Joseph Richards

Joseph Richards Born about 1703 in Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts, United Statesmap Son of Crispus Richards and Sarah Collins Brother of David Richards, Benjamin Richards, Esther Richards, Esther (Richards) Estey, John Richards, Mary Richards, Sarah Richards, Crispus Richards, Hannah Richards, Sarah Richards, Mary Richards, Deborah Richards, Hannah Richards, Deborah Richards and Richard Richards	 Husband of Mary Bowden — married May 5, 1726 in Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts, USAmap Father of William Richards, Joseph Richards, Mary Richards, Ebenezer Richards, Martha Richards, John Richards, Hannah Richards and Esther Richards	 Died June 4, 1748 in Southborough, Worcester, Massachusetts, United Statesmap 

Winifred Lovering Holman, "Edward Richards of Lynn", The Essex
Genealogist, Volume 13, Number 1, February 1993, pp 33-39.

   The web page "Richards Family History Website" has a five-generation descendants report online, that says this about John Richards life at at http://www.pnwstudies.org/HIS/04joseph.htm: 

   Joseph and Mary (Bowden) Richards must have moved their three young children, born in Lynn, to their new homestead in Southboro in 1733 based on the following land deeds: 

   On 9 Feb 1732/33 for £250 pounds Joseph Richards, of Lynn, husbandman, bought some 73 acres in Southboro MA. 

   23 Apr 1733 "I Joseph Richards of Lynn... Husbandman and For... foure hundred & ninty pounds [depreciated currency]...paid by my brother John Richards Junr of Lynn...Joyner... confirm unto him" land there, being part upland and part swamp and containing 12 acres, "being that piece of Land my Honored father [Crispus Richards] lately gave to me lying in his field," bounded north by road to Marblehead, east by land of my said father?." 

   Joseph Richards died testate, and his probate records are in Worcester County Probate Records, Probate Docket #50,155. The will reads (transcribed from Worcester County Probate Records, Vol. 3:29, on FHL Microfilm 0,856,275]: 

   "In the Name of God Amen the Twelfth Day of March AD 1747/8. I Joseph richards of Southborough in the County of worcester within his majestys province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England yeoman, being under Indisposition of Body but of Perfect mind and memory Thanks be Given unto god. Therefore Calling unto mind the mortality of my Body and Knowing that it is appointed for all men once to Dye do make and ordain this my Last will and Testament that is to say principally & First of all I Give and Recommend my Soul into the hands of God that gave it and my Body I recommend to the Earth to be Burried in Decent Christian Burrial at the Discretion of my Executor, Nothing Doubting but at the General Resurrection I Shall Receive the Same again by the mighty Power of God and as Touching Such Worldly Goods & Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to Bless me in this Life I Give Demise and Dispose of ye Same in the Following manner and form -- 

   "Imprimis I Give & Bequeath to Mary my Dearly Beloved wife the whole of all of any moveable Estate after all my Debts & Funeral Charges are paid of all Sorts both ye Indoor and outdoor moveables Including all my Creatures of all sorts and I also Give her the whole Benefit & Improvement of all my Lands untill my Son Joseph Richards arive to the age of Twenty one years and her Lawfull Right of Thirds in the same Dureing Life or as She and they to whom the said Land herein Given Shall agree. 

   "Secondly I Give to my Son William Richards the Full half part of all my Lands & Buildings as they shall appear to be mine by Record he yeilding to his mother the use and Benifit of the Said Lands as aforesaid and paying Fifty pounds a peice to Each of his Brothers and Sisters as they arive at the age of Twenty one years old Tenor at the same Value it is at the Day of This Date and No Division of said Lands to be made untill the Time that said Joseph will be Twenty one years of age, the said Brothers & Sisters to whom the said Fifty pounds a peice is to be paid as aforesaid is Mary Eben-r Martha John Hannah and Esther. 

   "Thirdly I Give to my Son Joseph Richards the other half part of all my said Lands and Buildings for him and his said Brother William to Divide when the said Joseph shall be Twenty one years old always yielding to his said Mother her Right of Thirds in the Same Dureing her Life as aforesaid and the said Joseph Shall pay to Each of Their said Brothers and Sisters as they Come to Twenty one Years of age Fifty pounds a peice old Tenor at the Same Value it is at the Day of the Date hereof. 

   "Fourthly I Give to my Daughter Mary one hundred pounds old Tenor of the Present Value to be paid her in Equal proportion by my said son William Richards and Joseph Richards when the said Mary is Twenty one years old as aforesaid. 

   "Fifthly I Give to my Son Eben-r Richards to be paid to him when he Comes to be Twenty one years of age by my said Sons William and Joseph the Sum of one hundred pounds old Tenor at ye Present Value in Equal proportion from them as aforesaid. 

   "Sixthly I Give to my Daughter Martha when she comes to be Twenty one years old one hundred pounds old Tenor of the Present Value to be paid her by her said Brothers William and Joseph in Equal proportion from them as aforesaid. 

   "Seventhly I Give to my Son John Richards one hundred pounds to be paid to him when he Comes to be Twenty one years old, old Tenor of the Present Value to be paid to him then by said William and Joseph in Equal proportion from them as aforesaid. 

   "Eightly I Give to my Daughter Hannah Richards one hundred pounds old Tenor of this Present to be paid to her when she comes to be Twenty one years old by my said Sons William and Joseph in Equal proportion by them as aforesaid. 

   "Ninethly I Give to my Daughter Esther Richards one hundred pounds old Tenor of the Present Value to be paid to her the said Esther when she Comes to be Twenty one years old by her two said Brothers William and Joseph in Equal proportion by them as aforesaid. 

   "Tenthly I do hereby Constitute Make and Ordain Mr. Thomas Graves of said Southborough in the County and province aforesaid yeoman my Sole Executor of this my Last will and Testament and I do hereby Utterly Disalow Revoke & Disanul all and Every other Former Testaments wills Legacies and Bequests and Executors by me in any ways Beforenamed Willed and Bequeathed Ratifying and Confirming this an no other to be my Last Will and Testament In Witness whereof I have hereunto Set my hand and Seal the Day and year before written. 

   Joseph Richards (seal) 

   "Signed Sealed published pronounced and Declared 

   by the said Joseph Richards as his Last Will and 

   Testament in the presence of us the Subscribers 

   Caleb Witherbee 

   John Amsden 

   Samuel Lyscom" 

   The will was proved by the Court at Worcester on 16 August 1748, with Caleb Witherbee and Samuel Lyscom appearing and making a solemn oath that they saw Joseph Richards the Testator sign and seal the will and heard him at that time that it was his Last will and testament. However, Thomas Graves declined the executorship of the estate, and Mary Richards, the widow, was appointed administratrix of the estate. 

https://ma-vitalrecords.org/MA/Essex/Lynn/aMarriagesR.shtml "(Richards) Joseph, and Mary Bouden, May 5, 1726.*"

https://ma-vitalrecords.org/MA/Worcester/Southborough/Images/Southb... "(Richards) Joseph, June 4, 1748."