Richard Smith Jr. (abt. 1617 - 1690)

Born about 1617 in Husbands Bosworth, Leicestershire, England

Ancestors

Husband of Mary (Weed) Smith — married 1639 in Weathersfield, Hartford, Connecticut

Descendants

Died Jun 1690 at about age 73 in Wethersfield, Harford, Connecticut

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Rick Parrott [send private message]

Richard Smith Jr. was born in Leicestershire, England.

Biography

Richard Smith Jr born about 1617, christening 1 Jan 1616/17 in Husbands Bosworth, Leicestershire, England, son of Richard Smith and Rebecca Buswell.^{[1] [2]}

Richard jr married Mary Weed about 1639, estimated on birth 1640 of son Samuel.

Glastonbury was part of Wethersfield until 1693. In 1648 a Richard Smith came from Martha's Vineyard to Wethersfield in his own vessel. This may have been Richard's father.

In Feb 1673-4, Richard Smith Jr. was appointed ferry keeper and taverner in Wethersfield. The ferry terminus was at New London Road, on the east bank. He was to "give entertainment to strangers and travelers, in the same road, as occasion may serve." There were 3 men named Richard Smith in town, but it's generally considered our Richard was the one who ran these.

In 1672 Richard son of Richard Smith the settler lived west of the river in Wethersfield. He among 7 others living there was given 80 acres of land in Nayaug, later southern Glastonbury. He was living east of the river at the time. In 1660 in his will James Boswell (Buswell) called Richard his kinsman and gave him his 165 acres east of the river. In 1664 he bought land from James Wright's 150 acres. And in 1689 he bought John Sherman's 240 acres next to James Boswell's.

On Feb 17 1685 the town of Wethersfield received a patent from King Charles II. One of the grantees was Richard Smith, "who lived east of the river, was a man of wealth."

Richard jr died Jun 1690, Glastonbury, Hartford, Connecticut.^[3]

Probate file - Inventory value more than 1200 pounds taken 10 Apr 1691 "upon the petiton of John Strickland and RIchard Fox in behalf of their wives, daughters of Richard Smith"

Another inventory taken 2 Mar 1698 of land valued 590 pounds. ^[4]

Sources

1. ↑ "Richard Smith of Wethersfield" by Donald Lines Jacobus in "The American Genealogist" vol 25, Apr 1949 p 126"
2. ↑ "Isaac Buswell and Rebecca (Buswell) Smith of Husbands Bosworth, Co. Leicester, and New England by Neil D. Thompson". New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Jan 2004. vol 158 page 38
3. ↑ "A Digest of the early Connecticut probate records" compiled by Charles William Manwaring, vol 1 1635-1700, publ 1904, p 583-584 https://archive.org/stream/digestofearlycon01manw#page/583/mode/1up
4. ↑ "A Digest of the early Connecticut probate records" compiled by Charles William Manwaring, vol 1 1635-1700, publ 1904, p 583-584 https://archive.org/stream/digestofearlycon01manw#page/583/mode/1up

See also:

• Roderick Bissell Jones, "The English Ancestry of Richard Smith of Wethersfield," published in "New England Historical and Genealogical Register" vol 128, p 136-139

• Dr. Gale Ion Harris "The Doubtful English Ancestry of Richard Smith of Wethersfield, Connecticut," in NEHGR vol 143 p 240-246.

• https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/283722/person/114005383/facts Ancestry.com

• http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=157393644 Find-A-Grave Virtual Cemetery memorial #157393644 Updated 25 August 2021.

• Richard Smith, Jr. is executor of cousin James Buswell's 1660 will. "A Digest of the Early Connecticut Probate Records: Hartford district, 1635-1700, Vol I" edited by Charles William Manwaring; page 100 [1]

• The History of Wethersford as found at [2]

• Genealogies of Massachusetts Families Vol IV by William Richard Cutter; Page 2349

• One Life at a Time: A New World Family Narrative, 1630-1960 By R. Thomas Collins; Page 83 #60

• History of Ancient Wethersfield as found at [3] and [4] and [5] and [6]