On March 20, 1695/6, Joseph bought from Abiel Long a house and 18 acres running from the Bradford Road (now Main Street) to the Merrimac River. (Essex Deeds v18, p90 recorded September 30, 1701) This property was next to that of William Boulton, who had finished the main wing of his house by that time. The Boulton house is still standing at 810 Main Street at the corner of Way to the River Road in West Newbury, but it is not known if any part of the Richardson house is still standing.

Joseph was probably established in what is now West Newbury by 1690, when he joined with 14 others in signing a petition asking the Town to establish a rate for the maintenance of a second minister to preach in their West meeting house, or at least to allow them to pay a minister at their own expense. The town first refused this petition, but finally acceded in 1692, after the petitioners had appealed to the General Court. 347 ff).

The tax list of 1688 showed that he then owned a house and six acres of land with one horse, two cows and six sheep (Currier, History of Newbury, Mass, p205).