The Richardsons of West Mill, Herts, England, and Woburn in New England

CS 71
.R52
1903
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Class _(LlZl—
Book > K S 2>

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SUPPLEMENT.

lltct)artison ^nceotr^i.

WATKINS.

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A VIEW OF WEST MILL. HERTS.

ST MARY'S CHURCH, WEST MILL, HERTS.

ST. MARY'S CHURCH, STANDON HERTS.

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THE RICHARDSONS ^j-i-

7S^<^

OF

WEST MILL, HERTS, ENGLAND,

AND

WOBURN IN NEW ENGLAND.

WALTER KENDALL WATKINS.

BOSTON
1903.

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FReprinted from the New-England Historical and Genealogical Register for July, 1903.]

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PRESS OF David Clapp & Son.

SOME EARLY EMIGRANTS FROM HERTS, ENGLAND.

'- As early as 1628, religious disturbances were frequent in the county of
Herts. The feeling is plainly shown in the incident of affixing, on the
church door at Hemel Hampstead, a place seven miles west of St. Albans,
the letter against forms of worship, etc., mentioned in the Register, ante,
Vol. 55, page 298.

In 1627, Charles Chauncey, afterwards President of Harvard College,
became Vicar of Ware, twelve miles east of St. Albans, where he was soon
involved with the authorities by his preachings, and was charged by
the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, 10 Apr., 1630, with " omission of the
Athanasius Creed, the Lesson from the Old Testament, the Litany, the
surplice, the cross in Baptism and the Exhortation in Matrimony."

His speeches were in praise of the Puritans, and disparagement of the
church's authority ; in anticipation of changes between church and state, and
of his assertions " that some families were preparing to go to New England."

Chauncey made answer to his accusers, and proceedings were stopped
till 23 June, 1634, when he was again summoned — having been for a year
or more at Marston St. Lawrence, Northamptonshire — and his trial before
the High Commission was continued.

At Lambeth Palace, 19 Nov., 1635, he was found guilty of opposing the
setting up of a rail, with a kneeling bench affixed, about the communion
table in the church at Ware, where he had returned to preach. He pleaded
that there was a rail at Marston St. Lawrence, and some twenty church-
wardens and parishoners testified to this fact ; besides, seven clergymen
witnessed to his being a diligent student of theology. Several of the clergy
complained of his mode of preaching and administering the communion,
also that strangers from other parishes frequented his Sunday afternoon
meetings at Marston.

11 Feb., 1635-6, he made his submisssion, in regard to his visit to Ware,
to the High Court. Under date of 12 June, 1637, Dr. Samuel Clark wrote
of him, to Sir John Lamb, an official of the Archdeacon of Buckingham,
" Mr. Chauncey, whom you lately corrected in the High Commission, mends
like sour ale in summer. He held a fast on Wednesday last, and, as I am
informed, he with another preached some six or eight hours. The whole
tribe of God flocked thither, some threescore from Northampton ; the Lord
Say with his lady, honored them with their presence. The end was, as I
am told, to join in prayer that God would deliver his servants from perse-
cution." This prayer was answered in the case of Chauncey, and many
others, by tlieir emigration to New England in the winter of 1637.

We have alluded to the religious excitement at Hemel Hampstead, and
the probability that Rev. Robert Fordham was responsible for giving the
town of Hempstead, Long Island, its name, and applying the name oj

Littleworth, which is a villasje two miles from Bedford, Herts, to a locality
on Long Island, sitnated, as 1 am inform ed by Mr. William Wallace Tooker,
the local authority, between Water Mill Post office and Southampton Vil-
lage. Littleworth was frequently mentioned in old records, but is now
seldom heard.

It was at Sacomb, four miles north-west from Ware, that Philip Ford-
ham, father of Rev. Robert Fordham, lived. The latter was born in 1603,
was admitted to Cains College, Cambridge, 3 July, 1622, at the age of
nineteen, matriculated 1623, and received his degree of B.A. in 1625, and
M.A. in 1629. It is likely that Robert Fordham was active in the religious
excitement attendant on the incident at Hemel Hampstead in 1628, and the
events in which Chauncey was prominent in Herts, as it was not till 1640
that he came to New England, and was at Sudbury. (See Register,
Vol. 2, p. 163.)

Religious persecution was not the only factor in driving the people of
Herts to other jiarts. It was necessary, in 1632 and succeeding years, for
the justices of the peace for the county to take measures for the relief of
the poor, the country being over-populated, and it was with difficulty that
the poor obtained employment and food.

It was, however, the ship money tax, first designed in June, 1634, and
to which I have alluded in other communications to the Register, that in
the succeeding four years was a cause for the emigration to New England
of many of the people in Herts.

In 1637 it was reported by the tax collector that Thomas Welsh, of Bish-
op Stortford, had gone to New England. The town is about ten miles
east of Ware, and AVelsh appeared at Milford, Conn., in 1639.

Richard Miles, of Wormley, was reported as " gone into New England."
He appeared in Milford in 1639. Wormley is six miles south of Ware.

William Fowler of Powlett, Stevenage, was taxed for his lands in Pot-
ter's Fields, and to avoid the tax he fled, and was in Milford in 1639.
Stevenage is ten miles north-west of Ware, and seven miles from Sacomb.
Edmund Tapps, of Bennington, went to New England, and appeared
with the others at Milford in 1639. Bennington is eight miles north-west
of v\ are.

From Royston, sixteen miles north of Ware, Richard Parker went to
New England, and one of the name appears in Boston in 1638.

Eight miles north of Ware is West Mill, a parish with a station on a
branch railway terminating at Buntingford.

Francis Wyman, of AVest Mill, made his will, 15 Sept., 1658, which wag
proved 14 Feb., following. In it he left bequests to his two sons, Francis
and .lohn Wyman, " which are beyond the seas." (See Register, Vol. 43,
p. 56.) The sons were in AYoburn in 1640. A reference to the parish
register of West Mill, which begins with baptisms in 1550, marriages iu
1562, and burials in 1565, gives the following items:

1617," Francis Wimant and Elizabeth Rielianlson wuare niaried 1 " May."
Baptized in 1618, "Thomas y*" soune of Francis Wyniant 5 AiJrilis."
1619, " Francis ye sonn of Francis Wymant Bapt 24 of Feb^"
1621, "John Ihr sonui; of Frnncis AViuiant ]m]ttisi'd PVl). 3."
1623[4], " Richard the sorine of Fr.uicis Wymant baptised 14"' of March."
1626, " EliziilK'th y*" daughter of Francis Wyniant baj.t ]\Iar. 26."
1628, "William tlie sonne of Francis Wymant was Bapt the 31*'' of Aug."
1630, " Elizabeth y« wife of Francis Wymant buryed June y*' 22."
1630, " AVilliam, the sonne of Francis AW'inaut buryed July the xviii."

Of Richardson items in the records, there are :

Thomas Richardson of Standon and Katherine Duxford of West mill
were married 24 Aug. 1590.

Elizabeth y^ daughter to Thomas Richardson baptized 13 Jan. 1593.
John son to Thomas Richardson baptized 7 Nov. 1596.
James, y'' sonne of Thomas Richardson baptized 6 Apr. 1600.
Samuel y® sonne of Thomas Richardson baptized 22 Dec. 1602 [or 1604],
Margaret ye daughter of Thomas Richardson baptized 19 April 1607.
Thomas ye sonne of Thomas Richardson baptized 3 July 1608.

Catherine the wife of Thomas Richardson buryed the x*** of March 1631.
Thomas Richardson was bui*yed the viii daye of January 1633.

It would naturally be supposed that the will of Thomas Richardson would
be found in the Commissary Court of Essex and Hertfordshire, but the
Archdeaconry Court of Huntingdon, or that portion in the Hitchin Reg-
istry, had jurisdiction over part of Hertfordshire, and included 77 parishes.

The original will of Thomas Richardson of West Mill, Herts, found at
Hitchin, reads : .

March the 4'^'^ Ano domini 1630. In the name of God Amen I Thomas )

Richardson of Westmill in the County of Herts, husbandman, being sick /

in bodye but of good an perfect memory thanks be to God doe make and
ordeyne this my laste will in manner and forme following, firste. I bequeath
my soull unto the hands of God my maker and Redeemer by whose merits
I only truste to be saved, and my body to be buryed in the i^lace of Chris-
tian buryall and Touchinge my temporall goods I doe dispose of them as
followeth.

First. I gyve unto Katherine my wife duringe the tearme of her natu-
rall life my littell close of pastm-e called little hunnymeade cont half an
acre and after her decease I give the same to my sonn Samuell and his
heyers for ever.

Item. I give to my sonn John forty^ shillings to be payed to him within
the space of three yeares next ensueing the decease of me and Katherine
my now wife by my executor.

Item. I give to my sonn James Twelve pence.

Item. I give to my sonn Thomas three pounds to be payed to him with-
in the space of fyve yeares next ensueing the decease of me and Kathy-
rine my now wife.

Item. I gyve unto Katherine my wife all my movable goods to use for
and during the terme of her life and after her decease I gyve the same
unto my sonn Samuel whom I doe ordeyne and make my sole executor.
In Witness whereof I have sett my hand and Seal the daye and yeare
above sayd.

Sealed and declared vSig™ Thomas

in the presence of us [mark] Richardson

Richard Baker.

Philip Baker,
proved 31 July 1634 at Hitchin presented by son Samuel Richardson."

The three brothers, Ezekiel, Samuel and Thomas Richardson, are known
as such by the will of Ezekiel, who names the other two as his brothers.

Ezekiel, evidently the oldest, was the first to come to New England, and
was a planter in Charlestown in 1630. His departure previous to the
making of the will, perhaps against his father's wishes, or possibly having
received his share of his father's small estate, maj' account for the name of

Ezekiel not appearing in the will. His baptism is not found at "West
Mill, as are the baptisms of Samuel and Thomas.

Ezekiel probably came with Winthrop, he and his wife becoming mem-
bers of the Charlestown church, 27 Aug., 1630.

Thomas Richardson, baptized at West mill, 3 July, 1608, had wife Mary,
who joined the Charlestown church, 21 Feb., 1635-6, and he joined, 18
Feb., 1637-8.

Samuel presented the will of his father for probate ^t Ilitchin, England,
31 July, 1634. He had previously married ; and had baptized, at West
Mill, a son Samuel, 3 July, 1633, and a daughter Elizabeth, 22 May, 1635.

Samuel Richardson's name does not appear in the Tithe Book of West
Mill after 1635. Against Over Green, where he (and also his father,
Thomas) lived, is written " none." It was, therefore, after that date he
and his brother Thomas sailed for New England, with their families ; and
we find, on 1 July, 1636, the brothers were on a committee to lay out lots
of land in Charlestown, for hay. There is no record of the birth or bap-
tism of a daughter Elizabeth to Samuel in Woburn, but the will of his
wife Joanna, in 1666, mentions a daughter Elizabeth, who was probably
the one baptized at West Mill, 22 May, 1635.

Doubtless the register of the parish of Standon, which is but a few
miles south of West Mill, would, if it existed, give further particulars of
the Richardsons, or at least of Thomas who married in 1590 ; but the ear-
liest entry to be found is 1671. Braughing, just east of West Mill, has
a register which begins in 1563, but it gives no items of the Richardson
name. Great and Little Hormead, north-east of West Mill, was the
home of some of the Wymans in the past, but there are no traces of
the Richardsons there. Just east of this locality is the border of Essex,
and there are many of the name in that county, though the name is com-
mon in aU the counties of England. From Nazing, Essex, about ten miles
from West Mill, came John Eliot, the apostle, and many of the settlers of
Roxbury, Mass.