An American Family History

Joseph Richards was born in 1703 in Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts. He was the son of Crispus Richards and Sarah Collins.

He married Mary Bowden on May 5, 1726. Mary Bowden (Bouden) was born on July 19, 1705. Her parents were Michael Bowden and Sarah Davis.

Joseph and Mary's children were William Richards (1730), Joseph Richards (1731), Mary Richards (1733), Ebenezer Richards (1738), Martha Richards (1740), John Richards (1742), Hannah Richards (1744), and Esther Richards Dwinnell (1744/45). His son Crispus (?) received a sheep from his grandfather’s will. Esther married Jacob Dwinnell's son, John, who served in Captain Gould's Company in the Revolution.

He died when he was about 45 years old on June 4, 1748 in Southborough, Worcester County, Massachusetts.

In 1754 their daughter, Esther Richards, was brought by her mother, in accordance with her father's wish, to live with his sister and her husband, Aaron and Esther Estey.

Mary died on May 1, 1755 in Southborough.

The Essex Antiquarian, Volume 11 edited by Sidney Perley

Michael Bowden of Marblehead married Sarah Davis of Lynn (published Nov. 20, 1697); she was his wife in 1741; bought house and land near the burying place in Lynn in 1707; innholder, 1729-1741, waterman, 1722-3; will dated Sept. 26, 1741, proved Oct. 12, 1741; estate appraised at £555, 16-s.;

children:
1. John, of Exeter, N. H., wife Huldah, joiner, 1755;
2. Sarah, married John Riddan of Marblehead (Redding—publishment) (published in Lynn Aug. 30, 1723)
3- Mary, married John (Joseph— publishment) Richards in Lynn May 5, 1726 ; and she was his widow in 1755;
4. Lydia, married Samuel Kelley of Southborough, Mass. (and afterwards of Marblehead), March 30, 1731;
5. Susannah, married Moses Newhall of Lynn, gentleman, before 1755;
6. Benjamin, lived in Lynn, 1749-1772; innholder, 1756-1757; joiner, 1761, husbandman, 1763, housewright, 1770; married Abigail Hawkins of Salem Sept. 28, 1749; child: Frances, stillborn Aug. 6, 1750, in Lynn.—Records.