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Kent County, a Quaker, son of William Rich-
ardson (1668-1744) and wife Margaret Smith (ca.
1673-1756), grandson of William Richardson (?-
1698). GUARDIAN: his uncle Daniel Richardson
(?-1756) of Anne Arundel County, a planter.
MOTHER: Ann (?-ca. 1747), widow of David
Thomas (?-ca. 1736). BROTHER: Thomas (1740-
?) of Kent County, later Anne Arundel County,
a planter. SISTER: Sarah (1738-?). HALF SISTERS:
Mary Thomas, who married Daniel Mifflin; Jo-
hannah (Joanna) Thomas (1735-?), who married
in 1753 South Mifflin of Swan Gutt, Accomack
County, Virginia. MARRIED by 1779 Rebecca.
CHILDREN. SON: Joseph. DAUGHTERS: Elizabeth,
who married by 1808 Thomas Ennalls; Mary, who
married by 1808 Daniel Sullivane; and Sophia,
who married by 1808 William Washington Ec-
cleston. PRIVATE CAREER. EDUCATION: literate.
RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION: birth recorded in Cecil
County Meeting (Quaker) register; Protestant.
SOCIAL STATUS AND ACTIVITIES: Gent., by 1766.
OCCUPATIONAL PROFILE: probably planter; owned
mill lands and a store on Hunting Creek, Dor-
chester County, in partnership with Col. John
Eccleston, by 1785. PUBLIC CAREER. LEGISLATIVE
SERVICE: Lower House, Dorchester County, 1771;
Conventions, Dorchester County, 3rd, 1774, 4th,
1775. LOCAL OFFICES: justice, Dorchester County,
1773-1785; chairman, Committee of Observa-
tion, Dorchester County, in office 1776; collector
of blankets, Great Choptank Hundred, Dor-
chester County, appointed on April 2, 1777, re-
signed on April 20, 1777, because of an injury
received when he fell from a horse. MILITARY
SERVICE: 2nd major, Upper Battalion, Dor-
chester County Militia, commissioned 1776; ma-
jor, Upper Battalion, Dorchester County Militia,
promoted 1778; called colonel at death. WEALTH
DURING LIFETIME. PERSON AL PROPERTY. 12 slaves,
St. James' Parish, Anne Arundel County, 1776;
assessed value £1,598.0.0, including 39 slaves.
Dorchester County, 1783. LAND AT FIRST ELEC-
TION 926 acres in Dorchester and Anne Arundel
counties (141 acres inherited from uncle; 785 acres
by purchase or patent). SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN
LAND BETWEEN FIRST ELECTION AND DEATH: pur-
chased 138 acres in Dorchester County, 1772; sold
150 acres in Dorchester County, 1779; purchased
with Edward Noel, Jr., and John Eccleston 114
acres in Dorchester County, 1785, and shortly
thereafter Eccleston and Richardson bought out
Noel's share; held 2,281 acres in Dorchester County
for John Eccleston, 1783; may have inherited more
land in Anne Arundel County from the estate of
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his uncle, Daniel Richardson, after his aunt's death.
WEALTH AT DEATH. DIED, in September 1786 in
Dorchester County. PERSON AL PROPERTY: size of
estate unknown. LAND: at least 928 acres in Dor-
chester and Anne Arundel counties, plus 114 acres
in Dorchester County held in partnership with
Col. John Eccleston. IDENTIFICATION PROBLEMS.
A Josiah Richardson is recorded as having been
present at the 3rd Convention in 1774 represent-
ing Dorchester County. However, research does
not support the existence of a Josiah Richardson
in Dorchester County and it is most likely that
the service should be attributed to Joseph Rich-
ardson (1743-1786).
RICHARDSON, JOSIAH (?-?). PUBLIC CAREER.
LEGISLATIVE SERVICE. 3rd Convention, Dor-
chester County, 1774. IDENTIFICATION PROBLEMS.
Although a Josiah Richardson is recorded as hav-
ing been present during the 3rd Convention as a
representative from Dorchester County, research
supports the likelihood that the service should be
ascribed to Joseph Richardson (1743-1786). None
of the records reveal the existence of a Josiah
Richardson of Dorchester County during this time.
RICHARDSON, WILLIAM (?-1698). BORN:
probably in England. IMMIGRATED: probably in
1655 as an indentured servant. RESIDED: on
"Watkin's His Hope," West River Hundred, Anne
Arundel County. MARRIED by 1668 Elizabeth (?-
1703/4), widow of Richard Talbott (?-1663),
daughter of Richard Ewen (?-1660). Elizabeth
was the stepdaughter of William Burgess (ca. 1622-
1686/87). Her brothers were Richard; John (?-
1669). Her sisters were Ann; Sophia (?-1671);
and Susanna (?-1664/65). CHILDREN. SONS: Wil-
liam (1668-1744), who married in 1689 Margaret
Smith (ca. 1673-1756); Daniel (1670-1722), who
married first, ca. 1691, Elizabeth Welsh (?-1712),
and second, Ruth Ball Leeds (1677-1728); Jo-
seph (1671-by 1678); and Joseph (1678-1748),
who married in 1705 Sarah Thomas (1689-1724).
STEPSONS. Edward Talbott (?-ca. 1691), who
married Elizabeth Thomas, widow of William
Coale; Richard Talbott; and John Talbott.
DAUGHTERS: Sophia Elizabeth (1675-1678); So-
phia (Sophiah, Sapphira) (1680-?), who married
Thomas Sparrow; and Elizabeth (1680-?). STEP-
DAUGHTER: Elizabeth Talbott. PRIVATE CAREER.
EDUCATION: literate. RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION:
Quaker; minister of West River Meeting, Anne
Arundel County. SOCIAL STATUS AND ACTIVITIES.
probably transported as servant to Richard Pres-
678
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