Richard Church
Carpenter
Born: About 1608 England
Married: About 1635 Massachusetts
Died: December 26, 1668 Dedham, Massachusetts
Father: Unknown
Mother: Unknown
Wife: Elizabeth Warren b.c.1616
Children:
Elizabeth Church b.c.1636
Joseph Church b.c.1638
Benjamin Church b.c.1640
Nathaniel Church b.c.1642
Charles Church b.c.1644
Caleb Church b.1646
Abigail Church b.c.1648
Sarah Church b..1652
Mary Church b.c.1654
Deborah Church b.1657
Notes:
-Migrated to Weymouth 1630. Moved to Plymouth 1631, Eastham 1649, Charlestown by 1653 and Hingham 1654. By trade he was a carptenter. His ancestry in England is unknown. He was admitted a freeman to Plymouth Jan 2, 1633. He volunteered for service in the Pequot War in 1637. He calls himself of Hingham, but probably died on a visit to his son Caleb in Dedham since all the witnesses to the will written the day before his death were of Dedham.
-In a letter Feb 1632 from the governor or Plymouth to the governoe of Massachusetts Bay Colony says "Richard Church came likewise as a sojourner to work for the present; though he is still here resident longer than he purposed; and what he will do, neither we nor I think himself knows. Bu if he resolve here to settle we shall require of him to procure a dismission; but he did affirm to us at the first, that he was one of Mr. Webb's men, and freed to go for England or whither he would, the which we the rather believed because he came to us from Wessagasscusett upon the falling out with his partner."
-Gave a deposition in 1664 where he is recorded as 56 years old.
Sources:
-"Great Migration Begins" series
-Death Record: Dedham Vital Records "Rich. Church deceased 26 Dec 1668"
-Death Record: Hingham Vital Records "Richard Church dyed, at Dedham, sabbath day, early in the morning"