Robert Richey was born circa September 1772 in Atlantic Ocean to John Richey (1727-1776) and Margaret Unknown (1731-1820) and died 1835 Abbeville, Abbeville County, South Carolina, United States of unspecified causes. He married Rebecca Belton (1768-1850) 1789 in South Carolina.
Timeline
- 1772-Aug-25 : James and Mary departs from Larne, Ireland
- 1772-Sep(?) : Birth of Robert Richey (1772-1835) while family is at sea sailing to America.
- 1772-Oct-18 : James and Mary arrives at Charleston SC - immediately quarantined for Small Box
- 1772-Dec(?) : Release from quarantine
- 1772-Dec-11 : Issuance of Land Grant by Colonial Governor
- 1773-Jan-16 : Certificate of Land Grant Survey
- 1776 : Death (est) of father John Richey (1727-1776) in/near Laurens County SC
- 1790 : US Federal Census at Laurens County, South Carolina.
- 1795 : Marriage (est) to Rebecca Belton (1768-1850) in/near Laurens County SC
- 1796-Feb-01 : Birth of William Richey (1796-1879) - oldest known child in Laurens County SC
- 1812 : Birth of David Richey (1805-1857) - last known child born in Laurens County SC
- 1835 : Death of Robert Richey (est) in either South Carolina or Georgia (?)
- 1850 : Death of wire Rebecca Belton (1768-1850) at LDS Encampment in Douglas, NE.
Biography
Rev Martin's Irish Immigrant Group
John Richey and his oldest children came to South Carolina as part of Rev. Martin's five shiploads of immigrants from Ireland, circa 1772. John Richey came from Ireland to South Carolina in 1772 on the ship, James and Mary. The Richey family received land grants in Laurens County, S.C. The wife of John Richey is Margaret (last name unknown).
In 18th century Ireland, wealthy landlords owned all of the land and charged excessive rents to their tenant farmers and left them in deep poverty. Rev. William Martin saw this and preached against it. He organized his followers into pooling their resources to directly charter a ship to America where free land grants were available. At first response was slow, but after awhile a great many followed his advice. Eventually he organized five charter ships in the 1770s that sailed to the Carolinas.
The James & Mary was the first of the five ships to come and John Richey and his family were aboard this ship. It docked in in Charleston SC where it was quarantined for several months because of small pox. The Rev Martin arrived a little while later and was able to help everyone get their land grants. Their youngest son Robert Richey (1772-1835) was born in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean on this ship.
Original expectations about the land grants were apparently unrealistic as people hoped to get easy land adjacent to their friends and relatives. In reality the land available was undeveloped territory located deep inland and fairly isolated.
Research Notes
This is the Laurens County Richey Clan. It is NOT the Caldwell Richey Clan of Abbeville - the Caldwell Richeys lived in Abbeville, SC. This John Richey is founder of his own clan in Laurens County, South Carolina. The other immigrant is James Richey who came to American in 1727 and settled near Abbeville and signed all of his records accordingly.
A key distinguishing feature here is the birth of their youngest son Robert At Sea on the immigrant ship from Ireland circa 1772-1775.
1961 FHL Research Letter
In 1961 the LDS Family History Library did a major research project on the Richey Family line. Here are some of their findings:
"A careful study of censuses was made from 1790 on. In 1790 in Laurens Co. there was a John Richey, seemingly a young man with children all under 16, and Robert Richey and wife with no children, so probably he was newly married. By 1800 Robert has three children, all under age ten, John has an increased family, and was himself over age 45, and a Samuel Richey is newly married.
That is John, Jr., and his younger brother Robert. The 1790 census shows Robert married, but with no children. I have no info yet on John, Jr's children? Does that include this Samuel?
"By 1810 these three are still there, and another John in addition. By 1820 Robert is gone, and there remains a young John with one child under ten, Samuel, a William (not your ancestor), and a young widow Margaret over 45, living by herself. We can place all of these in proper perspective, as we will later show. It is evident there were Roberts and Johns in other counties, but we have concerned our search mostly with Laurens Co.
John Jr. died in 1819, the widow mentioned in 1820 is his wife, Margaret McClure Richey.
1790 US Federal Census
The Laurens County, South Carolina/1790 US Census lists one Robert Richey - This could be ours - age 18, unmarried (despite what the FHL letter says above), but residing with him is one taxable citizen (usually an indian) and one slave. [1-0-0-1-1].
Famous Descendants
- James Richey (1821-1890) - grandson, Mormon pioneer and missionary - built settlements in Sanpete Co and Washington Co, Utah
- Clark Richey (1832-1888) - grandson, regimental standard bearer, 41st Alabama, US Civil War
- John Richey (1828-) - grandson, quartermaster, Co F, 41st Alabama, US Civil War
- Robert Richey (1834-1864) - grandson, private in Co K, 41st Alabama, US Civil War, Killed in Action at the Wilderness Battle.
- Hugh Richey (1896-1979) - gg-grandson, bishop of St Johns Ward, LDS Church
References
- Scotch-Irish Migration to South Carolina, 1772 by Jean Stephenson (Publ 1971). Chronicle of Rev. William Martin's effort to organize his religious followers to escape poverty in Ireland by sailing to America to get free land. Includes info on ships and land grants made to the new arrivals.
- From Ulster to Carolina, The Migration of the Scotch-Irish to Southwestern North Carolina by Blethen and Wood (1998). More info about immigrant ship departures from Ireland to America.
Siblings
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| John Richey (1753-1819) | Ireland | 1819 Laurens County, South Carolina | Margaret McClure (1760-) |
| Mary Richey (1755-) | 1755 Ireland | Laurens County, South Carolina | Adam Gordon (1751-1803) |
| Elinor Richey (1760-) | 1760 Ireland | Laurens County, South Carolina | David McClure (1756-) |
| Martha Richey (1770-) | 1770 Ireland | Laurens County, South Carolina | |
| Robert Richey (1772-1835) | September 1772 Atlantic Ocean | 1835 Abbeville, Abbeville County, South Carolina, United States | Rebecca Belton (1768-1850) |
Children
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| William Richey (1796-1879) | 1 February 1796 Laurens County, South Carolina | 21 October 1879 Parowan, Iron County, Utah | Nancy Ridge (1801-1817) Margaret Ann Adair (1804-1852) |
| Martha Richey (1798-) | 1798 Laurens, Laurens County, South Carolina | Neal Tillison (1790-) | |
| John Richey (1800-1831) | |||
| Eleanor Richey (1804-1854) | |||
| James Richey (1804-1878) | 1806 | Sarah Ann Harbin (1824-1887) | |
| David Richey (1805-1857) | 1805 Laurens County, South Carolina | 30 September 1857 Pickens County, Alabama | Diadem Lynch (1810-1870) |
| Richey Richey (1806-1807) | |||
| Susana Richey (1808-1880) | |||
| Margaret Richey (1808-) | |||
| Mary Ann Richey (1810-1850) | 1810 Laurens County, South Carolina | South Carolina | Thomas Hawthorn (1790-1843) |
| Nancy Richey (1814-) | |||
References
- Scotch-Irish Migration to South Carolina, 1772 by Jean Stephenson (Publ 1971). Chronicle of Rev. William Martin's effort to organize his religious followers to escape poverty in Ireland by sailing to America to get free land. Includes info on ships and land grants made to the new arrivals.
- From Ulster to Carolina, The Migration of the Scotch-Irish to Southwestern North Carolina by Blethen and Wood (1998). More info about immigrant ship departures from Ireland to America.