William Richardson ^{1 2 3}

  Research Notes:

2nd husband of Elizabeth Ewen.

From Baltimore: Its History and Its People, Vol. III p. 795 :
"...[Elizabeth Ewen] married (second) William Richardson, Sr., of West River, son of Robert Richardson, of Somerset county, Maryland. The late Howard Mullikin, of Cathedral street, Baltimore, was a descendant of William and Elizabeth (Ewen) (Talbott) Richardson."
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From Side-Lights on Maryland History, Vol. 2, p. 426:
"Among the earliest settlers of importance came the Richardsons, of England, and received thousands of acres of land for bringing colonists into the Province. The Land Warrants at Annapolis bear record that between the years 1636 and 1695, patents for many thousand acres of land were issued from that office to the various Richardsons who arrived between those years.

:The fact that they not only came independently, but also paid the transporation of hundreds of less fortunate settlers, proved them to have been men of wealth and enterprise. They have left evidence of their coats-of-arms, establishing their gentle origin and ancient lineage. They at once held offices of importance, both civil and military..."


Ibid, p. 427:
"William Richardson married Elizabeth Ewen, the daughter of Major Richard Ewen, one of the commissioners to govern Maryland under Oliver Cromwell. She was the widow of Richard Talbot, of Anne Arundel County. Major Richard Ewen, father-in-law of William Richardson, was one of the Council of War after the battle of the Severn, which condemned Governor Stone and others to die."


Ibid., pp. 428-429:
"William Richardson was a prominent Quaker, and Proud, in his History of Pennsylvania, tells of a visit to him by William Penn, The Lord and Lady Baltimore, who, with their retinue, visited William Richardson in his home at West River, from whence they went across the Bay to attend a Yearly Meeting at Tred Haven, Talbot County. Proud took his facts from the Journal of John Richardson, printed at London in 1700.

"The lands of William Richardson, of Anne Arundel County, amounted to over 4000 acres, and his household goods, his silver and seals, engraved with the family crest, which have descended in the family, all attest the elegance in which he lived.

"His will, dated December 21, 1691, was proved May 28, 1698 (Annapolis Wills, No. 7, page 388). In this he bequeaths 'to sons Daniel and Joseph' equally, six hundred acres called 'Hickory Hills' and 'Franklin's Enlargement.' To wife Elizabeth, 'Watkin's Hope,' 'to son William at twenty-one years of age, part of 'Watkin's Hope' adjoining plantation of William Cole,' which testator gave him and his heirs. To 'daughter Sophia, 'Diligent Search,' at sixteen," young son Joseph, grandson William Richardson, Margaret wife of William Richardson, Jr., all received personalty, as did also 'John and Sarah Talbot and their daughter Elizabeth and the three children of Edward Talbot' (the children of his wife by her marriage to Richard Talbot). The executors were, 'wife Elizabeth, and son William'; overseers, 'Richard Jones, Richard Harrison, John Talbot, William Coleson."

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From Founders of Anne Arundel and Howard Counties, pp. 174-175:

A friend of William Penn, he came to Virginia in the "Paul," of London, in 1634. He removed to Maryland in 1666, and became a member of the Lower House of the Assembly from 1676 to 1683. He was frequently the bearer of messages to the Upper House with instructions form Parliament.

During his service, he was upon the Committee of Security and Defense of the Province, and of the Committee upon Laws for the Province. With Henry Ridgely, Edward Darcy, Nicholas Gassaway and others, he was, in 1683, also, upon a committee to erect a building for the Courts and Assembly, and for keeping the records of the Secretary's office in this Province.

On December 19th, 1682, William Penn met Lord Baltimore at West River, and after an interview upon their divisional line, Penn set out, the Lord Baltimore accompanying him several miles, to the house of William Richardson, and from thence two miles further to a religious meeting of his friends, the Quakers, at the house of Thomas Hooper.

William Richardson married Elizabeth Talbot, widow of Richard... She brought to him "Talbott's Ridge" adjoining "His Lordship's Manor," surveyed in 1662.

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From http://richardsonfamily.homestead.com/Reedrichardson.html :

Information from Quaker records as published in the book "Quakers in The Founding of Anne Arundel County, Maryland" by J. Reaney Kelley (FHC Bk. No. 975.255 F2k, US/Can) indicates as follows: Page 14 - "While there is no proof that Richard Ewen became a Friend, it is known that in 1657 he refused to take an oath and declared it unlawful to do so. His daughter, Elizabeth, married, first, Richard Talbott, and, second, William Richardson both well-known and ardent Friends." Page 37 - "William Richardson was the first signer of this Testimony. Prior to 1680 he acquired a tract of land in the West River Hundred named 'Watkins Hope.' A part of this land is now known as 'Woodstock, and is located between Owensville and the Old Quaker Burying Ground. An historic roadside marker, indicating the general location of his house, calls attention to a visit by William Penn to Richardson in 1682, after the memorable conference between the former and Charles, Third Lord Baltimore, 'at the house of Col. Thomas Tailler,' where the two had discussed the boundaries of Maryland and Pennsylvania. Colonel Taillor's home was only a few miles away, just below South River. The tract now known as 'Etowah Farm', on State Route 2, includes a part of the Taillor plantation. From Richardson's house Penn traveled a short distance to attend a Meeting at the house of Thomas Hooker, Sr., near West River Landing, and from there he embarked for the Eastern Shore. Quaker Meetings were held at the house of William Richardson, who was a Quaker minister, until his death in 1697." Additional information shows - "Soon after 1663, William Richardson, Sr., married Elizabeth, widow of Richard Talbott of 'Poplar Knowle,' now 'Tulip Hill,' and daughter of Richard Ewen of nearby 'Ewen Upon Ewenton,' today known as 'Cedar Park.' He was fined for not taking an oath on November 10, 1662, but later held an important position in Lord Baltimore's government,' serving as a member of the Lower House of the General Assembly in 1678. In 1683, at a meeting of the General Assembly at John Larkin's house, now 'Larkins Hills,' in the area called The Ridge, Richardson argued in favor of making West River Landing a port of entry for that area, a development not accomplished until the next year. Richardson was appointed as one of the commissioners to survey and manage the building of a courthouse at Londontowne on South River, another instance of a Quaker holding a position in the Maryland government. He died in 1698, and his will, dated December 21, 1691, was probated on April 2, 1698. He left a substantial estate of which his wife, Elizabeth, was given the home plantation 'Watkins Hope,' and he remembered his beloved Quaker Church."

  Noted events in his life were:

• Religion: a Quaker.

• Immigrated: from England to Virginia in the ship "Constant Friendship" or the "Paul," <1634>. ⁴ May have immigrated to Virginia in the "Paul" of London in 1634 then removed to Maryland.

• Settled: in Maryland, 1655.

• Surveyed: "His Lordship's Manor" adjoining "Talbott's Ridge," 1662, <West River>, Anne Arundel, Maryland, (United States).

• Member: of the Lower House of the Maryland Assembly from Anne Arundel, 1676 or 1678-1683. ⁴ Served on the committee that regulated the defense and miliatry affairs of the colony.

• Owned: 1000 acres, 1677, Anne Arundel, Maryland, (United States).

• Owned: "The Diligent Search," 75 acres, Bef 1691, <Anne Arundel>, Maryland, (United States).

• Owned: "Watkin's Hope," Bef 1691, <Anne Arundel>, Maryland, (United States).

• Owned: 5 patents, 600 acres, called "Henry's Hills" and "Franklin's Enlargement," Bef 1691, <Anne Arundel>, Maryland, (United States).

• Will, 21 Dec 1691, <Anne Arundel>, Maryland, (United States).

• Probate, 28 May 1698, <Anne Arundel>, Maryland, (United States).

William married Elizabeth E. Ewen, daughter of Major Richard Ewen and Sophia Scarborough, by 1677. (Elizabeth E. Ewen was born on 6 Jun 1630 in <Accomack, Virginia, (United States) or England>, died on 1 Jan 1704 in "Poplar Knowle", West River, Anne Arundel, Maryland, (United States) and was buried in Old Quaker Burying Ground, West River, Anne Arundel, Maryland, (United States).)