Richard Risley and Rebecca Adams 9th great grandparents on RootsMagic tree.

Richard Risley was born in Hartford, Connecticut on August 2, 1648. His dad, also Richard Risley, died soon after. Richard and siblings are mentioned in their dad’s estate, “There are three children viz. one daughter by name Sarah Rissly, between 7 and 8 one son by name Samuel Rissly about 2 years old and one son by name Rich: Rissly about 3 months old, distribution to children, daughters age 18, sons age 21. William Hill guiding security to the Court for the payment of the several children portions”. Richard’s mom married William Hill. The Risley Hill family stayed in Hartford. Richard was executor of William Hill’s will at his death in 1683.

Rebecca Adams was born in August 1658 in Hartford. Her grandpa Jeremy Adams was somewhat famous in Hartford during his lifetime. He ran the tavern there and is an ‘original founder’ of the place. Rebecca died 12 years before Richard at age 58.

In 1675 Richard and Rebecca married and they had 12 children. The family lived on the east side of the Connecticut River, then called the Great River. Richard owned land, some of it inherited by him and Rebecca, from their fathers and grandfathers.

Richard testified in court on a land ownership issue for his wife’s Adams relatives. “The testimony of Richard risley Sr. Hartford May ye 20th 1726 … I Richard Risly of Hartford Do of my Certain Knowledge Know yt my father John Addams formerly of Hartford Deceased, had seven Children viz : 4 sons and three Daughters : I married one of ye Daughters … ye sisters are all Deceased but they have Left Children as I herd by Jeremiah Adoms … ye above written I am Ready to testifle to If Cald, witness my hand Richard Risle.”

Rebecca died in 1716. Richard died October 19, 1728 in Hartford. They are probably buried in the Ancient Burying Ground, in Hartford, next to Center Church which was The First Church of Christ in their time, founded in 1632.

Richard and Rebecca’s great granddaughter Prudence married David Gaines, whose grandson Obed Gaines was in Iowa in 1854. In Iowa Obed’s granddaughter Mary Ella married James Miller and their grandson Faber was born in there in 1905.

Sources

• Richard’s baptism in Original distribution of the lands in Hartford among the settlers, 1639
• A Digest of the early Connecticut probate records at HathiTrust
• The Public records of the Colony of Connecticut at HathiTrust
• The American Genealogist at American Ancestors
• New England historical and genealogical register at Archive.org
• View of Hartford at Library of Congress https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2004667262/