Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts was first settled by English Puritans in 1629 and was first incorporated in 1631 as Saugus.
Joseph Richards was born on January 10, 1685 in Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts. His parents were John Richards and Mary Brewer.
Joseph was a Quaker and signed a letter in 1703 to Massachusetts Governor Joseph Dudley from the Quakers of Lynn who had been asked to identify themselves.
American colonists continued to use British monetary units, namely the pound, shilling and pence for which £1 (orli) equalled 20s and 1s equalled 12d. In 1792 the dollar was established as the basic unit of currency.
