Elizabeth Jane Richardson

Elizabeth Jane Richardson was the daughter of Thomas Richardson of Standon. She was baptized on January 13, 1593. She was buried on June 22, 1630.

** Source: England, Births and Christenings, 1538-1975. Salt Lake City, Utah: FamilySearch, 2013.

She was the eldest child of Thomas Richardson and Katherine Duxford. Elizabeth Richardson is my 12th great-aunt.

Elizabeth would go on to marry Francis Wyman on May 2, 1617, and together they had five children.

  • Thomas (Baptized April 5, 1618)
  • Francis (Baptized February 24, 1619)
  • John (Baptized February 3, 1621)
  • Richard (Baptized March 14, 1623)
  • William (Baptized August 31, 1628 – Buried July 3, 1630)

** Sources, Boston Transcript. Volume 1, page 67: N.E.H.G. Reg. Volume 50, Page 45.

She was born and lived in West Mill her entire life.

This Elizabeth Richardson is not the same that died on September 4, 1630, who was buried in Middlesex, England. Our Elizabeth died in Westmill, England and was buried at St. Mary the Virgin in Westmill – St Albans, St Albans District, Hertfordshire, England.

 

 

Ezekiel Richardson

Ezekiel Richardson first came to America in 1630. He has also been known as Ezechll Richeson.

He was the son of Thomas Richardson and Katherine Duxford. His exact date of birth is unknown but it is thought to be somewhere between 1601-1604.

He died in  Woburn, MA on October 21, 1647.

He married Susanna and together they had 7 children.

  1. Phebe (Phoebe) (June 3, 1632)
  2. Theophilus (December 22, 1633)
  3. Josiah (November 7, 1634)
  4. John (July 21, 1638)
  5. Jonathan (February 13, 1639/40?)
  6. James (July 11, 1641)
  7. Ruth (August 23, 1645)

Ezechiel Richardson and his wife were admitted to Boston church as members #80 and #81, which would be in the winter of 1630/1; on 14 October 1632.

Ezechiell Richardson and Susan his wife were dismissed to participate in the organization of Charlestown church; on 2 November 1632 “Ezek:” and “Susan Richeson” were admitted to Charlestown church as founding members.

Ezekiel Richardson was admitted as an inhabitant of Charleston in 1630 and appeared in the lists of inhabitants of January 9, 1633/4 and January 1635/6.

In his will, dated 20 July 1647 and proved 1 June 1648, “Ezekiell Richardson of Woebourne” appointed “my wife Susanna and my eldest son Theophilus joint executors”; and bequeathed to “Josias my son �30” at twenty-one years of age; to “James my son �3O” at twenty-one years of age; to “Phebe my daughter �3O” at “twenty years of age or within six months after the day of her marriage”; if any of these three should die before they come of age, the legacies be shared among the survivors; in case “my son Theophilus die before he shall accomplish one and twenty years of age, then his portion shall be equally divided to my other children”; discharged demands against “my brother Samuell Richardson“; to “my brother Thomas Richardson, his son Thomas, 1Os.”; overseers Ed-ward Converse and John Mousall of Woburn, if either of these die, then the survivor with the consent of Thomas Carter, pastor of the church in Woburn, to choose a replacement overseer; 30s. to each overseer; residue to my executors, “provided that my wife may peacably enjoy her habitation in the house so long as she shall live”.

The inventory of the estate of Ezekiell Richardson was taken 18 November 1647 and totalled �19O 6s. 6d., with no real estate included.

On 6 March 1649/50 Edward Converse confirmed to the heirs of Ezekiel Richardson an earlier sale of twelve acres of meadow & upland in Woburn [MLR 2:71].

Now look at this tidbit of information —

On 27 March 1651 Samuel Richeson of Woburn “having formerly sold unto Ezekill Richeson my brother (who is since deceased) forty acres of arable & meadow land” in Woburn, con-firms the same to “my sister Susanna Brookes (who was the wife of my deceased brother Ezekill Richeson”, On 23 March 1654/5

See that? That shows us that in fact, Ezekiel Richardson was the brother of Samuel Richardson, son of Thomas Richardson. So I’m not sure why Thomas Richardson of Standon left him out of the will, but it could have to do with why Ezekiel left to America a few years prior.

“Susanna Richeson now Brookes formerly the wife of Ezek: Richeson” confirmed a sale made eight years earlier by “Ezekill Richardson & Sussanna Richardson my wife” to Thomas Moulton and John Greenland of thirty-five acres of land in Woburn. On 13 December 1659 “Henry Brookes & Susanna Brookes of Woburn,” in accordance with an award of the court, deeded to Theophilus Richardson the right and title they had in “the moiety or half part of the housing & land of Ezekiell Richardson of Woburn aforesaid, by executorship or otherwise”.

 

 

Stephen Richardson (Senior)

Stephen Richardson was born on February 7, 1674 in Woburn, Middlesex, Massachusetts. He died on February 4, 1752.

The first bit of verifiable information comes from the book – A genealogical dict. of the first settlers of New England, showing three generations of those who came before May, 1692. By James Savage. Boston. 1861. (4v.)v.3:536 — volume 146 page 1.

Next, we have The Richardson Memorial, Part 1 of 2, John Adams Vinton, Brown Thurston & Co.  Portland, ME, 1876, pg 186-187. It tells us —

1555.

JOSEPH RICHARDSON,2  brother of the preceding, and second son of Samuel Richardson,1 was born in Woburn, July 27, 1643; married, Nov. 5, 1666, HANNAH GREEN,2 born about 1647, daughter of Thomas1 and Elizabeth Green, of Malden.

Thomas Green, her father, was born in England, probably about 1606.  He came to this country probably before 1640; lived in the north part of Malden, now the town of Melrose; was a selectman in 1658, and died Dec. 19, 1667.  For a further history of him and his numerous descendants, see the Green Family, in the VINTON MEMORIAL, by the compiler of this volume.

Joseph Richardson dwelt in Woburn; was admitted freeman of the colony, May 15, 1672, and was, therefore, a member of the church.  He was one of Major Samuel Appleton’s soldiers, and was engaged in the fierce assault on the Narraganset fort, Dec. 19, 1675,  In that severe encounter six brave captains fell, and eighty privates were killed.  He was a selectman of Woburn, 1693, 1694, and 1702.

He died in Woburn, March 5, 1717-18.  His will is dated June 24, 1717; proved April 22, 1718; recorded Midd. Prob. Rec., xv. 143.  He provides very carefully and liberally for his “well-beloved wife Hannah,” and, among other things, that his son “Joseph shall find her a horse, and keep the same for her use, and a man or himself to ride before her on Sabbath days, or where she shall have occasions to go, all during her natural life, if she remains my widow.”  He also mentions his five children, as in the sequel.  His widow Hannah died May 20, 1721.

Their children, all born in Woburn were:

  • +1567  Hannah3, b. Oct. 22, 1667; m Daniel Baldwin.
  • +1568  Mary3, b. March 22, 1668-69; m. first James Fowle; second, Samuel Walker
  • +1569  Elizabeth3, b. June 28, 1670; m. first John Coggin; second, Jacob Wyman.
  • +1570  Joseph3, b. May 19, 1672; m. Mary Blodget.
  • +1571  Stephen3, b. Feb 7, 1673-74; m. Bridget Richardson.

Next, we have a record of those buried in Woburn. Notice you’ll see Stephen Richardson died on February 4, 1752.

Stephen Richardson married Bridget Richardson and together they had six children.

  • Stephen Richardson 1696–1703
  • Phebe Richardson Snow 1704–1785
  • Ichabod Richardson 1706–1768
  • Stephen Richardson 1707–1787
  • Adam Richardson 1709–1758
  • Asa Richardson 1713–1752

It’s not uncommon for people to name their children after family members. You’ll notice their daughter Phebe with its unusual spelling. She might have been named after Phebe, daughter of Ezekiel and Susanna Richardson.

 

Joseph Richardson

Joseph Richardson was born on July 27, 1643, in Woburn, Mass.

He married on November 5, 1666, to Hannah Green. He died on March 5, 1718, in Woburn, Middlesex, Mass.

We can verify this date of birth in the Woburn, Mass records of births, deaths, and marriages records. It shows us that he was born on July 27, 1643, and is the son of Samuel.

Woburn, Mass records of births, deaths, and marriages
Woburn, Mass records of births, deaths, and marriages

Joseph Richardson’s children include:

  • Hannah (October 22, 1667)
  • Mary (March 22, 1669)
  • Elizabeth (June 25, 1670)
  • Joseph (May 19, 1672)
  • Stephen (February 7, 1674)

We know about him from The Richardson Memorial, Part 1 of 2, John Adams Vinton, Brown Thurston & Co.  Portland, ME, 1876, pg 186-187. It tells us —

1555.

JOSEPH RICHARDSON,2  brother of the preceding, and second son of Samuel Richardson,1 was born in Woburn, July 27, 1643; married, Nov. 5, 1666, HANNAH GREEN,2 born about 1647, daughter of Thomas1 and Elizabeth Green, of Malden.

Thomas Green, her father, was born in England, probably about 1606.  He came to this country probably before 1640; lived in the north part of Malden, now the town of Melrose; was a selectman in 1658, and died Dec. 19, 1667.  For a further history of him and his numerous descendants, see the Green Family, in the VINTON MEMORIAL, by the compiler of this volume.

Joseph Richardson dwelt in Woburn; was admitted freeman of the colony, May 15, 1672, and was, therefore, a member of the church.  He was one of Major Samuel Appleton’s soldiers, and was engaged in the fierce assault on the Narraganset fort, Dec. 19, 1675,  In that severe encounter six brave captains fell, and eighty privates were killed.  He was a selectman of Woburn, 1693, 1694, and 1702.

He died in Woburn, March 5, 1717-18.  His will is dated June 24, 1717; proved April 22, 1718; recorded Midd. Prob. Rec., xv. 143.  He provides very carefully and liberally for his “well-beloved wife Hannah,” and, among other things, that his son “Joseph shall find her a horse, and keep the same for her use, and a man or himself to ride before her on Sabbath days, or where she shall have occasions to go, all during her natural life, if she remains my widow.”  He also mentions his five children, as in the sequel.  His widow Hannah died May 20, 1721.

Their children, all born in Woburn were:

  • +1567  Hannah3, b. Oct. 22, 1667; m Daniel Baldwin.
  • +1568  Mary3, b. March 22, 1668-69; m. first James Fowle; second, Samuel Walker
  • +1569  Elizabeth3, b. June 28, 1670; m. first John Coggin; second, Jacob Wyman.
  • +1570  Joseph3, b. May 19, 1672; m. Mary Blodget.
  • +1571  Stephen3, b. Feb 7, 1673-74; m. Bridget Richardson.

I found this document created by another person doing research. Please keep in mind, just because someone says something doesn’t make it true. However, I did want to include it for your reference. Just don’t consider it 100% factually true unless you personally verify the information.

Next, we have a record of those buried in Woburn. Notice you’ll see Stephen Richardson died on February 4, 1752.

 

Samuel Richardson

Samuel Richardson was born in 1602 in Westmill, Hertfordshire, England. He died on March 23, 1658, in Woburn, Middlesex, Massachusetts.

He is the son of Thomas Richardson and Catherine Duxford. We know this because Samuel was the executor of his father’s estate on July 31, 1634, in Hutchins, England. This is the Thomas Richardson that we also call Thomas Richardson of Standon.

Samuel Richardson was christened at St. Mary the Virgin in Westmill on December 22, 1604.

Samuel Richardson married Joanna Thake. They were married on October 18, 163 in Great Hormead, Hertfordshire, England.

Marriage register of Samuel Richardson and Joanna Thake - Great Hormead 1632

Together they had at least 9 children.

  • Mary (1637-1677)
  • John (1639-1696)
  • Hannah (1642-1642)
  • Joseph (1643-1718)
  • Samuel (1646-1712)
  • Stephen (1649-1717)
  • Thomas (1651-1657)
  • Elizabeth (1653-1677) ?????

In 1636 they arrived in Charlestown, Massachusetts. He was one of the founders and largest landowners of Woburn, Mass.

His father was Thomas Richardson of Standon and his mother was Katherine Duxford.

Samuel Richardson (1602 – 1658)
11th great-grandfather

Joseph Richardson (1643 – 1718)
son of Samuel Richardson
Stephen Richardson (1674 – 1752)
son of Joseph Richardson
Stephen Richardson (1696 – 1723)
son of Stephen Richardson
John David Richardson (1720 – 1777)
son of Stephen Richardson
David Richardson (1760 – 1842)
son of John David Richardson
Jonathan David Richardson (1795 – 1870)
son of David Richardson
Thomas Richardson (1826 – 1898)
son of Jonathan David Richardson
John Durk Richardson (1847 – 1926)
son of Thomas Richardson
Rubin Nemon Richardson (1898 – 1960)
son of William Alexander Richardson
Reuben Namon Richardson (1929 – 2002)
son of Rubin Nemon Richardson
Benjamin Wayne Richardson (1951 – )
son of Reuben Namon Richardson
Samuel Richardson is one of three brothers who came to America.  Ezekiel came to America first in 1630, and Samuel and Thomas followed a few years later (1636).
A list of fifty-eight men, inhabitants of Charlestown, dated Jan. 9, 1633-4, is found on the records of that town. Among them is the name of Ezekiel Richardson, but not Samuel or of Thomas, his brothers.
The first notice we find of Samuel is dated July 1, 1636, when he and his brother Thomas Richardson, with others, were on a committee to lay out lots of land for hay. In 1637, the names of Samuel and Thomas Richardson first appear in a list of inhabitants of Charlestown.
The same year the town of Charlestown granted to each of them a “house-plot,” clearly indicating that they had become residents.
Map of Waterfield 1638 Riichardson-Johnson — This map was constructed by the late George Cooke and George T. Littlefield of Winchester and is designed to show “the approximate location in 1638” of the lots in Woburn and Winchester which had been granted to the inhabitants of Charlestown. The descriptions of the lots, from which the compilers prepared their map, were taken from the Charlestown Book of Possessions. This land is situated in the westerly part of Winchester.
Map of Waterfield 1638 Richardson-Johnson — This map was constructed by the late George Cooke and George T. Littlefield of Winchester and is designed to show “the approximate location in 1638” of the lots in Woburn and Winchester which had been granted to the inhabitants of Charlestown. The descriptions of the lots, from which the compilers prepared their map, were taken from the Charlestown Book of Possessions. This land is situated in the westerly part of Winchester.
Samuel and Thomas were admitted as members of the local church on February 18, 1637-8, making them freeman of the colony on May 2, 1638.
Samuel was chosen surveyor of the highways on March 17, 1636-7.
The three brothers had lots assigned them on April 20, 1638, on “Misticke side above the Ponds,” that is, in Malden, and their names, among others, appear as persons having the privilege of pasturing cows upon the Common, Dec. 30, 1638.
On the 5th of Nov., 1640. the three brothers and four others, Edward Convers, Edward Johnson, John Mousall, and Thomas Graves, were chosen by the church of Charlestown as commissioners or agents for the settlement of a church and town, within what were then the limits of Charlestown, but soon after erected into a separate town, and called Woburn. That whole territory was then a wide, uncultivated waste.
In the February 1641, the commissioners built a bridge over the Aberjona River, north of Mystic Pond. This bridge was known as Converse Bridge, from Edward Converse, the proprietor of the adjacent mill. He lived in the immediate vicinity, in the first house built in Woburn.
This mark is set in the north side of the Converse Bridge, carrying Main St over the Aberjona River in downtown Winchester, MA. The marker reads:
“Converse Bridge – 1640 1915 – Site of first bridge crossing the Aberjona river over against the Edward Converse house. Also site of The King’s Ford located at lower side of bridge from 1638 to 1845.”
His descendants lived there, or in that vicinity, and the entire locality is now in the heart of the town of Winchester.
When the church was constituted in Woburn, Aug. 14, 1642, O.S., Samuel Richardson and his two brothers, with John Mousall, Edward Johnson, Edward Converse, and William Leonard, solemnly stood forth, as the nucleus around which the church was to be gathered.
The first organizational Town Meeting was held on April 13, 1644, and the first town officers were chosen. Town Selectmen were Edward Johnson, Edward Converse, John Mousall, William Learned, Ezekiel Richardson, Samuel Richardson, and James Thompson. William Learned was also selected as Constable.
Michael Bacon, Ralph Hill, Thomas Richardson were chosen for Surveyors of Highways. As you may recall, this was a position that Samuel previously held.
The three brothers lived near to each other, on the same street, which has ever since been known as “Richardson’s Row.” In 1647 the town officially named it Richardson Street which still exists to this day.
Samuel Richardson was selectman of Woburn in from 1644-1646 and from 1649-1651.
In 1645, he was listed as having paid the highest tax of any man in Woburn; Capt. Edward Johnson the next.
Samuel Richardson was married to Joanna Thake who united with the church in Charlestown on the 9th of July, (or Sept 9th), 1639.
Samuel Richardson died on March 23, 1658, without leaving a will.  His widow and eldest living son John were appointed administrators of his estate. John would have been about 19 at the time his father died.

Thomas Richardson I of Westmill

So many people in my tree named Thomas Richardson. This particular one we are speaking about now was born in 1523 in Westmill, England and he died in 1570.

Although I should note there is a Millennium file document that says he died in March of 1630. But that could be his son.

What I can say for sure is when he was born and married.

  • Born: May 14, 1523, in Westmill, Hertfordshire, England
  • Married on June 15, 1567, in St. Albans, in Hertfordshire, England

It was originally thought that Thomas Richardson I of Westmill’s father was Ralph Richardson of the Jersey Channel Islands. That turns out however not to be true.

Thomas Richardson I of Westmill had a son known as Thomas Richardson of Westmill. We call him Thomas Richardson II of Westmill, just to avoid confusion.

This Thomas is not the person known as Sir Thomas Richardson. He is also not the Thomas Richardson from Alphamstone. This is also not the Thomas Richardson who married Margaret that has a son named Thomas who was born in Kirkham, Lancashire, England. We can say this for sure because that child was born on July 20, 1823. Our guy was dead hundreds of years before that.

Many have wrongly associated this Thomas Richardson with Sir Thomas Richardson of the Scottish Peerage. That would be impossible because ancient records tell us that he married on December 14, 1626, at St. Giles-in-the-Fields, London without issue. That means he had no children so he can’t be your ancestor because his line ended with him.

So who is our Thomas Richardson? This gets confusing for a few generations so to clarify …

Thomas Richardson I of Westmill married Margaret Silverside on June 15, 1567. How do we know when our Thomas was born? Thanks to the “Heritage Consulting. Millennium File”.  This record tells us that he was born in 1523.

thomas-richardson-i

Heritage Consulting. Millennium File. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2003. Original data: Heritage Consulting. The Millennium File. Salt Lake City, UT, USA: Heritage Consulting.

The problem is, the death date is wrong. It lists the death date of his son Thomas II. This is why it’s so hard to find accurate information when even “official” records are flawed.

Thomas Richardson married Margaret Silverside in 1567 at St. Albans Abbey.

Below is a copy of their marriage register which clearly shows they were married in 1567 on June 15th.

thomas-richardson-marriage-register

The problem with the name “Thomas Richardson” is that in this time in history there were more than a few of them in the area. This makes it very hard to figure out which one is which. That’s why when you find any sort of absolute proof of information, you have to hold onto it tightly to make sure you don’t confuse or mix up people because it’s so easy to do.

This record comes from the Hertfordshire online archives. Why it is important is because it further proves we have the right Thomas with the right wife.

First name(s) Thomas
Last name Richardson
Marriage year 1567
Marriage date 15 Jun 1567
Place St Albans, Abbey
Groom’s first name(s) Thomas
Groom’s last name Richardson
Bride’s first name(s) Margaret
Bride’s last name Silvsode
County Hertfordshire
Country England
Record set Hertfordshire Marriages
Category Birth, Marriage & Death (Parish Registers)
Subcategory Parish Marriages
Collections from England, United Kingdom

So now the question is, who is Thomas Richardson I of Westmill’s father?

 

Thomas Richardson II of Westmill

Thomas Richardson was born on March 15, 1543, in Westmill, Hertfordshire, England.  He died on March 4, 1630, also in Westmill, Hertfordshire, England.

He is not the person known as “Sir Thomas Richardson”.

He is also not the person who was buried on  December 13, 1630 at St Mary, Whitechapel, Tower Hamlets, Middlesex, England.  Although they have the same name and died in the same year, our Thomas Richardson, Thomas Richardson of Westmill II died in March, not in December. Our Thomas died in Westmill, not in Middlesex.

To avoid any confusion with other people named Thomas Richardson in my family tree, I will now refer to him as Thomas Richardson II of Westmill.

Name Thomas Richardson II of Westmill
Father Thomas Richardson I of Westmill
Mother Mary Margaret Silverside
Birth Date 15 Mar 1543
Birth Place Westmill, Hertfordshire, England
Death Date 4 Mar 1630
Death Place Westmill, Hertfordshire, England
Cemetery St. Mary the Virgin-Westmill
Burial or Cremation Place St Albans, St Albans District, Hertfordshire, England

There is a record out there stating that Thomas Richardson was buried on December 13, 1630, at St Mary, Whitechapel, Tower Hamlets, Middlesex, England. This is an official Parish register.

This is from “London, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages, and Burials, 1538-1812 – Tower Hamlets – St Mary, Whitechapel – 1558 – 1643”.

Middlesex is in modern day London. That’s about an hour’s drive from Westmill. St. Mary’s was a church in the 1600’s that was located in Whitechapel. This is a district that is now in the East End of London, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.

The document in question is referring to the St Mary Matfelon church, which was an England parish church on Whitechapel Road, in Whitechapel, London.

Horse and carriages were said to go about 3 to 4 miles per hour. This means it would have taken them 4 or 5 hours to go from Westmill to London. That’s not likely that a person who was born, got married and lived in Westmill their entire life would have gone all the way to London, 4 or 5 hours away to be buried in a church there. Therefore we can reasonably assume that the record for Thomas Richardson who was buried on  December 13, 1630, is not our Thomas Richardson II of Westmill.

____________________

Thomas Richardson II of Westmill was born in St. Albans Abbey in Westmill.  His wife was Mary Margaret Champney and together they had at least one child.

They could have had more children, and likely did but so far I’ve haven’t been able to find any information other than about their son Thomas Richardson of Standon.

His date of death on March 4, 1630, in Westmill comes from the Find a Grave listing. This, however, lists his wife as Mary Margaret Silverside which in fact is his mother.

We have a record called the Millennium File that tells us Thomas Richardson was born in 1523 in Westmill. He died in March of 1630 in Westmill and that his wife was Margaret Silverside. Thier child was Thomas Richardson.

Because this can get confusing I named  …

  • Thomas Richardson born in 1523 – Thomas Richardson I of Westmill
  • I then named his son Thomas Richardson II of Westmill.
  • I then named his son Thomas Richardson of Standon.

We next have the England, Select Births and Christenings file that tells us Thomas Richardson of Standon is the father of Samuel Richardson.

Next, we have a document telling us that Thomas Richardson married someone named Mary. Well, guess what?  That document is totally useless to us because both Thomas Richardson I and Thomas Richardson II of Westmill, both married someone named Mary.

  • Thomas Richarson I of Westmill married Mary Margaret Silverside.
  • Thomas Richarson II of Westmill married Mary Margaret Champney.

See the problem? So we have to keep going to try and figure out more family connections.

 

Ralph Richardson

Ralph Richardson was originally thought to be the son of Bedo ap Richard, who was from Wales, making him the grandson of Richard ap Hywel. That turns out not to be true.

Born in 1455 – Died 1520.

Ralph Richardson lived in the Jersey Chanel Islands.

Ralph Richardson, is presumed to have been an officer in the army of Richard III, and he came to Jersey after the King was killed at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485.

What we know of Ralph Richardson of The Channel Islands early records which state …

He must have had previous connections to Jersey because he became a tenant of the Seigneur of Rosel and is believed to have farmed 70 vergées in St Martin. There is some dispute about the timings because family tradition has it that he arrived immediately after the battle, the last significant engagement of the English Civil War, and took up farming then.

“An Account of the Island of Jersey” by Rev. Rhilip Falle in 1837 tells us that in the 1400s …

"Seigneur of Rose was slain in an assault during that siege on the eve of Corpus Christi day. The siege lasted nineteen weelts."

_______________

Going back to the Island Wiki data, it says ….

However, 19th century historian J Bertrand Payne, in his Armorial of Jersey says that Ralph took up farming in St Martin in 1507, four years after the birth of his son Thomas in England and the death of his wife.

Ralph married Jane Mychiel, daughter of John, in Jersey, but their son Thomas was born in England. He had a son, also Thomas, who stayed in England and his lineage is traced in one of the trees below. Another of Ralph’s children, Edmund, was born in Jersey, and other sons of Thomas also established families in the island. One branch moved to Guernsey, where their surname was corrupted to Reserson. The two island families were united by the marriage of Clement Richardson and Jacquine Reserson in the 18th century.

This was very much a St Martin family and the first baptism was recorded there in 1599. Although the family largely remained in the parish, it did spread into neighbouring Grouville, Trinity and St Saviour, and ultimately throughout the island, most notably in St Ouen.


 

What we learned is that Ralph Richardson is not only not related to Bedo ap Richard but also is not be the father of Thomas Richardson I of Westmill.

1 Ralph Richardson m Jane Mychiell, d of John

  • 2 Thomas Richardson
    • 3 John Richardson m Isabel Le Marquand, d of Raulin
      • 4 Nicholas Richardson (1571- )
      • 4 Jane Richardson m John Collas
    • 3 Hugh Richardson ( -1598) m Phillippine de Quetteville, d of Michael
      • 4 Nicholas Richardson m Jeanette Le Quesne, d of Richard

Ralph Richardson did in fact have a son named Thomas Richardson but not our Thomas Richardson I of Westmill.

His son’s family tree is as follows ….

1 Thomas Richardson m (1605, Gr) Jeanne Giffard, d of Richard )Thomas is possibly the son of Jean and Marie Averty, of Grouville, or Thomas and Anne Le Ray, of St Martin)

  • 2 Jeanne Richardson (1605- )
  • 2 Elizabeth Richardson (1606- )
  • 2 Richard Richardson (1609- )
  • 2 Thomas Richardson (1609- ) m Elizabeth Bree
    • 3 Jeanne Richardson (1630- )
    • 3 Marie Richardson (1634- )
    • 3 Marthe Richardson (1636- )
    • 3 Thomas Richardson (1638- )
  • 2 Noeul Richardson (1615- )

Bedo Ap Richard

There is a rule when it comes to researching your family tree and that is, just because someone says something, doesn’t make it true. What the rule should be is just because someone or 200 someone’s says something, doesn’t mean it’s true. This rule has never been more true when it comes to Bed ap Richard.

If I were to believe the hundreds of family trees on Ancestry.com and other similar sites, I would be here telling you today that Bedo Ap Richard was the father of the very first “Richardson”. His name means Bedo son of Richard ap Hywel and that he was He was born in 1430 in Glamorgan, Wales. He died in 1470.

Hundreds and hundreds of family trees have this information wrong.  Why? Because they all just accepted that the information was true because someone else said it was.

So then who is Bedo ap Richard? He was born in Mathraval. I googled that and it turns out Mathraval (also known as Mathrafal) is a castle. It was the original capital of the Princes of Powys, one of the three royal seats in Wales. The castle was destroyed in 1212. That means he couldn’t have been born in 1430, two hundred years after his birthplace was destroyed. So that tells us Bedo ap Richard was born some time before 1212.

Now I found a document that tells us who his family is. His father was in fact Richard ap Hywel. Just not the one from Glamorgan. This document comes from page 416 of the book “The Montgomeryshire Collections, Volume 8”.

So from this document, we can say for sure that the line here starts with Hywel ap Einws. This would be Bedo ap Richard’s grandfather. (Remember ap = son of).

Hywel ap Einws

Richard ap Hywel
son of Hywel ap Einws
Bedo ap Richard
son of Richard ap Hywel (Mawd Verch Ieuan Vychan)
Robert ap y Bedo
son of Bedo ap Richard – (married Jane Verch Dafydd ??)

Ieuan ap Robert
son of Robert ap y Bedo – (married Jane Verch Rhys Dafydd ??)

The document also tells us who married who. Bedo ap Richard’s son married Jane daughter of Rhys Dafydd. This makes her name Jane Verch Rhys Dafydd. (Remember Verch means daughter of like ap means son of).

At the very bottom of this document, we see that Bedo ap Richard’s son Robert’s mother was Mawd Verch Ieuan Vychan.

Bedo ap Richard is in fact son of Richard ap Hywell, not the same Richard ap Hywell who has the son Morgan ap Hywell who married Joan Button.

Bedo could also be known as Blddn or Bleddyn.

Other variations of Hywel include Hywell, or Howell or Howel.

Bedo’s wife is Mawd Verch Ieuan Fychan aka Mawd Verch Ieuan Vychan.

That means you may find documents calling him Blddn ap Richard or Bleddyn ap Richard or even Bedo ap Rich’d, which is a variation of “Richard”.

So anyone doing their family tree and want to list Ralph Richardson of the Jersey Channel Islands as having a father named Bedo ap Richard would be wrong.

Are there any other references to Bedo ap Richard in old books? Turns out there are!

In  a document called Montgomeryshire Pedigrees (page 137) it says …

Griffith ap Thomas, of Halchton, ap Llywelyn ap Madock ap David ap Evan. 

Griffith's mother was Jonet, vrch. Owen Bedo ap Rich'd ap  Howell ap Einion, of Drewern. 

Griffith ap Thomas's children were Rich'd; Edw'd; David ; Evan ; 
Catherin, who maried Tho. Lewis ap David ap Griffith; Mawd ; 
Alice ; and Catherin. Their mother was Catherin, vrch. Llewelyn ap Reynold. 

The previous document said that Bedo ap Richard’s father was Richard ap Hywel (howel) who’s father was Hywel ap Einws. This document tells us something similar.

It says Griffith’s mother was Jonet verch Owen (Jonet daughter of Owen).

Then it says Bedo ap Richard is the son of Richard ap Hywel (Howell) who is the son of Hywel ap Einion of Drewern.

Now we have two different new spellings. The first is Bedo ap Rich’d. The next is Hywel (Howell) ap Einion of Drewern.

With this new variation in his name I was about to find a Hywel ap Einion.

This led me to a new book called – “Montgomeryshire Pedigrees: Heraldic Visitations of Wales and Part of the Marches, Between the Years 1586 and 1613; Ed. with Notes by Samuel Rush Meyrick”.

This book reveals to us a new family tree of this previously mentioned Griffith.

David ap Evan

Madog ap David
Son of David ap Evan

Llyweln ap Madock (Madog)
Son of Madog ap David

Thomas ap Llywelyn
Son of Llyweln ap Madog

Griffith ap Thomas of Halchton’s
Son of Thomas ap Llyweln

montgomeryshire-pedigree

Again they reference Griffith’s mother as Jonet vrch. Owen Bedo ap Richard ap Howell ap Einion, of Drewern.

This means that his mother was Jonet verch (daughter of) Owen. Owen may be a spelling variation of Owain (just as Hywel is of Howel or Rich’d is of Richard).

What I don’t know is, does this make her Bedo ap Richard’s wife? Or is Owen Bedo ap Richard’s son?

If you recall in a previous document, where we learned about Robert ap y Bedo (son of Bedo ap Richard), we learned his wife was Mawd. So that means that this Jonet isn’t his wife. But she could be the wife of a child of Bedo or maybe the daughter of a child of Bedo?

 

 

 

John Henry Richardson

John Henry Richardson is the brother of my 2nd great-grandfather, William Alexander Richardson. He is the son of John Durk Richardson.

We know that during the 1880 US Census he was 2 years old, so that means he was about about 1878. This makes him 4 years younger than William Alexander.

This record also says that he was born in Texas, not Tennessee like so many others list.

john henry richardson - 1880

When I corrected that information on my bio is where I was able to find all my information about him.

John Henry Richardson was born on January 12, 1878 in Wise, Texas. We were able to get this information from his World War 1 Draft Registration Card.

John Henry Richardson married Lou Ella Fortner on May 4, 1897 in Smith, Texas.

He and his wife, Ella Lou (aka Lou Ella) Fortner, had quite a few number of children.  During the 1920 census we see that both he and his wife are 43. At the time they list off 7 children, however that’s not even half the story ….

  • Claude
  • Lizzie
  • Hazel
  • Lela
  • Dora
  • Fannie
  • JD
  • Dewie

In all they had at least 16 (maybe 17) children, several of which died young.

  1. Claude T (1896)
  2. Infant Son (possibly twins – Died – 1898)
  3. Anna Richardson (1899)
  4. Kendrick (1901)
  5. James Clifton (1903)
  6. Lizzie (1906)
  7. Jessie Lena (1907)
  8. Elsie (1908)
  9. Hazel Martha (1908)
  10. Infant Daughter (Died – 1910)
  11. Lela Gertrude (1910)
  12. Dora Carolina (1913)
  13. Frances Mae (1915)
  14. Fannie (1916)
  15. Jake D (1918)
  16. Dewie W (1919)

John Henry died at the age of 26 on January 17, 1924, in what today is Waurika, Oklahoma.