William Richardson of Newbury

Biography

From http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~farrarrichardson/genealogy, taken from Vinton, The Richardson Memorial

THE NEWBURY RICHARDSONS
AND THEIR DESCENDANTS. Newbury, in Massachusetts, received its first inhabitants, except, possibly, a few fishermen or transient persons, of which there is no direct proof, early in the spring of 1634. Among the first settlers were Henry Sewall (father of Judge Samuel Sewall), William Moody, Rev. Thomas Parker, Rev. James Noyes, several by the name of Short, several Kents, four Browns, and several others. The place was called Newbury, from Newbury in Berkshire, England, fifty-six miles west from London, where Mr. Parker had preached before coming to America. The population increasing rapidly, the place was incorporated as a town, May, 1635.

Not long after the settlement of Newbury, we find there the names of Edward Richardson of Newbury and William Richardson. They were there as early as 1647, and probably some years previous. It can scarcely be doubted that they were brothers.

Family

WILLIAM RICHARDSON,1 supposed to be a brother of the preceding; born in England, about 1620; came to America, and settled in Newbury, about 1640, or not long after; married ELIZABETH WISEMAN, Aug. 23, 1654.
He lived in Newbury, probably in what is now West Newbury. In 1656 he was a creditor of Henry Fay, of Newbury. [From file in clerk's office.] His widow Elizabeth made oath to an inventory of his estate, dated March 30, 1657, amount 52. His real estate consisted of "a house and foure akers of land prised at 23." He died March 25, 1657, probably under forty years of age.

His children were:

• +8027. Joseph,2 b. May 18, 1655; m. Margaret Godfrey.
• 8028. Benjamin,2 b. March 13, 1657. No children appear on record. He was one of the witnesses, twenty-four in number, summoned to Boston, March, 1680, in the case of Elizabeth Morse, wife of William Morse, of Newbury, accused of witchcraft. The warrant gives his age at that time as being twenty-one. Joshua Richardson, probably his cousin, was another witness.

References

• ↑ "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/J98D-MQN : accessed 21 December 2014), William Richardson, 11 Mar 1620; citing Wharram Percy, York, England, reference item 8; FHL microfilm 1,068,417