General Notes

The Rich family of New England is descended from an ancient English family. As early as 1236, about the time surnames came into use in England , Edmund Rich was Archbishop of Canterbury. Baron Richard Rich, who was born in London in 1498, was a poor barrister of humble family, who rose to fame, became a wealthy nobleman and founded the most powerful family in England. His sons were the earls of Warwick and Holland, both famous and powerful. The former was president of the Plymouth council and Admiral of the English navy.

Richard Rich, the immigrant ancestor of the American families, was born in England. He appeared first at Dover Neck, in New England, afterward settling on Cape Cod, and he died in 1692 at Eastham, Massachusetts. He bought land at Dover of Samuel Treworgy and wife Dorcas, who came from
Cornwall, by deed dated November 6, 1674. Philip Demon, of Dover Neck, who died June, 1676, in his will dated May, 1676, mentions his own son Evans and his kinsman Richard Rich as executors. Rich was a man of position, property and influence, as shown by his record. He married Sarah, daughter of Governor Thomas Roberts. His only child, as far as known, was Richard, mentioned below.

     Richard (2), son of Richard (1) and Sarah (Roberts) Rich, was born about 1640, perhaps in England. He was at Eastham, Massachusetts, in 1665, and was taxed there in 1671, an d admitted a freeman, August 23, 1681.

     Children, born at Eastham: John, born 1665, married Mary, daughter of Rev. Samuel Treat; Thomas, removed to Connecticut or New York; Richard, 1674, resided at Truro, died May 3, 1743; Samuel, 1684, lived at Truro, died in 1752; Sarah, married Samuel Treat; Joseph, was living in Eastham
in 1695.

     Captain Thomas Rich, a descendant of Richard (2) Rich, was born about 1780-90. He lived at New Bedford and Mattapoiset, Massachusetts, and was lost at sea in 1822. The records of New Bedford and of Dartmouth, from which New Bedford was incorporated, have been searched, also Rochester,
from which the town of Mattapoiset was set off, but no mention of the Rich family has been found. He certainly lived in this section, was probably a seafaring man and a master mariner. He married Mary Ann (???), and had a son Thomas, mentioned below.

Thomas (2), son of Captain Thomas (1) and Mary Ann Rich, was born at Mattapoiset, according to family records, and at New Bedford, Massachusetts, according to the record of his death at Seekonk, August
20, 1879, aged fifty-nine years, seven months and twenty-three days.

     Early in life he settled in Providence, and for a number of years followed the sea, being captain of various vessels. During the civil war he was master of vessels in the service of the United States. At the age of forty-five years he retired from a seafaring life, and settled in Seekonk, Massachusetts, where he was engaged in farming. While living in the latter town he was prominent in the town affairs and served the town as a member of the Massachusetts general court. He was a Republican of the broadest type in his political views, and with reform tendencies. In religious views he was liberal, attending the Universalist church. He married, in 1842, Sarah, daughter of Stephen J. Sherman, of Millville, a village of Blackstone, Worcester county, Massachusetts. Children:
1. David Wilson, born 1844, died 1874; followed the sea, and was a master mariner at the age of thirty years, captain of a ship in the South American trade; he married (???) Demorest, and both he and his wife were stricken with yellow fever while at Pernambuco, died, and were buried together there.
2. Stephen Sherman.
3. A. Melissa, now living widowed in East Providence; married William H. Bennett. deceased.
4. Mary E., also a widow in East Providence; married Charles W. Anthony, and has children: Sadie, Charles,