USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Historic homes and places and genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, Volume IV > Part 67
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Josiah, born November 8, 1747, see forward. II. Loammi, born January 12, 1749-50, died young. 12. Thaddeus, born August 7, 1752, died at Stoneham, June 14, 1828; married, No- vember 2, 1780, Lydia Vinton, of South Read- ing, who died August 25, 1836. 13. Charles, born February 17, 1756, married, January 26, 1777, Anna Bruce, of Woburn.
(V) Deacon Josiah Richardson, son of Reuben Richardson (4), born at Stoneham, November 8, 1747, died at Woburn, December 28, 1795, aged forty-eight years, gravestone. Married, April II, 1776, Jerusha Brooks, born July 13, 1757, died September 12, 1842, aged eighty-five years, daughter of Benjamin and Susanna (Kendall) Brooks, of Woburn. She married (second), December 9, 1806, Eben- ezer Wade, of Woburn. Josiah Richardson, known as deacon and captain, resided in Wo- burn and was a farmer and shoemaker. His death at the age of forty-eight was caused by jaundice. He was an active, enterprising, and prosperous man. During the Revolution he belonged to Wyman's local militia company, and as such before 1777 paid his share of ex- pense towards the campaigns of five months at Ticonderoga and two months at New York, but it is doubtful whether he served then in person. There were so many men of his name from 1775 to 1781 in Woburn that it is diffi- cult to assign to him his due service. Besides, when he was married in 1776, he was called of Stoneham. Therefore it was he (Josiah of Stoneham) who was a private in Captain Sam- uel Sprague's (Stoneham) company, which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775, the
length of service not recorded. He was taxed in the Woburn east list from 1776 to 1782, and in the west list 1783. On November 17, 1777, the Woburn First Church records (page 30) state: "Received the dismission and recom- mendation of Mr. Josiah Richardson, from Stoneham." Of this church he was a deacon from 1789. He was prominent in Woburn at the time of Shay's Rebellion in 1786, when the troops in this vicinity were instructed to hold themselves in readiness for immediate service. His offices in the local militia at that period were those of lieutenant, 1782-1784, and captain, 1784 to 1787, when he resigned. Through the carefulness of members of his family a number of interesting papers regard- ing his period of service are extant. On Sep- tember 10, 1786, his company was ordered out to be marched to Woburn meeting house in the old parish at 8 A. M. of the following morning to await further orders. At midnight these orders were countermanded. On Octo- ber 28, 1786, they received their orders to march to Cambridge. On October 31 follow- ing they were, after certain delays, at length marched to Cambridge to protect with many others soldiers the courts assembled there. He carefully preserved the names of all those who marched with him. The excitement did not end till February, 1787. As captain he was on duty five days, September 5 to 10, 1786 ; eight days, from January 10 to 18, 1787; and three days; from February 5 to 8, 1787. His pay was 5s. 4d. per day; rations extra. He re- signed his office as captain and his resignation was accepted October 2, 1787. We have paid a little more attention to this matter, because this was a more critical time than persons of the present day might realize. It was really an outbreak of the general populace, aggravat- ed by the poverty which was general after the revolution, and by the pressure of creditors who pursued their debtors, mostly of the farm- ing class, for their debts in the courts. The opposition of the people was directed against the courts at law, and mobs of ex-Revolution- ary soldiers attacked the courts in person. Woburn had a number of these disaffected persons, but through the influence of about thirty influential citizens nothing was foolish- ly done in this town. When soldiers were needed they cheerfully responded. The troops which the state now assembled passed under the name of militia. They were an army of veterans. Scarcely an officer of theirs but had seen service in the late war, and even the greenest in the ranks had seen something of battles and sieges. The historian McMaster
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says, "Some had lined the fences on that mem- orable day when the British were driven out of Lexington town." And such was. the case of Josiah Richardson. In his will calling him- self gentleman, he names his wife Jerusha, and his inventory (1796) mentions that his homestead estate (the house then new) was purchased of Joseph Brooks. He also owned another estate which he purchased of James Locke, and a reversion of one-half of his grandmother, Widow Susanna Johnson, dow- er, which he purchased also of the above Jo- seph Brooks. His residence was demolished a few years since. Children : I. Jerusha, born May 4, 1777, died August 27, 1778. 2. Josiah, born May 8, 1780, see forward. 3. Benjamin Brooks, born August II, 1783, died February 27, 1867; married (first), May 21, 1807, Sarah Bond Davis, of Woburn, who died May 6, 1815; married (second), January 3, 1822, Abigail Cushing, of Haverhill. 4. Lem- uel, born September 2, 1785, died February 12, 1852; married, April 11, 18II, Nancy Rich- ardson, of Woburn. 5. Amasa, born May 30, 1790, died March 6, 1792. 6. Clarissa, born October 12, 1794, married, June 27, 1817, John Lovering; resided at Deering, New Hampshire.
(VI) Josiah Richardson, son of Josiah Richardson (5), born at Woburn, May 8, 1780, died there June 17, 1850, aged eighty years. Married, June 26, 1804, Hannah Brooks, born June 30, 1781, died June 26, 1870, aged eighty- nine years, daughter of Nathaniel and Esther (Wyman) Brooks, of Woburn. Captain Jo- siah Richardson was a prosperous farmer, and passed his life in Woburn on the estate which belonged to his father. He was called in his earlier life Josiah Richardson, third, and in 1802 was first sergeant of Captain Benjamin F. Baldwin's company of the Woburn militia. His warrant as sergeant was dated August 25, 1801 ; his commission as ensign, April 1, 1803 ; as lieutenant, November 10, 1806; and as cap- tain March 25, 1808, all of the East company in Woburn. His resignation as captain was dated March 15, 1809. He was called captain, however, until the day of his death. His landed estate which embraced a large tract in the center of Woburn has since his death been divided into house lots and is now covered by many houses. Children: I. Josiah Mandle- bert, born July 16, 1805, died August 1. 1809. 2. Amasa Edwin, born September 30, 1806, died September 30, 1807. 3. Edwin, born July 26, 1808, died June 8, 1891; married, April 17, 1837, Lucy Griswold. 4. Hannah Maria, born November 26, 1810, died at Win-
chester, October 16, 1902; married, July IO, 1834, Harrison Parker, resided at Winchester. 5. Josiah Mandlebert, born April 8, 1812, died September 2, 1843, aged thirty-one years. He met his death by wounds received at a fire in Woburn. A chimney fell on him and in spite of terrible injuries he lived for some time and died as above. The members of the fire company to which he belonged erected a monument over his grave. He married, No- vember II, 1838, Sofiah Baker, of Temple, Maine; she married (second) Luther Tidd, of Georgetown, and died August 27, 1850, aged thirty-three years. 6. Henry Harrison, born May 18, 1814, died December 22, 1897, aged eighty-four years, unmarried. 7. Child, born July 27, 1816, died August 17, 1816. 8. John Gardner, born July 29, 1817, died April 18, 1888; married (first), January 4, 1852, Mrs. Almira Francis (Nichols). French, of Bedford, who died June 19, 1858; married (second), Olive Q. White, of Deering, New Hampshire. 9. Clarissa, born February II, 1821, died Au- gust 10, 1896; married, March 30, 1869, Eben- ezer Parker, of Woburn. 10. Esther Wyman, born January 12, 1823, died December 17, 1825. II. Reuben Brooks, born September 15, 1824, see forward.
(VII) Reuben Brooks Richardson, son of Captain Josiah Richardson (6), born at Wo- burn, September 15, 1824, died at Rochester, Massachusetts, while on a visit there, Febru- ary I, 1904, aged seventy-nine years. Mar- ried (first), July 10, 1851, Abby Francis McIntire, born July 15, 1831, died April I, 1883, aged fifty-one years, eight months, daughter of Caleb and Abigail (Fowle) McIntire, of Reading; married (second), February 28, 1890, Mrs. Rosalie (Weld) Clapp, daughter of Addison and Harriett (Foster) Weld, and widow of Edwin M. Clapp. Reuben Brooks Richardson was edu- cated in the common schools and at the War- ren Academy in Woburn. He then became an apprentice to Warren Parker Fox, of Woburn, and learned the trade of tanning and currying. After serving his apprenticeship he remained several years with Mr. Fox as a journeyman. Later he entered the employ of Harrison Parker, his brother-in-law, at the corner of Portland and Traverse streets, Boston, in the manufacture of veneers. He remained here about five years, and then formed a partnership with Joel M. Howard, under the firm name of Richardson, Howard & Co., and manufactured veneers at 5 and 6 Charlestown street, Boston. He purchased mahogany, rosewood and other hard woods in the New York markets, and dis-
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posed of the veneers mostly to piano manufac- turers. The firm also manufactured drawer knobs for the furniture trade. Mr. Howard having died, Mr. Richardson purchased his partner's interest and continued the business under the same firm name until about 1876, when on account of the restricted use of veneers in the trade he closed up the business, and sometime later became a partner of the Jewett Piano Company of Leominster, Mas- sachusetts, taking charge of their warerooms in Boston, at the corner of Washington street and Hayward place. After about five years connection with this concern he withdrew, and dealt successfully in pianos on his own ac- count. In this business he associated with himself Mr. Edwin M. Clapp, a piano dealer, though each continued selling separately in their own name. He retired from this busi- ness in the early eighteen hundred and nineties and removed his residence to Emerson street, Melrose, Massachusetts, where he remained several years. Later he bought a summer place at Hubbardston, Massachusetts, and there he lived until his death.
At Woburn, about 1871, he built a mansion house on Fowle street, which he still called by his name. He was a man of upright, sterling integrity, fair in all things, of excellent judg- ment, very quiet in his tastes and habits, and possessed a host of friends. At Woburn hè was an attendant and member of the First Con- gregational Church, and at Hubbardston was deacon of the Congregational church. In poli- tics he was a Republican. He was a worthy representative socially and morally of a line of ancestors who have been prominent in his na- tive town of Woburn from the period of its first settlement. None knew him but to praise him, for he performed his part well. Children : I. Clara Maria, born August 31, 1854, died at Melrose, March 15, 1893. 2. Frank Brooks, born in Woburn, March 6, 1859, see forward. (VIII) Frank Brooks Richardson, son of Reuben Brooks (7), and Abby F. (McIntire)" Richardson, was born at Woburn, March 6, 1859. Married, June 26, 1884, Caroline Eliz- abeth, born September 5, 1859, daughter of Gawin Riddle and Caroline (Abbott) Gage, of Woburn. At the age of four Mr. Richardson removed with his parents from Woburn to Charlestown, and two years afterward to the neighboring city of Boston, where he resided with his parents until his thirteenth year, when he again removed with them to Woburn, where he has since resided. In Boston he attended the Dwight school for boys, and in Woburn the high school, where he was graduated in
1876. He then entered Amherst College, whence he graduated with the degree of A. B. in 1880. He then became a teacher in the Woburn public school, first in the Cummings- ville grammar school, and second at the Mont- vale grammar school and third in the Cum- mings grammar school. After completing five years of teaching in Woburn, he was elected superintendent of Woburn public school sys- tem, which position he held for eleven years. He then accepted the position of dean of Bur- dett College, a commercial institution in Bos- ton, where he remained until 1905, when he severed his connection and associated himself with the Teel Manufacturing Company of Medford, Massachusetts, builders of wagons and automobiles. His residence in Woburn is 'a house which he built for himself on Misha- wum Road. In Woburn Mr. Richardson has been called to fill many offices. As a member of the First Congregational Church he has served on his parish committee and as treas- urer, and also as superintendent of the Sab- bath School. He has also served as one of the school committee and as a trustee of the Wo- burn Public Library. In political matters he is a member of the Republican party, and al- though elected a delegate to the party con- ventions, has generally refused to serve. He has been a director of the local Young Men's Christian Association, of the Innitou Canoe Club, of the Towanda Club, of which he was president two years, a member of the board of trustees of the Woburn Five Cent Savings Bank, a trustee of Warren Academy, and or- ganized the Warren Academy Free Industrial School, which has been remarkably successful. Children: I. Ruth Gage, born November 2, 1885. 2. Theodora, July · 4, 1887.
Ezekiel Richardson, im- RICHARDSON migrant ancestor, was the first of the brothers who became founders of the town of Woburn, Massachusetts, to find a home in New Eng- land. He came in 1630 and was doubtless the first settler of this surname, and he and his wife Susanna became members of the First Church of Charlestown, August 27, 1630, which later became the First Church of Boston, and both were dismissed from it with thirty-three others October 14, 1632, to the present First Church of Charlestown, gathered on November 2, following. He was admitted a freeman May 18, 1631. Soonafter his arrival he located in Charlestown and suffered the extreme hardships of the first settlers. He
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was a leader among the people of the settle- ment. In 1633 he was appointed constable; was elected by the town to important special committees, and was elected selectman Feb- ruary I0, 1634-35, also in 1637-38-39; was deputy to the general court in 1634-35. In 1637 a lot of land was granted to him on the Mystic side (Malden). He followed Ann Hutchinson and Rev. John Wheelwright in the Antinomian controversy of 1637, as did also most of the members of the Boston church, and was one of the eighty or more persons who signed the Remonstrance in Mr. Wheelwright's favor to the general court, March 9, 1637, but in November he and sev- eral others desired that their names might be erased from the Remonstrance, which the court had declared to be of seditious tenden- cy, and escaped the penalty of disarming in- flicted on most of the signers. In May, 1640, he was sent with Edward Johnson, Edward Convers and others to explore the grant of land at what was later called Woburn, and these three with John Mousall, Thomas Graves, and Ezekiel's brother Samuel and Thomas Richardson, were made a committee by the town of Charlestown to establish a new town and church. The town was incor- porated September, 1642, and named Wo- burn. Three of the seven persons constituting the Woburn Church, August 14, 1642, were the three Richardson brothers. They lived on the same street, still known as Richardson Row. It is in the present town of Winches- ter and little to the north and east of the vil- lage and now forming part of Washington street. Ezekiel lived half a mile north of the present village of Winchester. At the first election of town officers he was chosen a sel- ectman, April 13, 1644, and again in 1645-46- 47. He was a commissioner to end small causes at Woburn, appointed by the general court; was on the commitee to lay out the road to Cambridge. He died in the prime of life, October 21, 1647, in Woburn. His will is dated July 20, 1647, proved June 1, 1648. His widow Susanna married Henry Brooks, of Woburn, and she died September 15, 1681. Children of Ezekiel Richardson: I. Phebe, born in Boston, baptized June 3, 1632, mar- ried Henry Baldwin. 2. Theophilus, bap- tized in Charlestown, December 22, 1633, married Mary Champney. 3. Josiah, bap- tized in Charlestown, November 7, 1635, mentioned below. 4. John, baptized in Charlestown, July 21, 1638, died January 7, 1642-43. 5. Jonathan, baptized in Charles- town, July 11, 1641, married Bridget Hench-
man. 6. Ruth, born at Woburn, August 23, 1643, died September 7, 1643.
(II) Josiah Richardson, son of Ezekiel Richardson (I), was born in Charlestown, 1635, and baptized there November 7. Mar-' ried, June 6, 1659, Remembrance Under- wood, born at Concord, February 25, 1639- 40, daughter of William and Sarah Under- wood. In 1659 he and his brother, James Richardson, settled in the adjoining town of Chelmsford. His father-in-law was one of the pioneers of that town in 1654. It was in- corporated May 29, 1655. Josiah was elect- ed fence viewer in 1659; was one of a com- mittee to lay out the road to Groton; was admitted a freeman March II, 1673-74; con- stable in 1667; selectman from 1668 to 1673, from 1673 to 1677, from 1677 to 1679, from 1679 to 1680 inclusive and in 1694, a total of fourteen years. ' He was town clerk four years, 1690 to 1694; captain of the military company of the town. With Major Thomas Henchman and William Fletcher he erected the second saw mill built in the town and they cut timber for the mill on any of the common lands. He died intestate June 22, 1695. His estate amounted to nearly seven in hundred pounds. Children, all born Chelmsford: I. Sarah, born March 25, 1659-60, married William Fletcher. 2. Mary, born April 14, 1662, married Thomas Co- burn. 3. Josiah, born May 18, 1665, men- tioned below. 4. Jonathan, born October 8, 1667, married Elizabeth Bates. 5. John, born February 14, 1669-70, married Elizabeth Farwell. 6. Samuel, born February 21, 1672-73, married Rachel Howard. 7. Re- membrance, born April 20, 1674. 8. Susan- na, married Henry Farwell.
(III) Lieutenant Josiah Richardson, son of Josiah Richardson (2), was born in Chelms- ford, May 18, 1665. Married, December 14, 1687, Mercy Parish; of Dunstable, Massa- chusetts, daughter of Robert and Elizabeth (Blanchard) Parish, of Groton. His house was near the Concord river, Chelmsford. He was a farmer; lieutenant of the military com- pany; selectman; town clerk 1693 and 1694. He died intestate October 17, 1711, and his son Josiah was appointed administrator No- vember 21. 17II. His widow Mercy died April 25, 1743. Children: 1. Mercy, born January 9, 1688-89, married Ephraim Hil- dreth. 2. Josiah, born May 5, 1691, married (first) Lydia and (second) Elizabeth
French. 3. Robert, born October 2, 1693, married Deborah 4. Zachariah, born February. 1695-96, married Sarah But-
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terfield. 5. Hannah, born September 28, 1698. 6. William, born September 19, 1701, married Elizabeth Colburn.
(IV) Captain William Richardson, son of Josiah Richardson (3), was born in Chelms- ford, September 19, 1701. Married, about 1722, Elizabeth Coburn (or Colburn), daugh- ter of Daniel and Sarah Coburn, of Dracut. He settled in Pelham, New Hampshire, in 1722, the year of his marriage, and cultivated a farm there. Pelham was part of Dracut, Massachusetts, separted from it in 1741 when by order of the privy council of England six- teen towns were taken from Massachusetts and annexed to New Hampshire. Richard- son was for many years captain of the militia company and representative to the general court of the province. His will is dated April I, 1776; proved November 7, 1776, soon after his death. Children, born at Pelham, record- ed at Dracut: I. Elizabeth, born July 27, 1724, married Captain Joseph Butterfield. 2. Abner. 3. Mary, born April 18, 1828, mar- ried Captain Reuben Butterfield. 4. Wil- liam, born January 1730-31, was an ensign under Captain John Hazen in 1758. 5. Mer- cy, born June 17, 1736, married Jacob Fletcher. 6. Asa, born February 23, 1738. 7. Sarah, born February 23, 1741-42, mar- ried Benjamin Gage. 8. Hannah, born March 8, 1746-47, married August 4, 1763, Lieutenant. Timothy Spaulding; (second), November 12, 1795, Joseph Jewett, of West- ford. 9. Daniel, born March II, 1749, men- tioned below.
(V) Captain Daniel Richardson, son of William Richardson (4), was born in Pelham, New Hampshire, formerly part of Dracut, Massachusetts, March II, 1749. Married, January 26, 1773, Sarah Merchant, of Boston, born 1748. He was prepared to enter col- lege, but settled instead on a farm in Pelham, part of which belonged to his father. He was a soldier in the Revolution from 1777 to 1780; was in the battle of Monmouth, June 28, 1778, and took part in the expedition of General Sul- livan into the Indian country in the summer of 1779, marching as far west as the Genesee river. After his return home he became cap- tain of the militia company at Pelham. He was pensioned under the act of Congress passed in 1832. He died May 23, 1833, aged eighty-four years. Children: I. William Merchant, born January 4, 1774, married Betsey Smith. 2. Samuel Mather, born Jan- uary 12, 1776, married (first) Abigail Spof- ford; (second) Hannah H. Greeley. 3. . Dan-
iel, born January 19, 1783, mentioned below. There were no daughters.
(VI) Hon. Daniel Richardson, son of Dan- iel Richardson (5), was born in Pelham, Jan- uary 19, 1783. Married (first), at Chelms- ford, April 2, 1816, Mary Adams, born Jan- uary 4, 1788, the second daughter of William and Mary (Roby) Adams, of Chelmsford. She died August 1, 1825. He married (second) her sister, Hannah Adams, born July 14, 1803, the fourth daughter. William Adams, son of Benjamin Adams, grandson of Joseph Adams, of Chelmsford, and great-grandson of Samuel Adams who was born in England, 1617, settled in Chelmsford in 1654 and with his brother built the first mill at the falls where is now the city of Lowell. Samuel's father was the immigrant Henry (See sketch of Adams family). William Adams joined the Revolutionary army at the age of sixteen (1778) and served in the campaigns, in the second of which he was stationed at West Point and saw the execution of Andre, Octo- ber 2, 1780. Daniel Richardson studied law at Groton probably under Hon. Samuel Dana. He settled in Tyngsborough, Mass- achusetts, where he practiced law with much success. He was postmaster there for thirty- five years; selectman in 1817; representative to the general court two terms; state sena- tor two years and was honored by his towns- men with many offices of trust. He died February 12, 1842, aged fifty-nine years. Chil- dren of Daniel and Mary, born at Tyngsbor- ough: I. Daniel Samuel, mentioned below. 2. William Adams, born November 2, 1821, mentioned below. Child of Daniel and Han- nah Richardson: 3. George Francis, born December 6, 1829, mentioned below.
(VII) Daniel Samuel Richardson, son of Daniel Richardson (6), was born at Tyngs- borough, December 1, 1816. Married (first), May II, 1843, Isabella Aiken, daughter of Samuel and Nancy (Marston) Aiken, of Chester, New Hampshire; (second), June 22, 1852, Anna B. Sawyer, of Bolton. He grad- uated at Harvard College in 1836; studied law in the Harvard Law School and received his degree there in 1639 and beginning immediately the practice of his profes- sion in Lowell, Massachusetts. He be- came one of the leading lawyers of the county, a prominent man in all the walks of life. He was representative to the general court from Lowell three years and state senator one term; president of the Low- ell common council two years; an alderman
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one year; judge advocate of the second divi- sion of the Massachusetts volunteer militia six years; chairman of the board of county commissioners for Middlesex county in 1850 and several other years. Child of Daniel S. and Isabella Richardson : Mary Adams. Chil- dren of Daniel S. and Anna B. Richardson : Anne, born June 23, 1857. Daniel M.
(VII) William Adams Richardson, son of Hon. Daniel Richardson (6), was born at Tyngsborough, November 2, 1821. Married, October 29, 1849, Anna Maria Marston, daughter of Jonathan Marston, of Machias- port, Maine. He prepared for college at Lawrence Academy, Groton, Massachusetts, and was graduated at Harvard College in 1843; studied law at the Harvard Law School and received the degrees of Master of Arts and Bachelor of Laws in 1846 .. He entered at once upon the practice of law and that same year was appointed judge advocate of a division of the state militia, an office he held four years. He was admitted to the Suffolk bar on motion of Hon. John A. Andrew, af- terward the war governor of Massachusetts, July 8, 1848. He was aide-de-camp in 1850 to Governor Briggs. He became a law part- ner of his elder brother, Hon. Daniel S. Richardson, resided in Lowell, and main- tained his association with his brother through a long, arduous and successful ca- reer as a lawyer. In 1849 he was elected to the Lowell common council, also in 1853 and 1854, and became president of the body. In 1853 he was one of the organizers and incor- porators of the Lowell Five Cents Savings Bank, and through his active life was a mem- ber of the board of trustees and the finance committee. He was a director of the Wam- esit Bank, from 1850 to 1867, and with the exception of that period from October, 1853, to 1869, he was director of the Appleton Bank of Lowell. He held the important office of president of the Middlesex Mechanics' Asso- ciation for two years, and exercised a con- trolling influence in thoroughly re-organizing that influential institution. In 1855 he was appointed on a commission with Hon. Joel Parker and Andrew A. Richmond to revise the general statutes of the Commonwealth, a difficult and laborious task lasting four years and resulting in the "General Statutes of Massachusetts" enacted in 1859. The successful accomplishment of such a work in- volving the harmonious adjustment of a mass of material so complicated, can only be ap- preciated by an experienced professional mind. The fidelity and ability of Mr. Rich-
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