General Notes

He and his wife arrived from Spanish Town, Jamaica, with a certificate from the Monthly Meeting in Spanish Town. He became the owner of 5,800 acres of land in Bristol township, Philadelphia County. The Abington Monthly Meeting records of Dec 25, 1701 say, "Samuel Richardson having desired that Friends should keep a meeting of worship at his house, and this meeting having answered the request, have ordered also that Friends do meet at his house on ye sd. sixth day in evry month, considering the weakness of his wife." (Pennypacker) He was a member of the Provincial Council, 1686-1695, a Justice of the Peace, 1688-1704, member of the Assembly, 1692-1709, and Alderman, 1705-1719.

NOTES of FAMILY HISTORY
Author: Issac C. SUTTON Esq.
This Book contains family history of the Anderson, Schofield, Pennypacker, Yocum, Crawford, Sutton, Lane, Richardson, Bevan, Aubrey, Bartholomew, DeHaven, Jermain and Walker Families
Bibliographic Information: Sutton, Issac C. Esq. Notes of Family History, Stephenson Brothers, Philadelphia, PA, 1948

NOTES OF FAMILY HISTORY - THE RICHARDSONS
Although a Friend, Samuel RICHARDSON, was a pugnacious individual. In the year 1667 he was arrested at Peel, England, and taken before two Justices at the Ale House near Clerkenwell and accused of laying violent hands on one of the soldiers muskets. He denied the charge, and testified that he was standing peaceably with his hands in his pockets. After the hearing one of the Justices asked RICHARDSON: Will you promise to come to no more at (Friends) Meeting? He answered: I can promise no such thing Justice: Will you pay five shillings? (This was for the failure to attend the services of the Church of England.) Richardson: I do not know that I owe five shillings. Then Justice then fined him five shillings.

In 1686 he bought 5,000 acres in Bristol Township, 300 acres in Bucks County, 80 acres in Liberty Lands (Northern Liberties, now Philadelphia), and a frontage in the City on the North side of High (Market Street) extending from Front to Second, and another lot at Sixth and High Streets. In addition, he purchased, he purchased 1160 acres in Chester county. For the whole he paid 340 pounds.

Richardson was a prominent merchant, and took an active part in the affairs of Province, he is said to have been the second wealthiest man in Province. On January 30, 1686, Samuel RICHARDSON took his seat as a member of the Provincial Council. Two years later, on January 20, 1688, he was made one of the Judges of the County Clerk.

A serious controversy in the council arose between him and Governor KEITH. RICHARDSON contended that he was not Governor, but only Deputy Governor, to which KEITH took exception, as conduct unbecoming a member of the Council, and reproached RICHARDSON for having Taken too great liberty to carry it unbeseemingly and very provokingly instancing in ye said Samuel RICHARDSONs former declaring at several times ye did not own ye Governor, to be Governor: to which he peremptorily replied that he did not want, saying to him he was not Governor and he would stand by it and make it good; that Wm. PENN could not make a Governor. As Samuel RICHARDSON still persisted is denying KEITH was governor, he was ordered to withdraw until the Council should debate the question. He replied: I will not withdraw. I was not brought hither by thee and I will not get out by thy order. I was sent by ye people and thou hast no power to put me out. The Governor said he could not stay there and suffer his power to be questioned, and appealed to the council to support him; all of whom did, excepting Arthur COOKE, who said he did not believe Wm. PENN could create a governorship; but only a deputy-governorship. RICHARDSON was then asked by the council to withdraw while they further debated ye matter. Thereupon he went forth. The Governor and the Council decided that he must acknowledge his offense and promise more respect for the future, before he would be allowed