Leicester, and New England," New England Historical and Genealogical Register (Vol 158 Jan 2004), p 38. Note: Aged "about 84 years" on 2 February 1666/7 Subscription$
• ↑ 3.0 3.1 John Winthrop, Jr., Winthrop Medical Journal, (Transcribed from microfilms of the original by Pam; Page 334.
• ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Ancestors of Harold Monroe Jr. Walden, (Harold Monroe Walden, 30214 Briarcrest Drive, Georgetown, TX 78628-1149
• ↑ 5.0 5.1 Edgar Waterman, "Richard Smith of Wethersfield," The American Genealogist, (Vol 25, No 1, Jan 1949,) Page 126-139.
• ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Donald Lines Jacobus, "Richard Smith of Wethersfield," The American Genealogist, (Vol. 25, 1949), Pages 126-139 pg. 126.
• ↑ Find A Grave, database and images (accessed 21 May 2021) memorial page for Richard Smith I (1589-1667) Find A Grave: Memorial #157393648, citing Wethersfield Village Cemetery, Wethersfield, Hartford County, Connecticut, USA; No Gravestone; Maintained by Mookie (contributor #47515129)
• ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 David, Christian Beck, Ancestors of Corey Ryan Spangler, (David Christian Beck~ 10445 Bonneville Street~ Riverside, California 92505 ).
• ↑ "Isaac Busewell and Rebecca (Buswell) Smith," in New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Vol 158 page 39 (link for subscribers)
• ↑ 10.0 10.1 Manwaring, Charles William, "A digest of the early Connecticut probate records," on digital pages 127 & 128 of 712 & physical/printed pages 91 & 92]Probate Records Volume II 1650 to 1663. Hartford, Conn, 1904 at HathiTrust. Jeremy Adams and Richard Smith, fathers permission, John and Abigail marriage in A digest of the early Connecticut probate records Marriage Record
• ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 Harris, Gale Ion. "The Doubtful English Ancestry of Richard Smith of Wethersfield," NEHGR, (Jul 1989,143:244.) link for NEHGS members
• ↑ J. Devlin, "Descendants of Richard Smith," online genealogy
• ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 Records of The Particular Court of Connecticut, 1639-1663, (Hartford, 1928). pages 82 (Tho. Smith), 86 (Sam. Smith), 99-100, (suit between Richard Smith and George Wolcott) Sign-in to Search.
• ↑ Stiles, Henry R., The History of Ancient Wethersfield, Connecticut, 2 vols. (New York: Grafton Press, 1904; repr. Somersworth, N.H.: New England History Press, 1987), 1:299, 2:645
• ↑ Trumbull, J. Hammond, and Hoadly, Charles J., The public records of the Colony of Connecticut from 1675-1678. Vol. II, Page 520. Hartford: 1852. List of Wethersfield freemen October 1669 Page 520
• ↑ 16.0 16.1 "The English Ancestry of Richard Smith" online article Online Article
• ↑ Jones, Roderick Bissel, "The English Ancestry of Richard Smith of Wethersfield, Conn." Article from The New England Historic Genealogical Register, (April 1974, Vol 128,) pp. 136-139 Pages 136-139
• See also:
• Richard Smith & Rebecca Buswell Smith, in the "U.S., New England Marriages Prior to 1700" Ancestry.com
• "New Jersey, U.S., Marriage Records, 1670-1965 "[database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016.Original data: Marriage Records. New Jersey Marriages. New Jersey State Archives, Trenton, New Jersey.DescriptionThis collection consists of county marriage records from various counties in New Jersey. Richard & Rebecca Smith in the marriage of Abigail Smith and John Adams, in the New Jersey, U.S., Marriage Records, 1670-1965 Ancestry.com
• Thompson, Neil D., "Isaac Buswell and Rebecca (Buswell) Smith of Husbands Bosworth, Co. Leicester, and New England," NEHGR, (Jan. 2004): 158:38. The Boston, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1847. (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2018.) 158:38
• Aldrich, Harl Preslar, Jr., George Lathrop Cooley And Clara Elizabeth Hall: Their Ancestors And Descendants, 2001. Page 204 on slide; 191 on "paper" page. Page 204
• Cutter, William Richard, Genealogies Of Massachusetts Families, Vol IV, Page 2349 (This book lists Joseph m Rebecca Dickinson as a descendant. DNA has proven this Joseph was a son of Joseph Smith m Lydia Huit, resided in Hartford, Conn.) Personal Memoirs Relating to the Families of the State of Massachusetts
• Jones, Roderick Bissel, Online Article "The English Ancestry of Richard Smith of Wethersfield, Conn." Article from "The New England Historic Genealogical Register, April 1974, Vol 128, pp. 136-139 Subscription
• Waters, H. F. The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, (2004 - New England, Vols. 37-52 1883-98) include section: "Genealogical gleanings in England," Page 38, Page 38b, Page 38c.
• Donald Lines Jacobus, The American Genealogist, (Volumes 25-26, ) pg 126a, pg 126c.
• Manwaring, Charles William, A Digest Of The Early Connecticut Probate Records: Hartford District, 1635-1700, Vol I, page 362. Hartford. Conn. 1904. digital images: Archive.org. Page 362
• Cutter, William Richard and Adams, William Frederick, Genealogical And Personal Memoirs Relating To The Families Of The State Of Massachusetts, Vol. IV, page 2349. New York 1910. Digital images: Archive.org Page 2349
• History Of Ancient Wethersfield, Conn., Vol I] by Sherman W. Adams and Henry R. Stiles; Page 298
• Savage, James, "A Genealogical Dictionary Of The First Settlers Of New England, Showing Three Generations Of Those Who Came Before 1692" (Boston: 1860-62.) 4:129-130.
• Adams, Arthur, "Jeremy Adams of Hartford, Conn., and Some of His Descendants," NEHGR New England Historic, Genealogical Society, (59:3 Jul 1905) p. 316.
• Jacobus, Donald Lines, Hale, House, And Related Families: Mainly Of The Connecticut River Valley Baltimore 1978. p. 459, Family History Library, 929.273 H135j 1978.
• Jones, Roderick Bissell, "Harris-Hamlin-Smith," The American Genealogist (46:3 Jul 1970), p. 137.
• Harris, Gale Ion, "The First Wife of Ralph Keeler of Hartford and Norwalk, Connecticut," The American Genealogist (80:3 Jul 2005), p. 178.
• Clarence Almon Torrey, Elizabeth Petty Bentley, "New England Marriages Prior to 1700," Genealogical Publishing Com, Jan 1, 1985 - Reference - 1009 pages
• Savage, Richard, The Registers Of Stratford-on-Avon, Co. Warwick Page 37 Page 37. Text: A baptism record for a "Richard Smith sonne to Thomas Smith" on 21 March 1583. In the same book, there is a baptism of "Richardus filius Johannis Smith" on 16 November 1595. One of these may be the Richard that married Rebecca Buswell. Page 57
• Jones, R., TAG 46:3, p. 135.
• "SmithConnections Northeastern." Quick Links to SmithConnections Northeastern DNA Project Webpages. Must "Join" to enter site SmithConnections Northeastern DNA Project
• https://www.mckaystevens.us/genealogy/getperson.php?personID=I3804&...
• http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~fesschequy/genealogy/SmithFox.html