This account is predominantly a reiteration of published material found in "The Richmond Family 1594 - 1896" by Joshua Bailey Richmond. The information after 1896 is from later family records.
The following extract from a letter from William E. Richmond to William R. Richmond, dated in Providence, Dec. 31, 1865, may be of interest and show how traditions have been passed down in the family: " I have thought best to give you this much of the family history while I may, as life is uncertain and my hand is not often in condition to write. It will be eight hundred years in October, 1866, since our predecessor from Brittany landed in Pevensey Bay, England, an officer in King William's Army. On the fourteenth of October was fought the great battle of Hastings, in which the Saxon King Harold and half of his army were killed, and England was subjected to the King. Our Ancestor settled in Wiltshire, England, where traces of them for many generations are still found in cemeteries and parish records. John Richmond was born at the Manor of Ashton-Keynes, and came to America with his sons John and Edward," etc., etc.
Hasculfus Musard de Richmond
Held in Demense Keddington and Chilworth, Oxfordshire, Sainbury,
Glouchestershire and other lordships at the time of the general survey.
(Dugale.)
Roaldus de Richmond, " Le Annase"
Second Constable of Richmond Castle under Alan III, Earl of Richmond, seized
of lands in Skeeby and Croft by the gift of King Henry, who likewise gave
him
the manor of Pickhall, etc,. which he gave in Marriage with
his daughter to
Jolanus de Neville. He was Lord of Burton, Aldborough and most of his uncle
Emsart's lands ( the first Constable of Richmond) by grant of King Stephen.
He founded an Abbey on his Manor of Easby in honor of St. Agatha, (1152)
where he was buried.
Sir Alan, fil Roald de Richmond
Third Constable of Richmond Castle. In the first year of the reign of Richard
I
(1189), he owed the king two hundred marks for the custody of Richmond
Castle; in the fourth year of the reign of Richard I (1193), he paid ten
marks
and owed one hundred ninety; in the third year of the reign of Richard
I, he was
surety for Walter de Lasceles. In the second year of the reign of John
(1201),
he gave the king three hundred marks and three palfreys to be Constable
of
Richmond Castle the same to himself and his heirs, of the king
and his heirs,
by good and lawful services. In the ninth year of the reign of John (1208),
he
gave the king two hundred marks and four palfreys to have the Castle of
Richmond, of which he had been deceased, and to have the kings letters
patent granting him military jurisdiction which the Castle of Richmond
ought to possess.
Sir Roald, fil Alan de Richmond, Knight
Fourth Constable of Richmond Castle, to whom King John, in 1208, gave the
lands of William de Rollos, including the manors of Caldwell, Croft, Kipling,
etc., with one mill and lands in Skelby which belonged to Harsculph fil
Harsculph, who died with the kings enemies in Brittany, 1204. In the
twenty-first year of the reign of Henry III (1237), he was summoned to
answer
the king by what right he held those manors, when he produced the letters
of
patent of King John, by which the same was granted to him and his heirs
forever. He entailed the manors of Burton, Aldeburgh and Croft upon his
son
Roald, in the later part of the twenty-fourth year of the reign of Henry
III
(1240).
Alan, fil Roald Richmond de Croft
To whom his brother gave the manor of Burton, the third part of which,
Sarah,
who was the wife of Goscelyn Deyville, claimed as dower, in the thirty-third
year of the reign of Henry III (1249); claimed lands in Roppele, Clareworth,
Wurthington and Newland, County of Lincoln, in right of his wife, in the
fourty-third year of the reign of Henry III (1259); was plaintiff in a
plea of
trespass, in the first year of the reign of Edward I (1272).
Sir Roald, fil Alan Richmond de Croft
To whom his uncle Roald fil Roald gave the manors of Caldewell and Croft.
He was a defendant in a plea of dower, in thirty-fourth year of the reign
of
Henry III (1250); against whom Roald fil Roald de Richmond claimed the
manor of Caldewell, in the thirty-fifth year of the reign of Henry III
(1251);
died in the fourty-sixth year of the reign of Henry III (1262).
In Gale's " Honores de Richmond," this Sir Roald is said to have been the
son
of Sir Roaldus de Richmond, fifth Constable, brother to Alan fil Roald
de Croft.
Elyas de Richmond
Was living during the time of Edward III and Richard II, 1327-1399.
Richard de Richmond
Brother of Elyas de Richmond. Upon Richard and Elizabeth, his wife, William
de Burgh, entailed the manor of Burgh, near Catterick, County York, in
the
twenty-third year of the reign of Edward III (1350). Richard and Elizabeth
de Richmond have free warren in Burgh, in the thirty-fourth year of the
reign
of Edward III (1360).
Thomas de Richmond
Was living in the time of Richard II, Henry IV, Henry V.
William de Richmond
Assumed the name of Webb upon his marriage, about 1430, and quartered the
Webb Arms. He was mentioned as of Yorkshire in Herald's " Visitation of
Gloucester," 1682-1683,p.195. He lived at Draycott, Wilts.
William Richmond alias Webb
Of Draycott Foliott, Wilts.
William Richmond alias WebbThe Will of William Richmond. " In the name of Gode amen. The year of our lorde Gode 1502 and the 28 day of
March. I, William Richmond otherwise called William Webbe, being whole and stedfast in minde make this my testament and last will. First I bequeath my soul unto almighty Jesus, to our lady his blessed mother and to all the blessed company in heaven, and my body to be buried in the parish church of Swyndon." ...Bequests to the poor of the same church: to the priests of the same church: to the cathedral church of Sarum (Salisbury): " to the priests of the parish church of Swyndon to pray for me and for all my descendants souls."
Bequests " to each of my godchildren; to Joanna my wife; to Thomas, Richard,
William Sr, Richard ( my youngest son), Henry, Christopher, William Jr., my
sons and Alice and Ann my daughters." ..." The residue of all my goods and
chattels not bequeathed, my debts and bequests being content and paid, I give
to Joanne, my wife, and to my children not married to be equally divided by
them and, if it fortunes any of them to decease, then their share to be divided
among them that liveth; and I will that Thomas Richard and Richard my sons be myn executors of this my last will for my soul's health and repose and I make William
Wroughton, gentleman overseer of this testament."
William Richmond alias Webb
Will was probated 24 April, 1502
Edmond Richmond alias Webb, Esq.
Of Denford ( Durnford), Wilts, was living in 1575. He had four sons and
three
daughters, all unmarried in 1575. His Death is not recorded at Durnford.
He was probably the ancestor of the Richmond-Webbs of Lidiard-Milicent,
Wilts.
Henry Richmond alias Webb
His second son, unmarried, in 1575. He lived at Christian-Malford, Wilts;
was
married four times and had twenty five children, according to a letter
written
by Oliffe Richmond of Ashton-Keynes (1679-1757) to Rev. Silvester
Richmond of Walton.
John Richmond
Eldest son; was an officer of distinction during the civil wars.
" On the night preceding one of the engagements, Henry, his brother, went into
the camp of the other army, eluded the vigilance of the sentinels, and reached
Johns tent in the hope of enjoying an affectionate interview previous to the
uncertain events of the morrow. On entering the tent, John, alarmed at the
sudden appearance of a stranger, as he conceived Henry to be, rose upon his
bed and shot him dead upon the spot, When he discovered his mistake, it is
said he became deranged." ( Manuscript Book of Rev. Legh Richmond.)
THE RICHMOND MANOR HOUSE
The Richmond Manor House was owned
and occupied by Oliff Richmond in the early
part of the last century.( 1700s)
The Manor comprised originally about four hundred
acres, and the entire village of Ashton-Keynes
belonged to this branch of the Richmond
family.
By the marriage of Bridget, granddaughter
of Oliffe Richmond, with Edward Nichols,
the Richmond Manor House passed in
1768 into the Nichols family. They sold it in
1856 to the Duke of Cleveland. The
Manor House was in a good state of preservation
in 1876, when the compiler saw it.
TRADITIONS OF JOHN RICHMOND
The traditions recorded in the manuscript
of the Rev. Legh Richmond, if true would
explain the mystery which shrouded the life of John Richmond.
Soon after the death of
his brother, Henry, mentioned in this manuscript, it
seems probable that he joined a
colony of cadets of noble English familys on the western
coast of Ireland, who had
chosen this remote spot where they could engage in commercial
and other pursuits
without shocking their aristocratic relatives. Here George
Richmond, possibly a cousin
of John Richmond, was established and largely interested
in navigation. It is well known
that he carried on an extensive and flourishing trade
with Saco, Maine., in 1635. It is the
opinion of the writer that John Richmond came to America
on one of those trading
vessels about 1635, and engaged
in business in Saco, Records of Courts held at Saco in
the Province of Maine, under Capt. William Gorges, mention
sundry by and against John
Richmond - among others, a suit by John Richmond " to
collect from Thomas Lewis
six pounds and ten shillings for two barrells of beif,"
showing that a John Richmond
was engaged in trade at that place Marsh 7, 1636.
It is positively known that John Richmond
was one of the purchasers of Taunton in
1637. The birth of his daughter, Sarah, in 1638, and
of Mary, in 1639, probably occurred
in Taunton, Mass., but his name does not appear in the
list of men able to bear arms in
1643. Nothing seems to be known of him from 1643 to 1655,
and tradition leads us to
believe that he returned to England and engaged in the
civil wars between the dates
mentioned.
The compiler, in his childhood, always
heard John Richmond referred to as
" Col. John," and that he was engaged in the English
civil wars, which, if true, would
account for the absence of his name from all records
in this country between 1643 and
1655, and the sad tragedy mentioned in the letter
of Oliffe Richmond might have
occurred during this time.
In his Will is the following bequest;
" I give and bequeath unto my eldest son John
all my writings in my chest which is in my son-in-law
Edward Rew's house." This
treasure, now lost to us, would undoubtedly remove the
mystery which surrounds his
life, and furnish us with facts where we have only traditions.
Although somewhat vague and unsatisfactory,
the compiler believes that the results of
his researches relating to our English ancestors will
prove of sufficient interest to the
family to warrant their being included in this volume;
but it is with undisguised
satisfaction he turns from the region of "Quien sabe?"
with its mysteries, romance
and uncertain traditions, to the well established dates
and facts concerning
JOHN RICHMOND of Taunton.
CHILDREN:
+2. John2, born about 1627
+3. Edward2, born about 1632
+4. Sarah2, born about 1638
+5. Mary2, born about 1639
He was one of the Commissioners, for
Newport, of the Court of Commissioners, held in Portsmouth in 1656. He
owned six shares in the original purchase of Taunton in 1637.
John Richmond1 was one
of the older men of the settlement in Taunton. His name does not appear
in the list of males (able to bear arms) in 1643: he was in in Rhode Island
in 1655, and id is probable that he was there at that time or in England.
He took the oath of fidelity in Taunton before 1640. The family were large
land-owners in the easterly part of the town, and gave to a village in
that section the name of Richmondtown, which it still bears.
THE WILL OF JOHN RICHMOND
This fourteenth day of December in ye year of our Lord one thousand six hundred and sixty three. I, John Richmond of Taunton in Plymouth. Patent. Being of of perfect understanding Blessed be God. Do Make this my last Will and Testament as followeth. I give and bequeath unto my eldest son John Richmond my purchase held in Taunton. Also I give and bequeath my land which is at Squamicott which is half a share purchase, first, I give and bequeath to my son in law William Paul and Mary his wife and to their children forty acres of ye land at Squamicott above named. And also I give and bequeath to my younger son Edward Richmond and his son Edward after him forty acres of ye land at Squamicott. Also I give and bequeath to my son in law Edward Rew and to Sarah his wife half a share of land which is at Squamicott. Also I give and bequeath to my eldest son John Richmond my mare, only ye first foal my mare bringeth I do give and bequeath unto ye use of his son Thomas. Also I give and bequeath unto my eldest son John Richmond all debts that are due to me &c. he my eldest son John Richmond shall see my debts which I owe discharged. Also I give and bequeath unto my eldest son John the mare or sixteen pounds which I layed out for ye land wherein my son John now dwellith. Also I give and bequeath unto my eldest son John all my goods which are now in my eldest sons house now. Also I give and bequeath unto my son in law Edward Rew and Sarah his wife all my goods which are now in my son Edward Rew's house, except a pair of sheets and a Hamack, which I give and bequeath unto my daughter Mary the wife of William Paul, and the Hamack I give to my son in law William Paul. Also I give and bequeath unto my eldest son John Richmond my cow to defray my funeral charges. Also I give and bequeath unto my youngest son Edward Richmond all my wearing apparel. Also I give and bequeath unto my eldest son John Richmond all my writings in my chest which are in my son in law Edward Rew's house. And I the said John Richmond do nominate and appoint my eldest son John Richmond, Executor of this my last Will and Testament. And I the said John Richmond, Institute and Appoint, Shadrach Wilbore with my eldest son John Richmond to see this last Will and Testament performed and to this as my last Will and Testament I have set my hand and seal the day and year above said.
Witness
Joseph Wilbore. John X Richmond.
Shadrach Wilbore his Mark
a (seal)
CHILDREN:
+ 6. Mary3, born June 2, 1654, in Bridgewater
- 7. John3, born June 6,1656 in Bridgewater; killed Sept. 20,1672, by the upsetting of a cart.
- 8. Thomas3, born Feb. 2, 1659, in Newport, R.I.; died unmarried, in Middleboro, Dec. 14, 1705.
+ 9. Susanna3, born Nov. 4,1661, in Bridgewater.
+10. Joseph3, born Dec. 8, 1663 in Taunton.
+11. Edward3, born Feb. 8, 1663 in Taunton.
+12. Samuel3, born Sept. 23, 1668 in Taunton.
+13. Sarah3, born Feb. 26, 1671 in Taunton.
+14. John3, born Dec. 5, 1673 in Taunton.
+15. Ebenezer3, born May 12, 1676 in Newport, R.I.
+16. Abigail3, born Feb. 26, 1679 in Newport R.I.
" And, first, I desire it may be considered how inconsistent to justice their sense is, for they say and sense it that although Taunton hath the eldest grant, yet it is theirs notwithstanding, because it was granted before: and although it be Tauntons by purchase from the Indians three times over,= for we bought it first of Woosamequin in the year '39 or '40 [ this was in my minority], the sum I paid I knew not ; then we bought that very spot of Josiah, he claiming some land there, as appears by his deed; then we bought that spot again, with other lands of Maj. Bradford; he had twenty pounds more;= they have owned that they never made any purchase, yet theirs because granted," etc.
"Dighton, as is well known, was once a part of Taunton. It was called the Taunton South Purchase, and was bought by a company of the Sachem Phillip for one hundred and ninety pounds, lawful money. The land was bought in two sections and at two different times. The first section was stated to be three miles broad on the river, and extended back into the woods four miles.
"The deed of the first section was dated the 28th day of September, 1672, and the consideration mentioned was one hundred and forty-three pounds. The land was conveyed to a committee of associates consisting of William Benton, Esq., William Harvey, James Walker1, Richard Williams, Walter Deane, George Macy, and John Richmond2, who transferred the deed, excepting their own rights, to the Rev. George Shove, third minister of Taunton and seventy-six associates or proprietors of the land. The second section purchased was on the south side of the first section, and was one mile wide on the river and four miles in length. The price paid for it was forty-seven pounds, and the deed was dated Oct. 1st, 1672. It was ostensibly bought by Constant Southworth, treasurer of the Plymouth Colony, who immediately transferred the deed to the committee of the associates mentioned."
Children by First Wife (born in Taunton)
+61. Mercy4, born in 1693; married Edward Walker
+62. Edward4, born 1695; married, first, Elizabeth Deane; 2nd, Mrs. Elizabeth (Shaw)
Sampson.
-62a. Richard4.
+63. Josiah4, born in 1697; married 1st, Mehitable Deane; 2d, Mrs. Lydia Crocker.
+64. Nathaniel4, born about 1700; married Alice Hackett.
+65. Seth4, married Lydia Haskins.
+66. Elizabeth4, married --- Hathaway.
+67. Phebe4, born in 1706; married Noah Elliot.Children by Second Wife:
+68. Sarah4, born Dec. 20, 1711; married, 1st, Josiah Washburn; 2nd, Samuel Crane.
+69. Mary4, born in 1714; married Edmond Burt.
+70. Pricilla4, born Feb. 27, 1718, Married John Hackett.
+71. Eunice4, born Sept. 23, 1722; died young; not mentioned in will.
Children (born in Middleboro):
+219. Mary5, married Phillip Leonard, Jan. 6, 1737-8.
+220. Josiah5, born in 1711; married Elizabeth Smith.
+221. Gershom5, married Phebe Richmond.
+222. Benjamin5, born in 1727; married Silence Deane.
+223. George5, married Hannah Caswell.
+224. Ephraim5, born Feb. 12, 1735; married Ann Deane of Taunton, March 27, 1766.
+225. Eleazer5, born Feb. 27, 1737; married Deborah Barrows.
+226. Lemuel5, born in 1733; married Mrs. Molly (Richmond) Lincoln.
+227. Miriam5, born in 1733; married, 1st, Elisha Walker; 2d, Samuel Ray.
+228. Zeriah5, married Jeremiah Tinkham.
+228. Mercy5, married Benjamin Hackett.
-229a. Mehitable5, died young.
Children (born in Taunton)
-592. Edward6, died May 26, 1748.
+593. Phebe6, married Jeb Townsend.
+594. Josiah6, born in May, 1750; Married Betsey Hathaway.
+595. Mercy6, married Matthew Briggs.
+596. Walker6, born in 1753; married Mary Waldron of Dighton.
+597. Edward6, born March 14,1756; married Olive Briggs.
+598. Nathaniel6, born April 13, 1766; married 1st, Mary Horsewell;
2nd, Abigail Wood; 3rd, Azubah Cobb.
+599. Abner6, born about 1769; married Betsey Holmes.
+600. Pricilla6, married Joseph Pierce; no children.
+601. Elizabeth6, married Asa Stephens.
+602. Hannah6, born about 1761; marries 1st, March 4, 1756, Joseph Ware;
2nd Zephaniah Talbot.
Children:
+1513. Alice7, born Sept. 4, 1781; married Fredrick Richmond. (No. 1553)
+1514. Edward7, born April 8, 1783; married Betsey Knight.
+1515. Dyer7, born Jan. 23, 1785; married Sally Cox.
+1516. Josiah7, born Dec. 4, 1786; married Phebe Warren.
+1517. Eliakim7, born April 1, 1791; married Deborah Comstock.
+1518. Mercy7, born Jan. 22,1789; married John B. Ryan.
+1519. Sally7, born March 26, 1793; died Jan. 23, 1796.
+1520. Zenas B.7, born May 25, 1795; married Anna Pratt.
-1520a. Sylvester7, born May 26, 1797; died Nov. 16, 1824.
+1520b. Polly7, born May 22, 1799; married James P. Agan.
+1520c. Eliza7, born April 5, 1801; married Levi Brown.
+1520d. Volney7, born June 23, 1802; married, 1st, Lucy Townsend; 2d, Mary Barnett.
Children:
+3777. Theodore C.8, born Oct. 20, 1815; married, 1st, Emily C. Geer;
2nd, Caroline Bancus.
-3778. Josiah8, married Lydia Milleman; died aged 27, leaving one daughter.
+3779. Albert E.8, born Sept. 23, 1819; married Anna Quackenbush.
+3780. Perry Warren8, married Caroline Campbell.
+3781. Julia Ann8, married Gideon Reynolds.
-3782. Ruth8, married John S. Bancus in 1860.
+6691. Clinton Q.9, born Dec. 17, 1859, in Hoosac; married Hannah M. Bates.
+6692. William W.9, born Jan. 4, 1864; married
-6692a. May9, born in 1866; died May, 1866.
+6693. Grace V.9, born Oct., 27, 1879; married Thomas Edward Doremus.
Children:
-8110. Donald Hunter10, born Sept. 20, 1892; died Sept. 11,1893.
+. --- Durant Hunter10, born Feb. 10, 1898.