Richmond, John

BIOGRAPHY: There is no specific authority for the statement that he had awife before Abigail Rogers; but the inscription upon her gravestone makesher age eighty-six at her death August 1, 1727: that would fix her birthat 1641; so she would have been only thirteen years old when Mary wasborn. Deeds of the land of John Rogers show that Joseph Richmond was theson of Abigail. It is probable that John Richmond had a previous wife,who died in 1662, and that he married Abigail Rogers early in 1663.

BIOGRAPHY: That Thomas died unmarried is shown by a deed from James Reedof Middleboro, and Susanna, his wife, dated December 20, 1705, to EdwardRichmond of Taunton, of all rights, &c., in the estate of “our brotherThomas,” late of Taunton, deceased: the deed was proved April 16, 1706;also by deed from John of Taunton, dated and acknowledged February 7,1705-6, to sons Edward of Taunton, and Ebenezer of Plymouth, of the land“my son Thomas lived on.” John Richmond, on March 21,1712-13, and July16,1713, conveyed land to his son Edward.

BIOGRAPHY: John Richmond and James Walker were appointed to buy land ofIndians, 1672. He was of Town Council February 29, 1675-6, also in 1690.There is a deed of John Richmond, conveying to his son John, for £400,his house-lot and dwelling-house, “where he now dwells,” and various lotsof land. On September 28, 1671, Wm. Brenton, Jas. Walker, Wm. Harvey,Walter Deane and John Richmond bought land from Philip and his head men:the tract included: Taunton, of which the purchasers were already inpossession. October 1, 1672, there was another sale to the same parties.

BIOGRAPHY: He was Constable, member of the Town Council, Commissioner andSurveyor. His residence at “Neck of Land” was about three-quarters of amile from the “Green” or Center. He and his wife are buried there.

BIOGRAPHY: He was a distributor, in March, 1677, of £10, being Taunton''sapportionment of £363, 3s. “Irish Charity,” sent from Dublin, Ireland, in1676, “to distressed sufferers” by King Philip''s War, and apportionedamong the people of forty-seven towns. John Richmond was a member ofevery important committee in Taunton for the purchase, division andsettlement of land and other matters of public interest. He wasinterested in several extensive purchases of land from the Indians inboth Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Concerning one purchase for the townof Taunton is the following record: “On 25th May, 1680, Town voted toaccept what the committee had done, &c., concerning settlement of ourlands.” John Richmond2 took his share “on rights that was his father''s,and on rights that was Mr. Francis Doubty''s (Doughty).”

BIOGRAPHY: In a communication from John Richmond, dated Taunton, April30, 1698, addressed to Lieut.-Col. Elisha Hutchinson, Esq., Capt. SamuelLowell, Esq., and Elisha Cook, Esq., Boston, he mentions the firstpurchase of Taunton as a matter within his personal knowledge, whichshould settle that question. After referring to a dispute withBridgewater men about town boundaries, and to what his neighbor Hathawayhad said, he proceeds: --

BIOGRAPHY: “And, first, I desire it may be considered how inconsistent tojustice their sense is, for they say and sense it that although Tauntonhath the eldest grant, yet it is theirs notwithstanding, because it wasgranted before: and although it be Taunton''s by purchase from the Indiansthree times over, -- for we bought it first of Woosamequin in the year''39 or ''40 [this was in my minority], the sum paid I know not; then webought all again from Philip, and paid him sixteen pounds for it; then webought that very spot of Josiah, he claiming some land there, as appearsby his deed; then we bought that spot again, with other lands, of Maj.Bradford: he had twenty pounds more ; -- they have owned that they nevermade any purchase, yet theirs because granted,” etc.

BIOGRAPHY: This matter is also referred to in the History of BristolCounty, Mass., in the following words: --

BIOGRAPHY: “Dighton, as is well known, was once a part of Taunton. It wascalled the Taunton South Purchase, and was bought by a company of Tauntonmen of the Sachem Philip for one hundred and ninety pounds, lawful money.The land was bought in two sections and at two different times. The firstsection was stated to be three miles broad on the river, and extendedback into the woods four miles.

BIOGRAPHY: “The deed of the first section was dated the 28th day ofSeptember, 1672, and the consideration mentioned was one hundred andforty-three pounds. The land was conveyed to a committee of theassociates consisting of William Benton, Esq., William Harvey, JamesWalker2, Richard Williams, Walter Deane, George Macy, and John Richmond2,who transferred the deed, excepting their own rights, to the Rev. GeorgeShove, third minister of Taunton, and seventy-six associates orproprietors of the land. The second section purchased was on the southside of the first section, and was one mile wide on the river and fourmiles in length. The price paid for it was fortyseven pounds, and thedeed was dated Oct. 1st, 1672. It was ostensibly bought by ConstantSouthworth, treasurer of the Plymouth Colony, who immediately transferredthe deed to the committee of the associates mentioned.”