Person:Richard Smith (173)

"Richard Smith, bp. (Husbands Bosworth) 1 Jan. 1616/7."

"2. Richard² Smith, born in England, about 1617, died at Wethersfield (the part now Glastonbury), June 1690; married Mary Weed, born in England, about 1618, died at Glastonbury, 7 May 1704, aged about 86 (gravestone). … He located at Martha's Vineyard, but in 1652 visited Wethersfield where hie relatives lived, and wrote from Saybrook, 30 July 1652, to John Winthrop at Pequot [New London], desiring to settle there, As Richard Smith, weaver, he bought land in New London in 1653, and as Richard Smith, Junior, of Wethersfield, sold his New London house and lot, 2 Apr. 1659, to Robert Royce. As Richard Smith of Pequot, Weaver, he was admitted an inhabitant of Wethersfield, 24 Feb. 1656, and granted a house lot. … In 1660 Winthrop treated children of Richard Smith of Hockanum; Joseph, aged 9, Hester, aged 7, and Benjamin, aged 6; in 1663, Samuel Smith, son of Richard of Hockanum; also in 1663, Beriah, aged 6, daughter of Richard of Hockanum; in 1669, Joseph, aged 18, and Hester, aged 16, children of Richard of Hockanum; and also in 1669, Benjamin Smith, aged 13, son of Richard, Jr., of Wethersfield, 'on other side of the great river.'

"Probate Documents. Vol. VI, 1695 to 1700. Page 105. (Vol. V.)

Smith, Richard, Wethersfield. An Invt. so far as we can gain, on the Estate of Richard Smith, Deceased June, 1690: Imprimis: Received from Sargnt. John Welles & John Kilbourn, who formerly were desired to take an Inventory of the sd. Smith's Estate by his sons or Widow: To Apparrell; to the whole Moveable Estate in the house, as Brass, all pewter, all Woolen & Lining Cloath, Tackling for carrying on husbandry, Cattle & Sheep; To a Servant, Crop & Saw Mill, provision, etc. But they took noe Accot of Money, wch Accot or Invt. amounted to the sume of £330-00s-00d being the best Accot they can give of their Proceedings.

To 50 acres of Upland by Estimation, with Buildings, 400-00-00
To Land purchased of Thomas Bunce, 240 acrs wth Buildings, 200-00-00
To several parcells of Land, apprissed at 240-00-00
To Land which Samuel Smith possesses, recorded to his Father, & we find no legal conveyance by Record to Samuel Smith, 40-00-00 [Total] 1210-00-00

Wethersfield, the 10th of April, 1691. Pr us: John Chester, Benjamin Churchill.

Court Record, Page 26—5 March, 1690-1: Upon the Petition of John Strickland and Richard Fox in behalf of their wives, daughters of Richard Smith: Whereas, the Widow of Richard Smith of Naubuck & one or more of her sons have refused to give Entrance to the Townsmen of Wethersfield, & would not suffer them to take an Invt. of the Estate of sd. Richard Smith decd, this Court therefore order that the Marshall, with two of the Townsmen of Wethersfield, shall go over to Naubuck & take an Inventory of all Personal & Real Estate & present the same at the next Session of the County Court in Hartford. And if any doe oppose or hinder then in the due Execution of this Order, they are to seize them and bring them to the Common Goal, there to be secured till the Court be holden at Hartford the 2nd Wednesday of April next. The Clerk of the Court to issue out his warrant for the Attendance of this Order, & to impower the Marshall to take ayd with him for to accomplish the same.

Page 29—21 April, 1691: This Court having severall times by their officer demanded of the widow smith of Naubuck an Inventory of the Estate of Richard Smith deceased, which she hath refused us or at Least neglected to make presentation of the same to the Court, the Court therefore ordered the Marshall, with the Townsmen of Wethersfield, to take an Inventory of the sayd Richard Smith's Estate, & they have now presented an Inventory of the Estate amounting to £1210-00-00, in which there is no account of the crop on the Land or feild, nor what moneys were in the house. This Court accepts of the Inventory so far as it reacheth, & doe distribute the Estate: To the Widow a Third of the real Estate during her natural Life, & a Third of the personall to be to her & her heirs forever; & to the Eldest son a double portion, & to the rest of the Children equal portions; & the Court Grant Adms. to the Widow & her 3 sons, provided they accept thereof & signify the same to the Clarke within Ten days after notice hereof. But if they neglect this, the Court grant Adms. to Richard Fox & John Strickland. The sonns to have their portions in Land, provided they pay their Sisters their portions in good and currant pay of the country, or out of the Estate as Inventoried, In which the daughters have their just proportions. But if the sons neglect to doe this, the daughters to take their portions in Land, so much as shall be found wanting to make up their portions in other Estate. As also what portions any of the Children have received of their father formerly, & made to appear, it is to be added to the Inventory & accounted in the distribution.

Page 112-13 (Vol. VI):

Invt. of Richard Smith's Estate, who Died June, 1690. Invt. £590-00-00. Taken 2 March, 1698, by Jonathan Smith, Samuel Hale Jr., John Kilbourn & John Welles. Personal: Inventory not footed. Inventory in Lands as followeth:

His Lott bought of James Wright, £40-s00-00d
His Lott bought of Robert Rose, 45-00-00
The Lott he had of James Boswell, 180-00-00
The Lott purchased of Thomas Bunce, 145-00-00
His House with the Building upon it, 180-00-00
[Total] 590-00-00

In the year 1680 I, Richard Smith of Wethersfield, stricken in years and finding myself weake in body, thinke it meet and convenient to settle that little Matter which the Lord graciously hath given me in the World. Item. I give and bequeath to my wife 1 yoke of Oxen, to be sold for Money by my son Joseph Smith and the Mony delivered to my wife. Also she shall have two Cows, and my sons Joseph and Benjamin shall take care of and keep or maintain sd. Cows for sumer pastureing and winter fodder, or two other, during her life. I give to my wife one bed, the best now in my house, with whatever else belongs to it, to her and her heirs forever. I give to my wife the use and whole dispose of one of the rooms of my house, with the use of the seller chambers, during her natural Life, to be kept in repair so it may be comfortable for her. I give her what little mony I have in my hands (and) £15 in good Country pay, to be paid by my sons, Samuel, Joseph and Benjamin, equally. I give to my son Samuel my proportion of Land wch is on the East side of the great river wch ly in Comon undivided, wch was purchased by the towne In general of the Indians. Also, one-third part of a grant of Land given to Samuell Martin, all wch parcells of Land I give to my son Samuel Smith, to him and his heirs forever. I give to my son Joseph Smith that Lott which I bought of James Wright, abutting on the great river west, and north on Land belonging to Samuel Wells, and on the south upon Land belonging to James Wright, running east three miles. I give to my son Joseph one peice of Land I bought of Thomas Bunce. Also I give to my son Joseph one-third part of a peice of Land I bought of Samuel Martin. I give to my son Benjamin Smith my 50-acre Lott wch my dwelling house now standeth on, wth all my houseing thereon standing, that is to say, dwelling house, outhouseing, barnes, gardings, and Orchards. I give to my son Benja. Smith one parcell of Land lying on the east side of river, wch Land is forty rods, sides lying on the south side of Mr. Samuel Willis his Land, and on the north side of that Land before given to son Joseph, wch Land runneth to the upland. I give to my son Benja. Smith that devition of upland from the fence East ward to the highway, wch is the Country highway. I say the devition to the highway of both lotts, that of ffifty and that of forty. And the remainder of these two Lotts be devided equally between my sons Joseph Smith & Benja. Smith, except what I shall give to my son-in-Law Richd. Fox and John Strickland. I give to my son Benja. Smith one-third of that parcell of Land I bought of Samll Martin, to him and his heirs forever. I give to my son Joseph Smith what mony I have comeing to me in the bay, and also what time I have in the boy which liveth with me now, Thomas Buck. (Note: Invt as 4 years' time valued at £10. That indicates the age of Thomas Buck as about 17 years). Item. Besides what I have already given to my daughter Hester Strickland in Brass & Pewter & Bedding and all other necessary Household Stuffe, and Cows & Swine, and what Mony I paid Blackleach, I say I give to my son-in-Law John Strickland the House wch he now liveth in, during the time of his natural life, wth also 4 acres of Land during the time of his natural life, and after his decease to return to his wife. I give to my daughter Beriah Fox, the wife of Richard Fox, in Pewter, Brass & Bedding and other Houseing Stuffe, and Cows & Swine, I give to my son-in-law Richard Fox 6 acres of Upland lying in a place called by the name of Simmon's Plaine, next to Samuel Welles. I give to my daughter Bethia, the wife of Joshua Stoddar, besides what I have given and delivered to my daughter Bethia, as Cows & Brass & Pewter, Bedding & all other Houseing Stuffe, I say I give my son-in-Law Joshua Stoddar 2 Steers of one year old and the advantage. I make my wife Mary Smith and my son Joseph Smith sole Executors, and entreat Mr. Gershom Bulkeley and Samuel Steele to be ye Overseers.

RICHD. SMITH.

Witness: Samuel Steele.

A Prerogative Court for Probate of Wills and granting Administrations:

Page 87—7 March, 1698-9: The Last Will and Testament of Mr. Richard Smith, late of Glastonbury decd, was exhibited in Court wth the Testator's name affixed to it and Lieut. Samuell Steele as a witness. Samuell, Joseph and Benja. Smith, sons of the decd, made oath that they verily thought it to be their father's will, and they know no fraud therein, etc. The Court do accept it as a will and Order it to be recorded. An Inventory of his Estate was also presented & (oath) made thereto by the Relict before Mr. Kimberly, Justice of the Peace. Ordered to be Recorded. The Relict and Joseph Smith being made Executors by the Will, they do accept of the trust."