Edward Richmond, Witness To A Rhode Island Deed

Rhode Island Colonial Land Evidence - Abstract from the Office of the Secretary of State in Providence:

Source

Deed.  Aaron Davis to Peleg Sanford---Aaron Davis, of Newport, Mason, for 12 1/2 acres of land in Newport, conveys to Peleg Sanford, of Newport, merchant, a parcel of land in Newport, 15 acres, bounded E, by the common, late of Watterman; N, partly by land of John Vahan, and part on the common; S, by land of William Brenton, Esq., Feb. 25, 1672-3.  Witnessed by Hugh Mosher, John Green, and Edward Richmond.  Confirmed by Mary Davis, wife of Aaron, April 14, 1674.

Was Edward Richmond, the witness, Edward Richmond (1632-1696) the husband of Abigail Davis, who died in Little Compton, Newport, Rhode Island?  Probably, but I don't know for sure.  Here's more about Abigail's Davis family.

See the Richmond Family Tree (Edward 2, John 1) here.

Edward A. Richmond of Allegany County, NY & Family

Edward Adrian Richmond's lineage:
Edward Adrian Richmond married Lucretia Harris
son of Ebenezer m. Louisa Gott
son of Edward m. Huldah
son of Edward m. Elizabeth Powell
son of Benjamin m. Mary Rogers
son of Edward
son of Edward
son of John (the original immigrant)

Edward A. Richmond was a soldier in General Banks' Division in the Civil War (Co G 46th PA).  E(dward) A. Richmond was listed as a farmer in Whitesville who owned 78 (acres) and leased 19 in Willing in Child's 1875 Gazetteer here. 

Children of Edward A. & Lucretia (Harris) Richmond:
Leroy, b. March 1844 m. Ardell (1854-1895) Truesdale [listed here in Child's Gazetteer]
Mary m. Martin A. Davis
Helen m. Ai Eugene Foster
Emma m. Philo Payne
Ardella m. ? Smith

RECORD OF THE WILL OF EDWARD A. RICHMOND

I, Edward A. Richmond of the town of Willing County of Allegany and State of New York occupation a farmer make this my last Will to give devise and bequeath my estate and property real and personal to my dearly beloved wife Lucretia M. Richmond after paying my funeral expenses and all just debts and demands against me, to be for her support and maintenance during her lifetime and at her death to also further devise and bequeath that (after paying the funeral expenses of my said wife) that all my property real and personal be equally divided between my (4) four children, Leroy F. Richmond, Mary E. Richmond, Emma J. Richmond and Della F. Richmond as follows, one fourth to Leroy F. Richmond and his heirs, one fourth to Mary E. Davis (formerly Mary E. Richmond) and her heirs, and one fourth to Emma J. Payne (formerly Emma J. Richmond) and her heirs and one fourth to Della F. Smith (formerly Della F. Richmond) and her heirs.

I appoint A. E. Foster of the town of Willing county and State aforesaid, occupation a farmer as executor of this my will.

In witness whereof I have signed and sealed and published and declared this instrument as my Will at the town of Willing County and State aforesaid the 22nd day of March A.D. 1879
Edward A. Richmond {Seal}

The said Edward A. Richmond at said town of Willing county and State aforesaid on said 22nd day of March 1879 signed and sealed this instrument and published and declared the same as and for his last Will.  And we at his Request and in his presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto written our names as subscribing witnesses.

B.F. Wood, Whitesville, NY
W.A. Wilson, Whitesville, NY

State of New York
Allegheny County
Surrogate's Office

Be it remembered that on the day of the date hereof the Last Will and Testament of Edward A. Richmond late of the town of Willing in the county of Allegany and State of New York deceased, bring the within and foregoing written instrument was duly proved before Clarence A. Farnum, Esq., Surrogate of the said County, according to law, as and for the Last Will and Testament of the real and personal estate of the said deceased, which said Last Will and Testament and proofs and examinations taken thereon are recorded in this office.
     In testimony whereof, the Surrogate of the said County hath hereunto set his hand and affixed his seal of office this 28th day of August AD. 1885.
Clarence Farnum
Surrogate of Allegany County

Surrogate's Court, County of Allegany
In the Matter of Proving the Last Will and Testament
of
Edward A. Richmond, Deceased

Allegany County ss
W.A. Wilson being first duly sworn in open Court doth depose and say, that he is a subscribing witness to the Last Will and Testament of Edward A. Richmond late of the town of Willing in the county of Allegany and State of New York deceased. And this deponent does further say that the said deceased, did, in the presence of this deponent and in the presence of Benjamin F. Wood, now deceased, subscribe his name at the end of the instrument in writing which is now here shown to this deponent and which purports to be the last Will and Testament of the said deceased, and which bears date on the 22nd day of March one thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.  That said deceased died on about the 9th day of March 1885 at his house in the town of Willing Allegany County New York.
That the said deceased did, at the time of subscribing his name to the said instrument as aforesaid, declare the same to be his last Will and Testament and the deponent and said Benjamin F. Wood did respectively subscribe their own names at the end of said instrument as attesting witness to the execution thereof each at the request of the said deceased and in his presence and in the presence of each other.
That the said deceased, at the time of so subscribing his name to said instrument as aforesaid, and publishing said instrument as aforesaid was of full age.  That he appeared to be, and deponent believes he was of sound mind, memory and understanding and not under any restraint and, as deponent verily believes in all respects competent to devise real estate; that this deponent saw the said Benjamin F. Wood sign his name to the said instrument in the presence of the said deceased.
Deponent further says that he signed his name to said will in the presence of said deceased at the request of said deceased.  Deponent further says that the other subscribing witness to said will, said Benjamin F. Wood, is dead, having died about November 9th, 1883, and that the name B.F. Wood subscribed to said will is in the genuine handwriting of said Benjamin F. Wood.

Subscribed and Sworn to before me this 28th day of August 1885 W. R. Wilson
Clarence A. Farnum
Surrogate of Allegany County

___ Surrogate Court held at the village of Wellsville? in and for the county of Allegany on the 28th day of August 1885
Present Clarence A. Farnum, Surrogate
In the matter of proving the Will of Edward A. Richmond, Deceased

Satisfactory proof having been made and filed of the due service of the citation heretofore issued in this matter, requiring the proper person to appear in this court, on the 28th day of August A.D. 1885 and attend the Probate of the last Will and Testament of Edward A. Richmond, late of the town of Willing, in the county of Allegany and State of New York deceased and W.R. Wilson one of the subscribing witnesses to said will (the other being dead, having appeared in support of the proof of the said last will and Testament no one opposing the same and after hearing the proofs and allegations of the said subscribing witness and duly deliberating thereon it is adjudged and decreed that the said last Will and Testament was duly executed that the same is genuine and valid, and that the said Edward A. Richmond deceased at the time of executing the same, was in all respects competent to make a last will and testament and to devise real estate, and was not under any restraint.  And this Court doth further Order and Decree that the said last will and testament and the proofs and examinations taken in respect to the same be recorded, and that the said last will and testament be admitted to probate and that the same be and hereby is established as a Will of real and personal estate.

Clarence A. Farnum
Surrogate
[Several years ago I posted the will online here]

1880 Census CO, Larimer, Big Thompson

Edward A. RICHMOND   Self  MW   59  NY  NY NY
 Lucrecia RICHMOND   Wife  M W   55   NY  CT  NY

NEXT DOOR:

Martin A. DAVIS  Self   M W  47   NY  VT   VT
 May E. DAVIS  Wife   M  W   34 VA   NY   NY
 Edward A. DAVIS   Son   S W  17 NY   NY   VA
 Carrie I. DAVIS   Dau  S    W   15  NY     NY   VA
 William C. DAVIS   Son S   W  13 NY    NY   VA
 Salome L. DAVIS   Dau S W   10   NY   NY   VA
 Helen G. DAVIS   Dau  S   W   4   NY    NY   VA
 Della M. DAVIS   Dau  S  W   2   NY  NY   VA
 Salome DAVIS   Mother   W W   77   VT    MA  MA

This is most probably the Edward A. & Lucretia (Harris) Richmond family who lived in Allegany Co., NY; daughter Mary (May) was born in Virginia and so is this Mary, plus the ages match up pretty well.

While doing a quick search of the 1885 Colorado State Census for Larimer County, no Richmonds were found.  The Mar(tin) Davis family was living there in 1885, including Martin Davis's mother, Salome Davis.  This needs to be double-checked; the findagrave entry for Salome H. Davis says that she died in 1881.

Just a little bit more about the Edward A. Richmond family.

Which Davis Is Which?

There is often plenty of material to sort through when researching early New England ancestors. Abigail (Davis) Richmond is no exception. Several persons claim her as an ancestor as evidenced in this link to GenCircles. It appears that the identity of Abigail's father is the disputed among researchers. Many claim that Abigail Davis Richmond's father was James Davis; others identify him as William Davis the Locksmith.

Apparently Savage's account of William & Mary (Joan) Davis's family indicated that their daughter Abigail died at the age of four. However, a quote from Savage, embedded in a "Davis" citation, stated that "In many instances, some of the above nam. are spelled Davies, as well as Davis; and the utmost care, in arranging relationsh. betw. parties with a name so wide. diffus. will sometimes be at fault."

The key element is the Davis connection to John Cowdall. Most (if not all) researchers acknowledge John Cowdall as Abigail Davis's step-father and it was he and her mother, Joan (Mary) Cowdall, who forced Abigail into a marriage with Richard Ussell, which was later documented by the Rhode Island colony. That marriage was eventually annulled and Abigail then married Edward Richmond as she first intended.

Because of Abigail Davis's documented familial relationship to the Cowdalls, and the Cowdalls' relationship to William Davis, both Junior and Senior, it appears to me, unless evidence can be found to the contrary, that William Davis was Abigail's father.

According to Savage,  "The Book of possessions in early days shows W. sen. and W. jr. in
Boston, but wh. was f. of these ch. is to be determin. I fear, only by conject. One was a
gunsmith, and one was d. 10 Nov. 1655, when Isaac Collamore gave in the inv. of his
est. only £7. His wid. Mary soon m. John Cowdall."

Documentation in this book documents the relationship between the Cowdalls and William Davis/Davies, Junior (William Davis the gunsmith). Property Wm Davis, Jr., inherited from his father was confirmed by the lower house 7 Oct 1645 (Record of the House of Deputies):...petition of William Davies, sonne to William Davies, deceased, upon acknowledgement of...(the Cowdells). "So William the gunsmith had full title to the house and lands in Oct. 1645". "In 1650 William Davis, of Boston, gunsmith, mortgaged the house to James Oliver, merchant,...dwelling adjoining to Mr. Harding's." The same book indicated that on April 12, 1658, the house passed out of the Davis family forever. Apparently one historian tied the Boston lot owned by the Davis family to the first "Bunches of Grapes" Tavern. William Davis, Jr., moved to Barbados.