Amos RICHARDSON

Abt 1623 - 1683  (60 years)

• Name	Amos RICHARDSON  [1]
  Birth	Abt 1623  [1]
  Gender	Male
  Immigration	Bef 1640	Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, USA
  Fact	Between 1676 and 1681	Deputy from stonington to the Connecticut General Court   [1]
  Occupation	Merchant tailor in England, agent of Stephen Winthrop and his brother, Gov. John Winthrop
  Death	05 Aug 1683	Stonington, New London, Connecticut, USA   [2]
  Notes	Excerpt from "Amos Richardson of Boston and Stonington": There is nothing known about Amos Richardson prior to May 22, 1639. On that date he was a witness at Boston with Stephen Winthrop of a deed from Governor Winthrop to Thomas Purchase. He was born probably about 1623, as the Boston Court Archives have his affidavit when he was "aged forty years or there about." This is without date, but there was one by Mary Harmon, June 11, 1663, for the same case. The Genealogical Dictionary, by the late James Savage, says, "Amos Richardson of Boston, merchant tailor, perhaps one of that great London guild." "A man of great enterprise and good estate." A good letter from him to Fitz John Winthrop at Cardross in Scotland, written September 13, 1659, signed Amos Richardson, given to me." In some of the Winthrop family letters he is described by his Christian name only. He was closely connected with the Winthrop family for many years, acting under a power of attorney for Stephen while the latter was in England, being associated with Dean as one of the proprietors of Groton, and looking after many business matters for Mrs. Downing. He was the agent for Governor John Winthrop, the younger, and with him gave credit to Samuel Winthrop, of St. Christophers, in the West Indies. He also acted for Capt. Wait Winthrop as umpire in a mill dispute. In addition to carrying on the business of merchant tailor, he soon became a general trader throughout the colonies, and with his own vessels, to the West Indies. He acquired large tracts of land, probably as many as five thousand acres, at Stonington, New London, and in the Narragansett country. During the early history of Massachusetts there were no practicing lawyers and a number of business men acted as attorneys. It is stated that Amos Richardson was one of the three most active attorneys in the law courts during the life of the Massachusetts colony. The family name of Mary, wife of Amos Richardson, is unknown; he did not, however, have a second wife, as stated in the "Richardson Memorial.: It is probable that they were married in 1642, the year that he purchased his house and garden. Amos Richardson probably moved to Stonington, Conn., about 1663, but also retained a residence in Boston for a number of years. His name appears in the list of inhabitants of Narragansett in July, 1663, and of Wickford in May, 1668; but while he had landed interests there it is evident that he never had an actual residence in Rhode Island. The Diary of Thomas Minor notes, under June 19, 1661, that Mr. Richardson's house was raised and on June 22, 1663, that his son was to finish it that day. Amos Richardson was one of the most active members of the so-called Atherton Company later called the Narragansett Company, and he must have taken a leading part in the organization of it. Amos Richardson was not a member of the church, either in Boston or Stonington, and that is probably the reason for his not being made a freeman until May, 1665. His wife united with the First Church in Boston, December 26, 1647, when her second child, John, was 28 days of age. The celebrated John Cotton was the minister at this time, and all of her children were baptized by him, in her right. At Stonington she was an original member of the church and attended the first communion service September 10, 1674. Amos Richardson died August 5, 1683, at his residence, "Quiambog Farm," Stonington. Thomas Minor notes in his Diary: "Mr. Richardson sent for me Sabath day the fifth about one a clock in that Mr. Richardson departed this life." Also on the 17th following: "mistris Richardson made her will." His wife was appointed by his will as sole executrix, but she died early in the following month, and their sons, Stephen and Samuel, were appointed executors. Both wills were probated by the General Count in 1683. Ancestry.com: History of New London - Amos Richardson, of Stonington, died Aug. 5th, 1683 Mary, his relict, survived him but a few weeks. John, the oldest son of Mr. Richardson, was minister of the church in Newbury, Mass., where he was settled in 1674. He had two other sons, Stephen and Samuel, and a daughter, Prudence, who married, first, March 15th, 1682/3, John Hallam; second, March 17, 1702/3, Elnathan Miner. A lingering lawsuit was sustained by Mr. Richardson for several years against the town of New London to obtain possession of a house lot, formerly granted hi, which, comprising the greater portion of the Parade, (State St.,) had been assumed by the town for a highway and public square. Mr. John Plumbe was Richardson's attorney. It was at last decided that Richardson should be indemnified for his lot, out of the nearest unoccupied land that the town owned. In execution of this judgment the marshall look four pieces; one piece of ninety-six rods, being a part of the original lot and on the north side of it, the same on which the first Episcopal church was afterward erected; a lot at the corner of Main and State Streets, west side, which had hitherto been left common and unenclosed; ten rods on Mill Cove, and one hundred rods on the Beach. "These two last pieces (says the marshal's return) were prized according to law, on the Cove, one rod for two, and on the Beach, two rods for one; the four pieces containing 285 rods were delivered to Mr. Amos Richardson and accepted in full satisfaction; Feb. 13, 1681."
  Person ID	I46534	Main Tree

  
  

  Family	Mary ?   d. Sep 1683, Stonington, New London, Connecticut, USA
  Marriage	Abt 1640	England
  Children	1. Samuel RICHARDSON,   b. 18 Feb 1659, Near Boton, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts d. 21 Jan 1712, Stonington, New London, Connecticut, USA (Age 52 years)  [Birth]   2. Stephen RICHARDSON,   b. 14 Jun 1652, Boston, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts d. Abt 1694 (Age 41 years)  [Birth]   3. Sarah RICHARDSON,   b. 19 Jul 1657, Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, USA d. 1726 (Age 68 years)  [Birth]   4. Mary RICHARDSON,   b. 1644/5, Boston, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts d. Aug 1681 (Age 36 years)  [Birth]   5. John RICHARDSON,   b. 28 Oct 1647, Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, USA d. 23 Jul 1696, Newbury, Essex Co., Massachusetts (Age 48 years)  [Birth]   6. Amos RICHARDSON,   c. 20 Jan 1650   d. young  [Birth] + 7. Prudence RICHARDSON,   b. 31 Jan 1661, Stonington, New London, Connecticut, USA d. 6 Aug 1716 (Age 55 years)  [Birth]   8. Catharine RICHARDSON,   b. 06 Jan 1654/5, Boston, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts d. 23 Jul 1701 (Age 46 years)  [Birth]
  Family ID	F08933	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	14 Feb 2022

  
  

• Event Map

  Immigration - Bef 1640 - Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, USA Marriage - Abt 1640 - England  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Sources

  [S01670] Amos Richardson of Boston and Stonington by Rosell L. Richardson. [S03430] The Barbour Collection of Connecticut Town Vital Records: Stonington.