Joseph Richardson of Bradford, who declared his intention to marry Hannah Nelson of Rowley on Nov. 3, 1714 (Rowley 1, 353), could not have been the son of Joseph Richardson and Ann Riggs, who had declared their intention to marry on February 24, 1711-12 (Newbury 2, 419).

According to email messages from several researchers, there is considerable evidence that Joseph, the son of Joseph Richardson and Ann Riggs, moved to Chester, NH, married three times, had several children, including Colonel Bradbury Richardson, and ended his days in East Moultonborough, NH. His was obviously an eventful life, and we eagerly await publication of the articles which will fill in the gaps in our knowledge.

Then who was Joseph Richardson of Bradford, and where did he come from ? The most likely possibility seems to be Joseph Richardson, son of Thomas Richardson and Hannah Colburn, born about 1694 in that part of Chelmsford which later became Dracut in Middlesex County. (Vinton, The Richardson Memorial, reference 135).

Thomas was the grandson of Ezekiel Richardson, one of the three brothers who were among the first settlers of Woburn, MA. The Bradford VR's show that the names of Joseph and Hannah's children were among those given to Ezekiel's descendants and their wives : Bridget, Joseph, Phebe, and Thomas (Bradford Births,p140)

There is also evidence that Joseph's older brother, James (Vinton reference 133), had previously married into the Nelson family. According to Rowley records, James Richardson of Dracut married Mary Nelson on March 18, 1709-10 (Rowley 1, 354), and Vinton shows that his wife's first name was Mary. There is no Mary Nelson of an appropriate age shown in the Rowley VRs, but the following information about James and Mary was supplied by several of the correspondents shown below.

According to Early Settlers of Rowley by Blodgette, John Nelson, son of Captain Philip Nelson married Mary Trumble, daughter of Deacon John Trumble of Boxford. They were of Boxford
15 Aug. 1706. They had 3 children: Elizabeth, John and Mary. According to Blodgette "Perhaps his widow married (2) James Richardson of Dracut."

This would mean that Mary Nelson was Hannah Nelson's widowed aunt by marriage, as Hannah was the daughter of Philip Nelson, Jr., son of Captain Philip Nelson. (Rowley I, 142,144).

Also, Philip Nelson,Jr. had married Sarah Varnum of Chelmsford, whose father, Samuel, was a neighbor of Thomas Richardson in Dracut. I have no primary source for this marriage, but the same information was supplied separately by several of the correspondents shown below.

We may never be able to prove the origins of Joseph Richardson of Bradford, because the earliest town records of Dracut do not seem to contain any marriages.

Most of the above information was supplied by several helpful correspondents from the MAESSEX-L@rootsweb.com, NHROCKIN-L@rootsweb.com and RICHARDSON-L@rootsweb.com genealogy lists including Donald Weymouth, Jim Blaine, Shari Kelly, Frank Grimes, Bobbie Hall, Vaughan Simon, George F. Sanborn, Jr. and others. Many thanks !