Person Page - 867

       Susanna ?Bradford married (1), before 1630 in England, Ezekiel/1 Richardson, son of Thomas/a Richardson and Katherine Duxford.^1,2 Of Westmill, Hertfordshire, they sailed aboard the Winthrop Fleet, 1630, to Massachusetts Bay, where his name appears at Charlestown, MA in that year, "11th of the first list of 13."^3,4 They joined the church at Charlestown in 1632.⁵ He died at Woburn 21 Oct 1647.^6,7 She married (2), as his 2d wife, before 27 Mar 1651, Henry/1w Brooks.^1,7
     Samuel Richardson, in a deed dated 27 Mar 1651, mentions my brother Ezekiel Richardson, our brother Thomas Richardson, and my sister, Susanna Brooks (who was wife of my deceased brother, Ezekiel Richardson).⁸' "Susanna Richardson (now Brooks), widow of Ezekiel Richardson, quitclaimed, March 23, 1655, 35 acres of land in Charlestown to Thomas Moulton and John Greenland. [Midd. Deed, 11. 36.]"^9,10
     13 Dec 1659, Henry Brookes and Susanna Brookes of Woburn, in accordance with an award of the court, resigned one-half of Ezekiel Richardson's house and lands, deeding the property to her son Theophilus Richardson. Both signed by mark.^11,12
     Many secondary sources superficially dismiss Susanna Brooks with the passing reference that she was "an ancient and skillful woman" noted for her medical knowledge. The source of this quotation, given in full in Hurd's Hist. Middlesex County, is much more revealing. Hurd quotes the account of Daniel Gookin, the English superintendent of Bay Colony Indians prior to Philip's War (1675-76):
     "In the year 1670, a party of Maquas, being looking after their prey, met with some Indians in the woods, belonging to Naamkeek, or Wamesit, upon the north side of Merrimak river, not far from some English houses; where, falling upon these Indians, that were travelling in a path, they killed some and took others whom they also killed, and among the rest, a young maid of about fourteen years old was taken, and the scalp of her head taken off and her skull broken, and left for dead with others. Some of the Indians escaping came to their fellows; and with a party of men, they went forth to bring off the dead bodies, where they found this maid with life in her. So they brought her home, and got Lt. Thomas Henchman, a good man, and one that hath inspection over them, by my order, to use means for her recovery; and tho' he had but little hope thereof, yet he took the best care he could about it; and as soon as conveniently he could, sent the girl to an ancient and skillful woman living at Woburn, about ten miles distant, called Goodwife Brooks, to get her to use her best endeavours to recover the maid; which, by the blessing of God, she did, though she were about two years or more in curing her. I was at Goodwife Brooks' house in May, 1673, when she was in cure; and she showed me a piece or two of the skull that she had taken out. And in May last, 1674, the second day, I being among the Indians at Pawtuckett, to keep court, with Mr. Elliott, and Mr. Richard Daniel, and others, with me, I saw the maid alive and in health, and looked upon her head, which was whole, except a little spot as big as a six-pence might cover, and the maid fat and lusty; but there was no hair come again upon the head where the scalp was flayed off. This cure, as some skillful in chirurgery apprehend, is extraordinary and wonderful; and hence the glory and praise is to be ascribed to God, that worketh wonders without number."¹³
     Susanna died at Woburn 15 Sep 1681.¹⁴ Her possible surname, for which I have found no confirmation, comes from Torrey.

       Mary/4w Richardson was born 10 Aug 1689 at Woburn, MA.¹ Granddaughter Mary Richardson is mentioned in the will of John/2w Brooks, 29 Jul 1690.²

       John/4w Richardson Jr. was born 29 Dec 1692 at Woburn, MA.¹ He married, 1 Jul 1714 at Cambridge, Abigail Swan of that town, daughter of Gershom Swan and Sarah Holden.² He died at Woburn 15 Nov 1745, at age 52.³ Was his widow the Abigail Richardson who married, 15 Apr 1747 at Stoneham, Dea. Daniel Gould?⁴

       Deborah/4w Richardson was born 8 Mar 1695 at Woburn, MA.¹ There she married, as his 1st wife, 25 Mar 1718, Lt. John/3 Kendall of Woburn, son of Jacob/2 Kendall and Alice Temple.² They removed, with his brothers Ebenezer and Abraham, to Dunstable circa 1726.³ There she died 3 Mar 1739 at age 43.⁴ She is buried in Little Cemetery, South Nashua, NH.⁴ He remarried, without issue, died 27 Jul 1759, and is buried in Meeting House Hill Cemetery, Dunstable.⁵
     "John was great-grandfather of Amos Kendall, Postmaster-General of the United States under President Jackson."³

       Sarah/4w Richardson was born 12 Mar 1698 at Woburn, MA.¹ There she died 20 Feb 1704 at age 5.²

       Josiah/4w Richardson was born 14 Feb 1701 at Woburn, MA.¹

       Dea. Nathan/4w Richardson was born 24 Jan 1702 at Woburn, MA.¹ He married (1), by 1725, Esther Pierce, with whom he had 2 children.² She died at Woburn 11 Nov 1727.³ There he married (2), 3 Jul 1729, Tabitha/3 Kendall of Woburn, daughter of Samuel/2 Kendall and Mary/2 Locke, with whom he had 5 children.⁴ She died at Woburn 25 Nov 1739.⁵ He married (3), 3 Apr 1740 at Malden, Lydia Whittemore.⁶ He died at Woburn 21 Oct 1775 at age 73.⁷ He is buried in the First Burial Ground with his three wives.⁸ Chosen deacon of the Woburn church, 1761.⁸

       Eunice/4w Richardson was born 3 Jan 1703/4 at Woburn, MA.¹ After her mother's death, 12 Feb following, she was raised by Ephraim Buck and his wife Sarah Brooks.²