Richard Lechmere   September 12, 2002

1769; A suit was commenced against Judge Lechmere by Jonathan Sewall, Attorney-General of Massachusetts in favor of a negro demanding his freedom.  The suit was terminated in favor of the negro.  This is said to be the first case in which the question was settled abolishing slavery in that state.  (200 Years Ago, or, A Brief History of Cambridgeport and East Cambridge.)

May 10, 1771; Richard Lechmere buys house and land of John Tudor, Esq. (SD 120:220). N.E. corner of Cambridge and Stanford Sts. (Thwing database)

January 11, 1772; Richard Lechmere, Esq. buys land of Timothy Newell. (SD 120:217). N. side of Cambridge St. near Bowdoin Sq. (Thwing database)

Richard Lechmere was an Addresser of Hutchinson in 1774; was appointed Mandamus Councillor, but did not accept.

September 28, 1774; Richard Lechmere, (distiller). He writes "I have let them (the troops) have my distil-house which was fitting for them and will contain one regiment." (MHSP 2d series 16:289).

October 18, 1774; Richard Lechmere, Esq. and wife Mary deed to John Timmins (merchant) one full undivided fourth part of land, distill-house, and other buildings; fronting N. on Cambridge St., E. George St., S. heirs of John Gutteridge, W. Belknap St. (SD 126:195). Cambridge, Joy, and Hancock Sts. (Thwing database)

October 18, 1774; Richard Lechmere, Esq. and wife Mary deed to Wm. Bowes (merchant) one full undivided fourth part of land, distill-house, and other buildings, fronting on Cambridge St., E. George St., S. heirs of John Gutteridge, W. Belknap St. (SD 126:194). Cambridge, Joy, and Hancock Sts. (Thwing database)

At high tide the Lechmere mansion (built and occupied by Richard and Mary) at the corner of Brattle and Sparks streets was shut off by the Great Marsh and could only be reached by boat from Boston, or by bridge from the Charlestown side over Willis Creek.  It was called Lechmere Point, and on April 18, 1775, Lt. Col. Smith of the 10th, landed 800 British soldiers there.  One man became ill and made his way to the Lechmere house from which the alarm was raised to send the Cambridge Company quickly on the way to Concord.  (History of Cambridge, Massachusetts, p. 170, 184)

After the Revolution, when the Lechmeres had gone to England the old Lechmere house on Brattle Street was confiscated from Jonathan Sewell by the Committee of Correspondence, and in 1779 the Commonwealth sold it to Thomas Lee who had occupied an estate in Pomfret, Connecticut, where he had lived like a squire raising hunting dogs for fox hunts.  He moved into the home in 1779.  The home was later occupied by Andrew Cabot and John Brewster Esq.  (History of Cambridge, Massachusetts, p. 170, 184)

Peter, servant of Richard Lechmere, was baptized December 19, 1775 at Trinity Church; "Peter a Negro Child by Servants of Richard Lechmere Esq."-- bp. 19 Dec. 1775 (Trinity Church Records)

During the Revolution this home was made the prison of Baron Von Riedsel and his wife.  Mrs. Von Riedsel reported in her diary that no prison term could have been more enjoyable than theirs at the Lechmere home.  They were treated as one of the family.  In the afternoon the family all gathered for entertainment, dancing, singing, games, etc..  Mrs. Von Riedsel said she'd never seen a closer family group.  (Boston - G. B. Warden:  200 Years Ago, or, A Brief History of Cambridgeport and East Cambridge)

Fled Cambridge, Mass. during Revolutionary War with other family members446 In 1776 he went to Halifax, with his family of eleven persons, and thence to England. In 1778 he was proscribed and banished, and his estate confiscated; the next year he was included in the Conspiracy Act. His home was at Bristol in 1780. He died in England in 1814, aged eighty-seven.  Richard Lechmere left no male representatives, his daughters, are represented by Coores of Scrunten Hall, Yorkshire. Sir Edward Russell of Ashford Hall, Ludlow and Worralls, whose representatives now are Sir H. Lechmere Stuart, Bart., and Eyre Coote of West Park Eyre. In Colonel Lechmere Russell's possession is Ann Winthrop's bible, with, in her son Richard Lechmere's writing, the statement it was his mother's bible. A piece of land at Hanley, in Worcestershire, the residence of the Lechmere's, is called New England, and is planted with oaks, the seed of which were sent from America by Thomas Lechmere, the settler here.
Nicholas Lechmere, son of Thomas Lechmere, and brother of Richard, was born at Boston, July 29, 1772. He was appointed an Officer of the Customs of Newport, Rhode Island. In 1765, fearing the loss of life in the tumult of that year, he fled to the Cygnet, sloop-of-war, and refused to return to his duties without assurance of protection. From 1767 to the commencement of the Revolution, the disagreements between him and the revolutionists were frequent. In December, 1775, he refused to take the oath tendered by General Lee, and was conveyed under guard to Providence. He went to England, and in 1770, was with his brother at Bristol in 1780. He was banished and his estate confiscated.

February 5, 1779; Richard Lechmere, absentee. Inventory: House and Lechmore's Point o1800; o5350. (SPR 78:123)

January 16, 1782; Estate of Richard Lechmore. Richard Cranch, Samuel Henshaw, and Samuel Barrett, authorized to seize and sell the estates of conspirators and absentees, deed to Mungo Mackay (merchant) the Real Estate of Richard Lechmore, an absentee; S. Cambridge St., W. Staniford St., N. a passageway, E. Timothy Newell, N. sd Newell. [N.E. corner of Cambridge and Staniford Sts.]. Also 1/2 of land, with 1/2 brick distill-house and other buildings thereon, N. Cambridge St., E. a street or highway 40 ft. wide, called George St., S. heirs of John Gutteridge, W. a 30 ft. street or highway called Belknap St. (SD 139:41). Joy, Hancock, and Cambridge Sts. (Thwing database)

LIST OF CONFISCATED ESTATES BELONGING TO RICHARD LECHMORE IN SUFFOLK COUNTY AND TO WHOM SOLD.
To Mungo Mackey, June 11, 1783; Lib. 139, fol. 14; Land and dwelling-house in Boston, Cambridge St. S.; Staniford St. W.; passageway N.; Timothy Newell E. and N.; Jeremiah Allen E.(???)One undivided half of land, brick distill house and other buildings, Cambridge St. N.; George St. E.; heirs of John Guttridge deceased S.; Belknap St. W.

Samuel (Haven? Lechmere?), of Dedham, held Lechmere rights to Phips farm.  (History of Cambridge, Massachusetts, p. 184)

Town Offices: Judge, Warden of Christ Church 1764, 1765444,445