(Colonel) Barzillai Richmond

Below is the biography of Barzillai Richmond from the Richmond Family book. Was his possible participation in a famous incident not known when this biography was written (ca 1896)?

The Gaspee Organization makes the case that Barzillai Richmond (and his son and son-in-law)  participated in "the 1772 burning of the hated British revenue schooner, HMS Gaspee, by Rhode Island patriots as America's 'First Blow for Freedom'TM."

343.  (COLONEL) BARZILLAI RICHMOND (5) (William 4, Silvester 3, Edward 2, John 1) was born in Little Compton, R.I., April 13, 1721, and died January 5, 1796.  He married in Providence, November 24, 1743, Sarah, daughter of Ebenezer and Elizabeth Knight, who was born November 21, 1718, and died October 10, 1791.

He was one of the seceders from the First Congregational Church on account of Josiah Cotton preaching "damnable good works."  He was in the Canada War during two campaigns, and in 1755, and afterwards was ordered to raise a body of men and proceed to the relief of the British Colonial Army on Lake Champlain.  He contracted a disease in one of his legs which made him lame for life.  He was at the siege of Ticonderoga under Dalrymple, as Colonel; he was not, however, in the storming party.  His brother William, of Little Compton, was with him as volunteer lieutenant.

At one time he received orders late Saturday night.  He repaired to his minister's, and had an appropriate sermon preached on Sunday morning; opened a rendezvous for enlistment in the afternoon, and in the evening, with a large company, was on his march.  Of the four companies to be raised as a reinforcement to go against Crown Point under Major-General Johnson, he was captain of the fourth company, and was Lieutenant-Colonel in 1758 and 1760.  He also held various municipal, civil and State offices. 

Children (born in Providence, R.I.):

1023.  William (6), born Aug. 17, 1744; married, 1st, Lois Gray; 2nd Hannah Mason
1024.  Elizabeth (6), born April 5, 1746 (?), married James Searle
1025.  Ebenezer (6), born Feb. 5, 1747; died unmarried
1026.  Mehitable (6), born June 21, 1749; married Lewis Bosworth
1027.  Anna (6), born Oct. 1, 1750; married Silas Talbot
1028.  Sarah (6), born Sept. 28, 1758; died Sept. 12, 1785.

There were probably three other children, viz: Barzillai, Samuel and Cyrus.

His Mayflower connections found here in an article about Elizabeth Pabodie and Descendants.

Barzillai Richmond's name was listed in the Report on the formation of the Society for Providence Society for Abolishing the Slave-Trade, published in the Thursday, Feb. 26, 1789.  His name was also among petitioners for the establishment of a university (Brown University).


The Richmond Family book's profile of Barzillai's brother, William Richmond, here.