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”.

 

 

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