Richard Risley was born 1612 in Lancashire, England, United Kingdom to Richard de Risley (1565-) and Anne Hyde (1567-) and died October 1648 Hockanum, Hartford County, Connecticut, United States of typhoid. He married Mary Arnold (1619-1656) 1640 in Little Compton, Newport County, Rhode Island, United States.
Biography
First Founder of Hartford CT
Hartford Founder's Monument at Old Church Graveyard
He is listed as one of the first settlers on the Hartford Founders Monument. In 1633, the purtian preacher, Thomas Hooker (1586-1647) revolted against the authority of the English Church, and was forced to sail to America on the ship Griffin with many of his followers.
Finding that place to crowded they moved to the Connecticut River Valley, settling down north of the Dutch Territory in 1636. Here in 1638 they wrote the first constitution in America to create the new Colony of Connecticut (for which they retain their nickname as the Constitution State. Their central city is Hartford CT.
The original brownstone monument erected in 1837 was replaced by this one in 1986, by the Society of the Descendants of the Founders of Hartford. It stands in the Ancient Burying Ground, which is located to the rear of the First Congregational Church at the corner of Main and Gold Streets in Hartford. This cemetery is also known as Old Center Cemetery. It lists the original Founders of Hartford.
Origins
The Risley family traces its name back to 12th Century England, indicating strongly it's Norman roots. Before that it originates with a small Norman Castle in France along the river "Risle".
Richard Risley was probably born sometime prior to 1615 in Ocon, Lancashire, England. He immigrated to Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1633 on the ship Griffin with Thomas Hooker. The vessel landed in Boston Harbor on 04 Sep 1633.
Founding of Hartford
On 31 May 1636, Hooker's congregation left Boston and traveled en masse to settle the City of Hartford and its immediate environs. The Risley family settle to the east of the Great River in Hockanum, East Hartford.
In the book of distribution of property for Hartford it is state: "Samuel Wrisley, son of Richard Wrislea, bap. 01 Nov 1645. Richard Risla bap. 02 Aug 1648." These baptisms occurred in the First Church of Hartford. Richard died in Oct 1648 and left his wife Mary and three children.
1637 Pequot Indian War
Richard with the other able bodied men of the colony, forty in number, under the command of Major John Mason of Windsor, accompanied by men from Wethersfield and Boston, joined the Pequot War 1636 at Groton, where the tribe was substantially annihilated.
Marriage & Family
Richard was married probably in 1640 to Mary ____?, who was probably born in England. They had three children.
Children
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Sarah Risley (1641-1658) | |||
| Samuel Risley (1645-1670) | |||
| Richard Risley (1648-1728) | 8 February 1648 Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut | 27 October 1728 Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut | Rebecca Adams (1658-1726) |
Siblings
Vital Records
References
- The Risley Family History - Free on Google Books (publ Grafton Press in 1909) - Pg 33-39 - Includes complete Probate Record
- Richard Risley List of Famous Descendants
Footnotes (including sources)
| ‡ General |
| Ω Birth |
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