Notes for Richard SMITH Sr.
Jones (
[681]) suggests Richard Smith of Wethersfield was one of the twenty men that George Wyllys, esq., lord of the manor of Fenny Compton, 13 miles east of Stratford, sent ahead to set up his seat in Hartford, Conn. before he came in 1636.
Based upon this idea, he then linked Richard to the family of John Smith and Alice Walker of Stratford-upon-Avon. The children of Richard in Stratford-Avon were found there, and seemed to match those of the man in Wethersfield. However, later examination of contemporary records of age of Richard and his son Joseph show them inconsistent with the baptism records in Stratford. Richard, for instance, is reported by John Winthrop to be 84 in 1667. Then the records of Richard who married Rebecca were found at Husbands Bosworth, making it clear there were two different men.[
[680]]
Richard served jury duty twice in 1650 and was involved in a lawsuit in 1652 (Records of the Particular Court). In 1658 he sold a lot to his son-in-law Matthias Treat and in 1662 he gave his youngest son Jonathan all his real estatein Wethersfield. There is no will, so presumably he provided for his other children some other way (TAG 25:126).
Savage’s: RICHARD, Wethersfield 1648, then hav. full grown childr. of wh. Mary m. that yr. Matthias Treat, was involv. in the controv. with his min. [[vol. 4, p. 130]] Russell, that caus. the rem. l6O9, of many of the parish, and founda. (by R. and his friends) of Hadley; but if not d. he was too old to rem. and contin. at W. His s. Richard's name is on the list of freem. 1669, and his d. Esther m. John Strickland; Beriah m. Richard Fox; and Bethia m. 15 Aug. 1684, Joshua Stoddard. Other ch. were Jonathan, wh. he estab. in est. as early as 1662; Samuel; Joseph; and Benjamin. But I ought to add, that these ch. are by Chapin reckon. gr. ch. of the first sett. of 1648, and progeny of his s. Richard. With him I agree, tho. not to receive the result of his testim. in 1684 when he tells of coming from the Vineyard "30 or 40 yrs. ago," yet ment. no f. Perhaps we may resolve that Richard jr. whose ch. are here refer. to, and whose will of 1680 could not have effect bef. 4 July 1690, when is notic. the first d. in W. of any Richard, was s. of the chief man of the town. But, for a season, sev. yrs. bef. 1673, there was only one, tho. three bef. R. S. at W. and of wills or est. in prob. there is only one exc. the insolv. R. S. call. of Hartford.[
[500]]
Apparently was in ill-health for a lengthy period of time, as she was treated by John Winthrop several times between 1658 and 1660 (Wintrhop’s Journal).
Winthrop wrote that Samuel Buswell of Salisbury, Mass. Was kin to Rebecca Smith of Hockanum, Conn. Richard and Rebecca named a son "Samuel" as did their son Richard and Joseph.[
[681]] There’s a record for Samuel Buswell, chr. 17 Aug 1728, son of Isaac Buswell, in the Husbands Bosworth parish register.
James Buswell settled at Hockanum near Wethersfield. His will dated 24 Sep 1660, witnessed by Richard Smith, Jr., gave property to his uncle and aunt and Jonathan Smith, and his land at Glastonbury to his cousins Richard Smith and Joseph Smith. (TAG 25:126)
Tentative connection to the Husbands Bosworth family, based on AF connection. The christening record cited is for a female Buswell, no name given. All the other children listed in AF are accounted for. Husbands Bosworth is about 30 miles from Stratford-upon-Avon.