Richard Rich, of Dover Neck

Disputed origins

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Rich-594

Current research provides no proven parents for Richard Rich, including the decades-old Rich Family Association who have researched this line extensively. One pair of suggested, but unproven, parents are Richard Rich, Sr and Sarah Rich . Findagrave.com Memorial #51533665 supplies these parents names, as well as other internet "sources," but none provide any primary evidence. Full explanations & research are on the father's profile. Another pair of unsupported parents are Stephen Rich, of Portsmouth and Anne Rich. Please, do not add parents to Richard without discussion.

Biography

Richard RICH, of Dover Point (Piscataqua), NH, and Eastham on Cape Cod, in the Plymouth Colony, mariner, first appears in the New England records on 5 Dec 1667 when he witnessed the sale at Piscataqua of part of the ketch George and Samuel New Hampshire Deeds, Vol 2, Page 142a , died in October 1692. He married 24 February 1670 Sarah ROBERTS, who died before October 1692. She was the daughter of Thomas ROBERTS of Dover Point, New Hampshire.

Thomas ROBERTS of Dover, in his will dated 27 September 1673 and proved 30 June 1674 mentioned “my son-in-law Richard RICH, the husband of my dearly beloved daughter Sarah,” to whom he gave “my dwelling house wherein I now dwell, lieing and situate in Dover, together with all and singular, the out housing, orchards, planting land and pastures and I appoint my said son-in-law, Richard RICH to be my whole and sole executor.” New Hampshire State Papers, vol. 31.

In October 1674 Richard RICH was a witness to an indenture in Boston, and in the following month be bought land at Kittery, Maine. In April 1681 he was living at Dover, when, under covenant to build at Hilton’s Point within a limited time, he bought land from Robert MASON. However, on August 23 of the same year Richard RICH was admitted as a townsman of Eastham, on Cape Cod. No reason has been found for this sudden removal from his established home at Dover; but the advantageous maritime privileges at Cape Cod and the threatening attitude of the Indians at Dover may have led him to take this step.

The inventory of the estate of Richard Rich, late of Eastham, who died intestate, was rendered October 19, 1692 and letters of administration were granted to his son.

On November 9, 1708 Richard RICH of Eastham, as attorney for his brothers and sisters, John RICH, Thomas RICH, Samuel RICH, Sarah BEAKER, and Lydia HOPKINS, sold Treworthe’s Point at Kittery, ME., “being land which descended unto us from our honored father, Richard RICH deceased.”

Children of Sarah Roberts and Richard Rich (family removed to Eastham in 1674):

1. Richard Rich, b. Abt 1674 at Dover Point or Eastham; married Anne.
2. (Deacon) John Rich, b. Aft 1674 at Eastham; married 1) Mary Treat 2) Hope Howes.
3. Thomas Rich, b. Abt 1675 at Eastham; married Mercy Knowles
4. Sarah Rich, b. Abt 1676 at Eastham; married Isaac Baker.
5. Samuel Rich, b. 1685 at Truro; married 1) Elizabeth Mulford 2) Bethia Areu
6. Joseph Rich, (uncertain) b. 1691 at Truro, d. before 1697, not named in father's estate settlement
7. Lydia Rich b. 1 Apr 1692, Eastham, Barstable Co., Massachusetts , d. Aft 6 Jun 1749, Harwich, Barnstable Co., Massachusetts. Married Samuel Hopkins.

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GEDCOM Note

In Oct 1674 he was a witness to an indenture in Boston and the following month he bought land in Kittery, Me. In April 1681 he was living at Dover, where he bought land. However on 23 Aug. of the same year he was admitted a townsman of Eastham on Cape Cod.

He died intestate and the inventory of the estate was rendered 19 Oct 1692. It was quite a large estate and in settlement the court ordered an equal distribution of the estate among the children, with a double share going to the oldest, Richard. The children listed are: John, Sarah, Thomas, Samuel and Lydia.

RICHARD RICH - NEW HAMPSHIRE (c1635-c1692)

Richard RICH, of Dover Point (Piscataqua), NH, and Eastham on Cape Cod, in the Plymouth Colony, mariner, first appears in the New England records on 5 Dec 1667 when he witnessed the sale at Piscataqua of part of the ketch George and Samuel New Hampshire Deeds, Vol 2, Page 142a , died in October 1692. He married 24 February 1670 Sarah ROBERTS, who died before October 1692. She was the daughter of Thomas ROBERTS of Dover Point, New Hampshire. Thomas ROBERTS of Dover, in his will dated 27 September 1673 and proved 30 June 1674 mentioned “my son-in-law Richard RICH, the husband of my dearly beloved daughter Sarah,” to whom he gave “my dwelling house wherein I now dwell, lieing and situate in Dover, together with all and singular, the out housing, orchards, planting land and pastures and I appoint my said son-in-law, Richard RICH to be my whole and sole executor.” New Hampshire State Papers, vol. 31. Richard RICH was born about 1635 and was probably the son of another Richard who came to Dover Neck, NH in 1625. The older Richard married Sarah YORK before 1635. He was a son of Edward (or Edwin) RICH who was a son of Robert RICH, First Earl of Warwick in 1616. Robert was a grandson of Richard RICH, the Lord Chancellor. In October 1674 Richard RICH was a witness to an indenture in Boston, and in the following month be bought land at Kittery, Maine. In April 1681 he was living at Dover, when, under covenant to build at Hilton’s Point within a limited time, he bought land from Robert MASON. However, on August 23 of the same year Richard RICH was admitted as a townsman of Eastham, on Cape Cod. No reason has been found for this sudden removal from his established home at Dover; but the advantageous maritime privileges at Cape Cod and the threatening attitude of the Indians at Dover may have led him to take this step. The inventory of the estate of Richard Rich, late of Eastham, who died intestate, was rendered October 19, 1692 and letters of administration were granted to his son. On November 9, 1708 Richard RICH of Eastham, as attorney for his brothers and sisters, John RICH, Thomas RICH, Samuel RICH, Sarah BEAKER, and Lydia HOPKINS, sold Treworthe’s Point at Kittery, ME., “being land which descended unto us from our honored father, Richard RICH deceased.”Submitted by Kathleen Isabel Vanderpool on Ancestry.com Source Link: https://www.geni.com/documents/view?doc_id=6000000175875590825label=@S273@

Disputed notes

Richard RICH was born about 1635 and was probably the son of another Richard who came to Dover Neck, NH in 1625. The older Richard married Sarah YORK before 1635. He was a son of Edward (or Edwin) RICH who was a son of Robert RICH, First Earl of Warwick in 1616. Robert was a grandson of Richard RICH, the Lord Chancellor.

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References

• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/51533665/richard-rich We do not know where Richard Rich was buried. All information indicates that he drowned somewhere in the ocean off of Eastham (as it was known in the late 1600s.) Nothing indicates that his body was recovered and buried. His burial, if any, is unknown.
• http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/RICH/2004-10/1098635280
• http://billives.typepad.com/ives_family_history_blog/2007/08/richar...
• https://ancestors.familysearch.org/en/LT2Z-SR5/richard-rich-1635-1692 has errors
• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Rich-594 cites

1. New Hampshire Province Deeds, Vol. 2:142a
2. Evelyn Rich, Richard Rich of Eastham on Cape Cod and some of his Descendants, {link via subscription to AmericanAncestors.org} NEHGR (Jul 1929) Vol. 83:261. Before "29 (02) 1671" which is the date of a deed of Thomas Roberts of Dover NH, naming his daughter and son-in-law.
3. John Harvey Treat, The Treat Family: A Genealogy of Trott, Tratt, and Treat (Salem, MA: Salem Press, 1893) p. 189, at footnote #1.
4. Eastham Public Library, "Richard Rich Land Records.doc"
5. Josiah Paine, Library of Cape Cod History & Genealogy, (n.p.: n.pub., August 26, 1916) "Early settlers of Eastham : containing sketches of all early settlers of Eastham", pp. 19-21.
6. Barnstable County Probate Records, Vol. 1:67-68
7. Barnstable County Probate Records, Vol. 2:44-45
8. Ives Family History Blog {data unsourced}
9. "Family Tree," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : modified 13 November 2017, 05:36), entry for Richard Rich(PID https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:MBTB-R6D); contributed by various users. See also:
10. Shebnah Rich, "Richard Rich of Dover Neck" Library of Cape Cod History & Genealogy (Yarmouthport, MA: CW Swift, 1913) #56, pp. 1-7
11. James Savage, A genealogical dictionary of the first settlers of New England, showing three generations of those who came before May, 1692, on the basis of Farmer's Register .. (Boston, MA: Little, Brown & Co., 1860) Vol. 3:532 "Richard Rich, Dover 1671, mariner, m. Sarah, d. of Thomas Roberts, perhaps rem. after 1675, to Eastham, there d. 1692, had Richard."