Welthian Loring Richards (1600-1679)
Welthian Loring Richards is our 10th great grandmother: RWA → Fred Pemberton Abbott → Arthur Merrill Abbott → Ellen Janet Wilson Abbott → Rachel Mansfield Wilson → Lydia Mansfield Mansfield → Rachel Roby Mansfield → Rachel Proctor Roby → Mary Hunt Proctor → Thomas Hunt → Ann Richards Hunt → Thomas Richards (1596-1650) and Welthian Loring
Welthian is one of our immigrant ancestors as she came to New England with her husband Thomas and their first six children in 1633. There is a small uncertainly about whether her maiden name was Loring, but there is at least some evidence that it is. The family was from the small village of Pitminster which is in southwest England; the current population of the village is about 900. If you are sightseeing in Pitminster, you would visit the St. Andrew and Mary Church which includes an elaborate memorial to John Coles and his wife who lived there in the early 17th century (photo below).
The Richards family was first in Dorchester but moved on to Weymouth. After her husband’s death in 1650, Welthian moved to Boston and was there much of the time until her death. Thomas Richards was a merchant and the family was relatively well off owning a mill and other property.
The family of Welthian Loring and Thomas Richards provides some of our connections by marriage to John Winthrop and William Bradford. Their daughter Alice Richards was the first wife of William Bradford the son of William Bradford the second governor of the colony. Their son John married as his second wife Anne Winthrop daughter of John Winthrop the Younger and granddaughter of John Winthrop the first governor of Massachusetts Bay Colony. These are the closest connections I have found to the Winthrop and Bradford families but there are a few other marriage connections.
Welthian had some conflicts with her neighbors. About 1640, Joseph Hollway of Sandwich, millwright, deposed that "in or about March last past he heard the wife of Thomas Richards of Weymouth speaking of Henry Waltham & Willm Waltham say these words vizt The Walthams are cozeners & cheaters." Henry Waltham told his side of the story to John Winthrop in a letter dated 25 January 1640/1, indicating that Mrs. Richards behaved in a fashion “unbeseeming a modest woman's carriage” (Winthrop Papers, volume 4).
Winthrop’s papers (volume 4, page 232) include this entry regarding the case of Welthian’s maid Edye White who had run off and in addition, and perhaps more importantly, had learned some of the family secrets.
Mrs. Richards brought her mayde Edye white to me for her misdemeanor. Her man Jo. Gill about 21 years of Age affirmed that she being sett to keepe the 7 Cowes of her masters she left them in the woods and went awaye to the house of one Carpenter in Weymouth, and there lodged, and he wished her to goe home, and brought her neere home, but she went awaye againe, and wandered in the woods till the 7th daye at night, and then she went to one Dyers house, but they would not entertain her but sent her home, but she came not home until the Lords Daye in the afternoone. This she confessed, and said she was afraid to goe home, but she sayth her master and Mrs. Never beat her since they were before me etc. but only hir Mrs. Gave hir a blow or 2 on the eare.
Her Mrs. Charged her further with discovering the secretts of the family, one thing she confessed about a mayd that drank to much there.
Jo. Gill charged her also with ordinary lying and lazynesse.
Welthian’s anger almost got her in much more serious difficulty. In 1653-54, Welthian Richards was threatened with the charge of witchcraft, having in the heat of passion threatened terrible things would happen to those she was angered at, they later falling victim to various unpleasant fates. Thomas Thatcher, writing on her behalf to John Wilson and others from Weymouth, 27 February 1653-54, indicated that she "took Christian care of her children” and that "God hath so blessed (them) that five or six of them have approved themselves to one church or other, and been readily entertained into their fellowship. Three of whom are now asleep in Jesus. Three survive. One more with us gives great hope of a thorough work on his heart". A case against her was not pursued. (Winthrop Papers, volume 6)
Welthian left an estate of approximately 1,000 pounds in money about half of that going to her two oldest sons. There were also money gifts to each of her many grandchildren. Out of the considerable amount of money, she left the “poor of Boston tenn pounds.” The will also specified the disposition of her other possessions. Her son John received “my biggest silver tanckard” while one of the granddaughters, Mercy Bradford, received “the worst of my three featherbeds” although she got a bolster, a blanket, and a pair of sheets with that.
Welthian and Thomas Richards had a total of nine children. One of her sons, Samuel, seemed to have some difficulties. In 1653, Welthian had a letter written to her son John which contained this passage: consider the trouble that I have with Samuell for he is such trouble that none will share with me in, and if I put him out it will cost me so much that I cannot bear it.
Our ancestor is Ann the third oldest child. Ann died about age 26 after having three children. More information on the family of Thomas and Welthian Richards can be found at this link: http://sites.rootsmagic.com/colonialgenealogy/family.php?f=1085
Sources:
Massachusetts Historical Society. (1944). Winthrop Papers, volumes 1-6. Boston: Merrymount Press.
Shurtleff, Nathaniel Bradstreet (Ed.). (1853). Records of the governor and company of the Massachusetts bay in New England. Boston: W. White printer to the Commonwealth.