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An American Family History

Joseph Richards

Settlers from Salem purchased land in an area known as Saugus from the Indians. This land originally included the towns of Swampscott, Nahant, Saugus and Lynnfield. In 1630 the land was incorporated as the Town of Saugus. The settlers changed the name to Lynn in 1637 in honor of their first official minister, Samuel Whiting, from King’s Lynn, England.

Joseph Richards was born on January 10, 1685 in Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts. His parents were John Richards and Mary Brewer.

He received 20 schillings from his father’s will. 

He died on April 18, 1745.

When the colonists arrived in America they continued to use British monetary units, namely the pound, shilling and pence for which £1 equalled 20s and 1s equalled 12d. The form lb is actually an abbreviation of the Latin word libra. li and £ were also used as abbreviations. In 1792 the dollar was established as the basic unit of currency.
Children of John Richards
and Mary Brewer
  • Mary Richards Darling Shaw
  • Captain John Richards
  • Edward Richards
  • Crispus Richards
  • Elizabeth Richards Kent
  • Joseph Richards
  • William Richards
  • Abigail Richards Collins
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    History of Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts: Including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahanty byAlonzo Lewis, James Robinson Newhall, published by J.L. Shorey, 1865

    		  
     

    The following is a copy of a letter sent to Governor Dudley, by the Quakers of Lynn. "Lynn, 22th 4 mth 1703.

    Whereas, we, the people called Quakers, of the town of Lynn, having been requested by the governor to give in a list of our names - in answer thereunto each person hath respectively signed by - himselfe."

    The signatures are, Richard Estes, Samuel Collins, William Bassett, Walter Phillips, Richard Oake, Joseph Richards, John Hood, Samuel Breed, Hugh Alley, William Bassett, Jr., John Bassett, John Collins, Jabez Jenkins, Walter Phillips,. Jr., Isaac Clark, Samuel Collins, Jr., John Estes.

    The Society of Friends began in England in the 1650s, when they broke away from the Puritans. Early Quakers were persecuted. In the Massachusetts Bay colony, Friends were banished on pain of death. Pennsylvania was founded by William Penn, as a safe place for Friends to live and practice their faith.

     

     

         

    ©Roberta Tuller 2012
    tuller.roberta@gmail.com