GENERATION 12

GENERATION 11

Biography

RICHARD and REBECCA are believed to have come to Boston in 1634 on board the ship Griffin. RICHARD was a follower, and possibly a relative, of the religious dissenter Anne Hutchinson who also came on the Griffin.

RICHARD joined the Church in Boston, Aug. 2, 1634. When Anne Hutchinson was banished from Boston, RICHARD went with her to Rhode Island. He was a freeman and was granted 36 acres of land in Newport and additional land in Portsmouth. He was one of the founders of Portsmouth (Poasset).

On 7 Feb. 1639 RICHARD, while a blacksmith in Portsmouth, was accused of "oppression by way of his trade" (profiteering) and "promised amendment and satisfaction."

On 30 Apr. 1639 he signed the following:

"We whose names are underwritten, do acknowledge ourselves the legal subjects of his Majesty, King Charles, and in his name, do hereby bind ourselves into a civil body politics unto his laws, according to matters of justice."

He sold his property in Rhode Island to William Roulston in 1642, but followed Anne Hutchinson to Long Island before he received payment for the property. They lived near what is now Pelham Bay and peacefully traded with the Indians until the Pequot wars of 1643.

The local Indians stopped trading (with the settlement) and used as their excuse that they were afraid of the unconfined dogs. They said they would resume trading if the dogs were tied. This accomplished, they attacked the settlement and massacred all but one of Anne's family.

RICHARD and his family escaped by boat but RICHARD and Richard Jr. went back ashore for supplies and were killed. REBECCA and her two remaining children (REBECCA and John) made it back to Rhode Island in the small boat. In 1644 REBECCA received money from William Roulston for the property he purchased in 1642.

Some records list his place of death as Portsmouth, Newport, RI. That is likely where his wife went and may be where he was buried or where his will was proved, although I have no clear records of this.

There is also some controversy regarding the year RICHARD died. By some accounts he died in the winter of 1637-38, killed by Indians along with his son, Richard. But records of him seem to continue until the 1640's.