Josiah Richardson

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Captain Josiah Richardson (c. 1634–1695), son of Ezekiel Richardson and Susanna Unknown

Remembrance Underwood (1639–1719), daughter of William Underwood and Sarah Unknown

Captain Josiah Richardson was baptized on 7 November 1635 in Charlestown. [1][2] He died on 22 July (or June) 1695, age 61, in Chelmsford. [3, 436] He married Remembrance Underwood on 6 June 1659 in Concord. [3] Remembrance was the daughter of William and Sarah Underwood of Concord. [2]

Josiah's gravestone in Chelmsford says, "Here lies ye body of Capt. Josias Richardson aged 61 years died the 22 of July 1695." [4, 717]

Remembrance Underwood was born on 27 February 1639/40 in Concord. [2][5] She was baptised on 1: 12m: 1656, age about 15, in Chelmsford. [3, 158] She died on 20 February 1718/9, age 78, in Chelmsford. [3]

Remembrance's gravestone in Chelmford refers to her as the wife of Captain Josiah and says that she died on 20 February 1718/9 age 79 years. [4, 746]

Her father refered to Remembrance as Remembrance Richardson in his will of 14 March 1693.

Josiah and his brother James moved to Chelmsford about 1659. [2]

Josiah and Thomas Adams were chosen to lay out a highway from Chelmsford to Groton on 3 (1) 1662/3 [4, 40]

Josiah was a selectman in 1673 and from 1677 to 1689 and in 1693. Captain Josiah Richardson was a representative in 1688. He was town clerk in 1691 and 1692. [4, 754–6]

He and two other men petitioned for land on which to build a sawmill on 3 September 1669. [4, 50] The minister testified to general court that Josiah had "approved" himself to the church and that he desired to be made a freeman on 9 March 1673/4. [4, 404] He was on a 1 September 1674 list of able-bodied men in Chelmsford. [4, 90] He was on a committee to order the seating in the meeting house in 1678. [4, 47]

Sergeant Josiah Richardson was chosen captain on 29 June 1689. [4, 128]

Josiah died intestate and Remembrance was appointed administrator of his his estate on 12 March 1695/6. Inventory, amounting to £697.05.06 was presenteds on 4 September 1695. [6]

Children of Josiah Richardson: Births recorded in Chelmsford. [3]

i. Sarah Richardson was born on 25 March 1659/60. She died on 30 January 1748 in Tyngsborough. [6] Sarah, the daughter of Josiah, married William, the son of William Fletcher on 19 September 1667 in Chelmsford. [3]

ii. Mary Richardson was born on 14 April 1662. Mary, the daughter of Josiah, married Thomas Colburn on 17: 9m: 1681 in Chelmsford. [3]

iii. Lieutenant Josiah Richardson was born on 18 May 1665 in Chelmsford. He married Mercy Parish.

iv. Captain Jonathan Richardson was born on 8 October 1667. He was buried on 21 February 1753 in Chelmsford. [3] He married first Elizabeth Bates on 9 November 1692 in Chelmsford. [3] Elizabeth, the wife of Captain Jonathan, died on 9 May 1722, age 50, in Chelmsford. [3] He married second Elizabeth Howard of Charlestown or Newton on 18 May 1724 in Chelmsford. [3] She died on 22 January 1752, age about 80, and was buried two days later in Chelmsford. [3]

Jonathan made his will on 12 September 1750; it was proved on 9 April 1753. Inventory on his estate amounted to £744.17.01. [6]

v. John Richardson was born on 14 February 1669/70. He died on 13 September 1746 in Chelmsford. [3] He married Elizabeth Farwell on 31 January 1693/4 in Chelmsford. [3] She died on 13 March 1728/9 in Chelmsford. [3]

vi. Samuel Richardson was born on 21 February 1672. He died on 23 April 1754, age 81 or 82, in Chelmsford. [3] He married Rachel Howard on 27 January 1702/3 in Chelmsford. [3] She died on 26 February 1727, age about 45, in Chelmsford. [3]

Samuel's grandfather William Underwood mentions him in his will of 14 March 1693.

vii. Susanna Richardson (torn) was born on 3 September 1677. She married Henry Farwell on 23 January 1695/6 in Chelmsford. [3]

The birth record is torn and the first name of this daughter cannot be read. She is probably Susanna.

viii. Rembrance Richardson was born on 29 April 1684. She died before 1696. [6]

References

1. "The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England 1620–1633, Volumes I-III," digitized book, AmericanAncestors.org, originally published as: Robert Charles Anderson, The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England 1620-1633, 3 volumes (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1995), 1580–3.

2. "A line of Decendants of Ezekiel and Susanna (Bradford) Richardson," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 98 (1890):363–411.

3.Vital Records of Chelmsford, Massachusetts: To the End of the Year 1849 (Salem: Essex Institute, 1914). Josiah and Remembrance's marriage, Sarah's marriage, Mary's marriage, Jonathan's two marriages (the second as Capt.), John's marriage, Samuel's marriage, Susannah's marriage, pp. 305–8. Death of Josiah (Capt.), death of Remembrance (w. Capt. Josiah), death of John, death of John's wife Elizabeth (w. John), death of Jonathan (Capt.), death of Jonathan's first wife (w. Capt. Jonathan), Jonathan's second wife (no name, w. Capt. Jonathan), pp. 432–6.

4. Wilson Waters, History of Chelmsford, Massachusetts (Lowell, MA: Courier-Citizen, 1917).

5.Concord, Massachusetts: Births, Marriages, and Deaths, 1635–1850 (Concord: Beacon Press, 1895), 3.

6. Walter Goodwin Davis, Massachusetts and Maine Families in the Ancestry of Walter Goodwin Davis, vol. 3 (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1996), 224–6.

Revised 04-Jun-2023