Essex County, Massachusetts was created on May 10, 1643 by the General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, when it ordered "that the whole plantation within this jurisdiction be divided into four sheires."
Sarah had been married before to Joseph Eliot. They married on September 29, 1697. Their daughter, Mercy Eliot Alton, was born in Marblehead, Massachusetts.
At the same meting october ye 8th 1722
Consideration Being had about a peace of Land that Chrispas Richards had Libery to fence in:
Whereas at ye Town Meeting May ye 16th 1722 the Town voted that Chrispas Richards should Pay six pound for ye Land hee complaining that it was moar than it was worth
Therefore the question Being asked wheither the Town would reconsider that Vot of six pound and wheither he should have the land for five pound and it Pased in the affermitive and that Chrispas Richars shall Pay to the selectmen for ye use of the town five Pounds for ye Land which is about one hundred pole.
Receive of Chrispas Richards according to ye Town Vote five Pound January ye 22th 1722/23. (Records of ye Town Meetings of Lyn, p. 42)
Esther moved to Topsfield in 1723 when she married. Crispus, Jr. died in 1730. Hannah died in 1740. Joseph moved to Southboro and died in 1748. Mary died in 1758 in Lynn.
At the town meeting of March 1, 1741/42
the body of the Town Complain they are in great want of Bulls being Kept in sd Bounderies as hath bin in years past that is to say from the Great Bridg so through the body of the Town & those near to it with the Newmans John farringtons eben Tarbox Isaac Latherbe Capt Collins Crispus Richards & so all within sd bounderys Except Squir burrill & the farmes beyond him: Therefore Voted that the Assessors shall at the time when they make the Town Rate assess Each person within sd Boundery at two shillings a Cow. . .(Records of ye Town Meetings of Lyn p. 42)
Crispus died in 1763. John died in 1768 in Lynn. Sarah died in 1774. They were buried in Lynn Cemetery.
Old Style Calendar
Before 1752 the year began on Lady Day, March 25th,. Dates between January 1st and March 24th were at the end of the year. Old Style (O.S.) and New Style (N.S.) are used to indicate whether the year has been adjusted. Often both dates are used.
The rod or perch or pole is a surveyor's tool equal to 5 1⁄2 yards.
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. Encyclopedia of British and Early American Coins
Genealogical Register of the Descendants of Several Ancient Puritans by Abner Morse
Crispus [Richards], who settled at Lynn, m. Sarah Collins;
and had,
i. Joseph, d. June 4, 1748, m. May 5, 1726, Mary Bowden.
ii. John, (?) pr. who d. prior to June 3, 1754.
iii. Richard, (?) who lived at Lynn.