Priscilla (Wakeman) Richards, Hartford Founder

Compiled by Timothy Lester Jacobs, SDFH Genealogist

PRISCILLA¹ WAKEMAN, HARTFORD FOUNDER (FRANCIS^A) was born abt. 1608 in Bewdley, Worcestershire, England, and died bef. 12 Jun 1671 in Hartford, CT (inventory). She married THOMAS RICHARDS, HARTFORD FOUNDER 23 Jan 1629/30 in England. He was born abt. 1605 in England, and died ef. Feb 1639/40 in Hartford, CT (noted deceased in Hartford land inventory).

Known only as Widow Richards in Hartford records, she was Priscilla Wakeman, sister of Hartford Founder Samuel Wakeman, of Esther Wakeman (wife of Hartford founder Thomas Selden), Martha Wakeman (who married William Davis, a founder of the New Haven Colony), of Ann Wakeman (who married Adam Nichols, a founder of the New Haven Colony who died in Hartford), and of John Wakeman, another founder of the New Haven Colony who also died in Hartford.

She qualifies as a Founder of Hartford by virtue of being a land owner as recorded in the Hartford land inventory of February 1639/40 (pg. 365), when she held: four acres and one rood on which her dwelling house stood with other outhouses, yards or gardens located on the west side of the road from John Barnard’s to the Little River; thirteen acres and two roods of upland; and two acres and two roods on the east side of the Great River. She later acquired three acres and two roods with a “Meseuag or tenymentt” with other outhouses, yards or gardens located on the south side of the road from George Steele’s to the South Meadow.

The inventory of her estate was taken 12 June 1671 and was distributed the next day.

Genealogy: “A Genealogical Register of the Descendents of Several Ancient Puritans”, Vol. III, Richards Families, Abner Morris, Boston, 1861 (This genealogy should be approached with caution, as it has confused the identities, spouses, and dates of the earlier generations, thus requiring the multiplicity of sources listed above.)