Richard Townsend of Oyster Bay

Biography

From History and Genealogy of the Cock, Cocks, Cox Family: Descended from James and Sarah Cock, of Killingworth Upon Matinecock, in the Township of Oyster Bay, Long Island, N.Y. By George William Cocks, John Cox Compiled by George William Cocks Published by privately printed, 1914

RICHARD (2) TOWNSEND, (prob.) son of Robert, [SIC: disproved] m. 1st ?Warvlck. R. I.. Deliverance Coles, dau. of Robert and Mary (Hawxhurst) Coles, of same place; m. 2d, about 1660. Mary Wlckes. dau. of John and Mary ( ) Wlckes. of Warwick. R. I. John being as per Henry Waters' Gen. Gleanings, the son of Robert Wickes, of Staines, Middlesex Co.. Old England. Richard d. Intestate before 23/Sept., 1670, at which date Letters were granted to his widow, who with the assistance of her husband's brother Henry, and his son John Townsend of the Mill, divided the estate (See Townsend Memorial and Oyster Bay Town Records). Elizabeth m. 2d, John Smith nan of Hempstead, widower of Anne Gildersleeve, and had by him dau. Elizabeth Smith.

Issue by 1st marriage:

• I Dinah, b. 1650; d. 18.10 mo. (Dec.) 1732, at 81; m. Thomas Wllletts, b. 1649/50; d. 15/4 mo. (June) 1714. in 65th year; son of Richard and Mary (Washbourne) Willits. (The spelling in as they wrote It).
• II Leah, b. ; m. John Williams, son of Robert and Sarah (Wash- bourne) Williams.

Issue by 2d marriage :

• III John, b. : d. between 1715 and 1721 in Cape May Co., N. J. ; m. 1st. Phebe Williams, dau. of Robert and Sarah (Washboume) Williams; m. 2d, Mercy .
• IV Richard, b. 8/11 mo. (Jan.) 1670/1; d. Cedar Swamp, L. I., about 1739; m. Ruth Marvin, b. 20/10 mo. (Dec.) 1687, dau. of John and Hannah (Smith) Marvin, of Hempstead. (Mentioned In Settlement of estate).
• V Hannah, b. .
• VI Mary. b. .
• VII Deliverance, b. .

Notes

Dec. 5, 1655, John Coles In consideration of four score pounds and a mare received from his mother, resigns to her all right and title In deceased father's estate. Jan. 20, 1655, Mary Coles widow of Robert Coles gives to her son-in- law. Henry Townsend, 3 acres of meadow at hither end of ye long meadow called Plchenamonuncanet. Apl. 5, 1656, Mary Coles, widow of Robert Coles, gives to her son-in-law, Richard Townsend, 8 acres, south end of meadow called Ockmamamona.

GEDCOM Note

Richard Townsend's birth is uncertain. He may have been born in 1635 in Norwich, England, but there are so far no reliable sources known forthis information. Records show his arrival in Massachusetts in 1643 with two brothers, John Townsend (listed as the primary immigrant) andHenry.

Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s; by Gale Research; Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc, 2010. Original data - Filby, P. William, ed. Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s. Farmington Hills, MI, USA: Gale Research, 2010; Place: Lynn, Massachusetts; Year: 1643; Page Number: 67.

Richard married Deliverance Cole in 1650-1651 in Oyster Bay, New York.About 1660, it appears he married again, this time to Elizabeth Wickes (or Weeks).

Yates Publishing. U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004. Source number: 382.000; Source type: Electronic Database; Number of Pages: 1; Submitter Code: JLM

Ancestry.com.U.S., New England Marriages Prior to 1700 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2012. Original data: Torry, Clarence A. New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2004.

Death Date based on "Letter of Administration 23 Sep 1670 granted to his widow, Elizabeth.

http://www.heapgen.org/mw/5808.htm

---

GEDCOM Note

W.A. Townsend, publisher: A Memorial of John, Henry, and Richard Townsend, and Their Descendants; New York: W.A. Townsend, 1865, pp. 211-215.

CHAPTER XV.

RICHARD 1st.

Nothing is known of this youngest of the Townsend brothers until he appears at Jamaica, in 1656. The first time his name occurs on the Oyster Bay Records is in 1668, when he bought land at Lusum, of Robert Williams. It is only in connection with that, and other purchases and allotments, that he appears upon the records. His first wife was a sister of Henry's wife, and a daughter of Robert Coles. The second was Elizabeth Wicks, or Weeks, of Warwick, R.I., whose brother John married Rose, daughter of John 1st. The date of his death is not known, but the settlement of his estate, which we copy below, is dated early in 1671, and as his son Richard was then but twelve weeks old, he could not have been dead a great while.

These presents declareth unto all whom it may any wise concern, that I, Elizabeth Townsend, widow of the late deceased Richard Townsend, of Lusum, near Oyster Bay, in the North Riding, on Long Island, with the advice and consent of my husband's brother, Henry Townsend, and John Townsend his cousin, of the abovesaid place, do consent and agree to divide and part my estate as followeth, being made executors by the Governor's order, because no will was made by my husband. Therefore, it is ordered and agreed that I am to have my house I now possess and house lot, with all the land I now possess belonging to it, fenced and broken up and improved, and so much more westward joining to the rear of it to the sum of fifteen acres, with meadow at south and Plains, during my life; but the rest of the woodland my husband bought of Robert Williams is to be my son John Townsend's, when he comes to age, except six acres I reserve for a daughter, if I see cause. But after my decease my son Richard Townsend, now twelve weeks old, is to have my house and house lot and one-half the house plot, with the orchard that now is, and so much land to the rear of it westward, to the sum of fifteen acres, being all of the first purchase of the land of Robert Williams; and at my decease, then my son John Townsend above said is to have all the lands remaining of the first and second purchases, except six acres I reserve for a daughter above said, and the other half of the house plot above excepted to build on, if he see cause; but it is to be understood that the said six acres is on the north side of the last purchase, and that all my husband's right of meadow and plains is to be divided between my sons John and Richard Townsend, for their own proper right and interest forever; but if either of them die under age, his living brother is to possess and enjoy the deceased's lands as his proper right; but, if I see cause, ten acres of plains is to be my son John's, when he comes to age, to possess and enjoy as the other woodland above said. And to my above said husband's two oldest daughters, Dinah and Leah, I do give, and by this deliver in present possession, for their part of their father's estate, two young horses, three years old, apiece, and two two-year-old heifers, two cushions, two feather pillows, two coverlets, a white wrought petticoat, and bedding blankets--all to be divided between them two; and the twenty acres of land the Town of Oyster Bay did give their father, I do also give and confirm unto the said Dinah and Leah, for their own proper right and interest; but if they sell it, I desire that for my son or my brother John Weeks, or one of the above-mentioned persons, may have knowledge and refusal of it, giving so much as another will for it. And to my three youngest daughters, Hannah, Deliverance, and Mary, I give in present possession one three-year-old bay mare, that is, in consideration of a colt their grandfather Weeks gave them. But all the rest of bedding, goods, and household stuff, with the rest of horses and cattle, are to remain in my hands for my use and comfort, toward the bringing up of my children; being but young and tender, do not know but it may be all spent in bringing them up, the estate being but small; therefore to engage to give portions to them--I mean to my own three youngest daughters, Hannah, Mary, and Deliverance--it is hard for me to promise and engage, least that I have may be spent in bringing them up. But I do by this promise and firmly agree, that if I marry, or go out of this jurisdiction in way of removal, to give an invoice of all movables, household stuff, goods, and chattels unto my husband's brother, Henry Townsend, and his cousin, John Townsend, who are chosen by me, being related to the children, and my brother John Weeks, if he comes to dwell here in this jurisdiction, for overseers; but if he come not here, then the said Henry Townsend and John Townsend may act as overseers between the children and myself. But if one or both of them die, then all, or some of them (I mean of my children under age that then are), shall have liberty to choose one or more, as need shall require, provided they inhabit in this jurisdiction, for their overseers. That then the said overseers that are then extant are to take the invoice, if they like it, or take another themselves, if they please; that I may then have my thirds out of all the movable goods and chattels, and the other two-thirds is to be divided amongst my three daughters, Hannah, Mary, and Deliverance, or to them that are then alive; and the overseers shall by this have power to do it if I marry again, or remove out of this jurisdiction above said, or if I decease it shall be the same, only then my one-third shall be theirs to whom I shall give it; but if I remain here during this my widowhood, I have liberty to give to my own three daughters above said, on marriage or otherwise, for their portion as I shall see cause, according to my ability. And to every of the above-mentioned promises and engagements, I firmly engage to perform. As witness my hand and seal, this eighth day of the 2d month, 1671.

Elizabeth Townsend

In presence of us
Joseph Nicholson Mary Willis Henry Townsend John Townsend

And we, the above-mentioned Henry and John Townsend, do own and consent to the above said, and do stand as witnesses also.

The John Townsend here mentioned as the cousin of Richard was his nephew, John Senr., of Lusum. There are many instances in which nephews are called cousins; indeed, we do not remember their being called any thing else by that generation. Of Richard's daughters we know nothing. ____________________________________