Richard Borden Genealogy
Record modified: 2025-08-28
This is my ancestor 11 generations back.
Born: 1595-02-02 Headcorn, Kent England
Died: 1671-06-25 Portsmouth, Rhode Island USA
Marriages:
1. 1625-09-28 Joan Fowle
Children of Richard Borden and Joan Fowle:
Notes:
I don't know if the birth date is old-style or new-style, but I suspect it's old-style.
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There is a book about him, "Historical and Genealogical Record of the Descendants as far as known of Richard and Joan Borden" by Hattie Borden Weld, but parts of it have been disproven.
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He was elected a member of a committee to treat with the Dutch in
1653. He was elected Assistant at Portsmouth in 1653 and 1654, Treasurer of
the United Colonies in 1654 and 1655, Commissioner in 1654, 1656, and 1657,
and Deputy from Portsmouth to the Rhode Island General Assembly in 1667
and 1670. As a surveyor he acquired large tracts of land in Rhode Island and
Monmouth County, East Jersey (now New Jersey).
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1638 - admitted as inhabitant of Aquidneck Island
1638-05-20 - allotted 5 acres
1639-01-02 - appointed to survey lands
1641-03-16 - made freeman
1661-09-06 - bought 60 acres near Newtokonkonut Hill
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Son Matthew (born at Portsmouth on 16 May 1638) was "the first English child born on Rhode Island," according to Quaker records.
Son John's (b. 1640) great-great-great-grandson, Gail BORDEN III, was the inventor of condensed milk in the early 1850s and founder of the Borden Milk Company.
John's (b. 1640) great-great-great-great-great-granddaughter, through a different line, was the famous Lizzie BORDEN, who was charged with killing her father and step-mother with an ax in 1892 in Fall River, Massachusetts. (Lizzie Andrew BORDEN (1860-1927) was the daughter of Andrew J. BORDEN (1822-1892), son of Abraham B. BORDEN (b. 1798), son of Richard BORDEN (d. after 1816), son of Richard BORDEN (1722-1795), son of Thomas BORDEN (1697-1740), son of Richard BORDEN (1671-c.1732), son of John BORDEN (1640-1716), son of Richard BORDEN (1595/6-1671), the immigrant.
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see NEHGR Jan and Apr 1930
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Rhode Island, Vital Extracts, 1636-1899
children of Richard Borden and Joan:
Matthew born May 1638
John born Sept 1640
Joseph born Jan 3 1642/3
Sarah born May 1644
Samuel born July 1645
Benjamin born May 1649
Anne born Feb 1658
(all in Portsmouth, except Anne in Providence)
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Rhode Island, Vital Extracts, 1636-1899
Friends records -- Deaths
Richard Borden, one of the first planters, aged 70 years, buried in ground given by Robert Dinnes to the Friends, Portsmouth, May 25 1671
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He left a nuncupative will, which was approved by the Portsmouth Council 1671-05-11.
To widow Joan the old house and fire room, with leanto and buttery adjoining, and the little chamber joining to it; half the use of great hall, porch room below, cellaring and garret of new house for life. To her also firewood yearly, use of thirty fruit trees in orchard that she may choose, liberty to keep fowls about the house not exceeding forty, and all household goods at her disposal. She was to have thirty ewe sheep kept for her, with their profit and increase; fifty other sheep kept to halves, three cows kept and their profit, and to have paid her yearly a good well fed beef, three well fed swine, ten bushels of wheat, twenty bushels of Indian corn, six bushels of barley malt, and four barrels of cider.
To son Thomas all estate in Providence, lands, goods and chattels (except horse kind), he paying his mother Joan yearly a barrel of pork and firkin of butter.
To son Francis, lands in New Jersey.
To son John all land about new dwelling house of said John Borden, etc.
To son Joseph, L40, within two years after the death of his mother.
To son Samuel L40, half in six months after death of father and half in six months after death of mother.
To son Benjamin L40 within four years after death of mother.
To daughter Mary Cook, L5.
To daughter Sarah Holmes, L40, within six months after death of mother.
To daughter Amy Borden, L100 at age of twenty-one.
To granddaughter, Amy Cook, L10 at age of eighteen.
To son Matthew, whole estate after payment of debts and legacies, and if he die without issue said estate not to remain to any brother older.
Inventory, L1572 8s 9d, viz:
200 sheep. 100 lambs, 4 oxen, 9 cows, 4 three years, 5 two-years, 7 yearlings, 5 calves; horseflesh in Providence, L60. Four mares on the island, L20, horse L7 10s; 6 colts, and other horseflesh at New London, L8. Thirty swine, 11 pigs, negro man and woman, L50; 3 negro children, L25; turkeys, geese, fowls, Indian corn, rye, wheat, oats, barley, pease, 2 cheese presses, 6 guns, pewter, 2 swords, 2 feather beds, 2 flock beds, hat case, silver bowl, L3; cider , L2; money, L11; goods, L16; tables, form, settle, chairs, warming pan, books, L10
Hinds Site: Genealogy of Ken Hinds -- page 1733
I strive for accuracy, but I cannot guarantee this information
is correct or complete. Hard references are given where I have them,
but otherwise you should verify this information.
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