Richard Rich and Sarah are the ancestors of all Cape Cod Rich families. See posts on August 18 and 22 for more details. Their children included:
1. Richard Rich, born in 1674 in Dover Point, died May 5, 1743* in Truro. He owned land in Truro in 1703. In 1711 he had grants of land at Griffith’s Isalnd and at Blackfish Creek. In Sept. 6, 1716 he sold his 4 acre tract of meadow in Truro to Thomas Mulford. He married Anne prior to 1695 and they had twelve children, all born in Eastham: Sarah (1695/96*-), Richard (1698*-1742), Rebeckah (1701*-), Zaccheus (1704*-1786), Obadiah (1707*-1788), Priscilla (1709/10*-1716*), Huldah (1712*-1748), Joseph (1715*-1783), Silvanus (1720*-1755). He was baptized as an adult on Feb. 26, 1727* in Truro and Anne was baptized on June 25, 1727. They are both buried at the old North Cemetery at Truro. Anne was born in 1674 and died on May 11, 1758* in Truro. Their granddaughter, Hannah (1728-1807) (daughter of Richard), married Ambrose Snow on June 13, 1754, direct descendent of Stephen Hopkins from the Mayflower, (Austin, p. 307). Hannah was his third wife and he was her second husband, being the widow of Samuel Rider.
2. Deacon John Rich, born in 1676 in Dover Point, died 1747 in Eastham of small pox, his will proved on Nov. 11, 1747. He was active in Eastham and Wellfleet (after it split form Eastham) town affairs. He was voted town moderator 1726, 1728, 1729, 1730, 1734, assessor 1728, 1729, 1730, 1731, 1734 and selectman 1728, 1729, 1730, 1731, 1734. As a selectman, he was part of “a committee to call precinct meetings and to manage the prudent affairs of the precinct as selectmen do in a town.” He first married Mary Treat, daughter of Rev. Samuel Treat, on Dec. 10, 1700* in Eastham. They had eight children: Mary (1701*-), Robert (1703*-), John (1705*-1779), Reuben (1707*-1713), Joshua (1710*-), Moses (1712*-1714*), Reuben (twin) (1715*-1770), Thankful (twin) (1715*-1756). Mary died on Jan. 4, 1722/23. Then he married Hope Howes Sears, widow of Richard Sears of Chatham on Aug. 2, 1723. They had one child: Hope (1725-1766). She married Col. Elisha Doane who amassed a fortune (120,000 pds.) in the whaling industry out of Wellfleet and was the richest man in Massachusetts at one point. Reuben Rich served as one the first selectmen from 1765-1768.
3. Sarah Rich, born in 1678 in Dover Point. She married Issac Baker on Feb. 25, 1702/03* in Eastham. They settled in Wellfleet and had six children: Simeon (1702-), Samuel (1704-), Joseph (1707/08-), Issac (1709-), Richard (1712-), Sarah (1717-). Their son Issac married Lydia Hopkins (1692-), great granddaughter of Stephen Hopkins who came over on the Mayflower (Austin, p. 32).
4. Thomas Rich, born in 1680 in Eastham, died Sept. 5, 1753 in Truro. He married Mercy Knowles on July 23, 1702* in Eastham and they settled in Orleans. Mercy was a direct descendant of Elder William Brewster of the Mayflower. Thomas and Mercy had twelve children: Thomas (1702*-1750), Mercy (1704*-), James (1705/6*-1743), Joseph (1707/08*-), David (1710*-), Sarah (1712*-1743), John (1714*-1777), Thankful (1716*-), Samuel (1718*-), Cornelius (1720-1790), Rebecca, Ruth (-1813). The last three children are not listed in the town records but named in Thomas’ will of 1743. Their son, John (1714*-1777), married Lydia Young (1718-1809) who is a direct descendant of Thomas Rogers of the Mayflower. (Sherman, 1980, p. 254). John and Lydia moved to Chatham, CT after 1756. Their son, Thomas (1702*-1750), married Thankful Mayo on Oct. 7, 1725 in Eastham, who is also a direct descendant of Thomas Rogers of the Mayflower. (Sherman, 1980, p. 251) and (Westgate, 2000 – p, 135). In 1746/47, Thomas, a bricklayer, sold land bounded by that of his brother John. Thankful was appointed administer of his estate in Nov. 6, 1750.
5. Samuel Rich, born in 1685 in Eastham, died May 7, 1752 in Truro. First he married Elizabeth Mulford and they had nine children: Hannah (1707*-1755), Samuel (1709*-), Lemuel (1711*-1791), Elizabeth (1713*-), Sarah (1715*-1789), Jerusha (1718*-), Deliverance (1718/19*-1754), Dinah (1720/21*-1794), Mary (1722/23*-1790). Secondly he married Bethia Arey on Jan. 11, 1726/27* in Truro. Bethia was born on April, 15, 1708 in Eastham, MA. She was baptized in Truro after the marriage on Dec. 24, 1727. They had twelve children: Ezekiel (1728-), Ebenezar (1729/30*-), Lydia (1731- died young), Ruth (1733*-1814), Priscilla (1734*-1807), Bethia (1735*-), Aqullia (1738*- 1767*), Lydia (1741*-), Samuel (1743*-), Rachel (1744/45*-), Apollos (1746*-), John (1749*-). Jerusha Rich married Hugh Paine (1716-) in Truro. Hugh is a descendent of Stephen Hopkins from the Mayflower, (Austin, 1980, p. 180). Ruth probably married Daniel Snow of Truro, also a descendent of Stephen Hopkins from the Mayflower, (Austin, 1980, p. 303).
6. Lydia Rich, born in 1688 in Eastham, married Samuel Hopkins (1682-1749) of Harwich, MA. They had eight children, all born in Harwich: Richard (1707-), Reliance (1709-), Lydia (1713-), Sarah (1717-), Susanna (1719-), Moses (1721/22-), Theodore (1726-), Nathan (1729-). Samuel was a descendent of Stephen Hopkins who came over on the Mayflower (Austin p. 94). Lydia was admitted to the Brewster church on Oct. 29, 1710, the same day as her son Richard.
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