Seventh Generation

55. Rachel Spaulding DURKEE (*) (~)¹⁸ was born on 24 October 1795 in Haverhill, Grafton County, NH.^{13,16,18,19,20} She appeared in the census in 1820 in Waitsfield Township, Washington County, VT.²¹ She appeared in the census in 1830 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.²² Rachel appeared in the census in 1840 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.²³ She appeared in the census in 1850 in Bernett Township, Dodge County, WI.²⁴ She was living with her son Dewitt and his wife. She appeared in the census in 1860 in Barre Township, La Crosse County, WI.²⁵ She was living with her daughter Rachel and her family. Rachel appeared in the census in 1870 in Lincoln Township, Eau Claire County, WI.²⁶ She was living with her son Dewitt and his family. She appeared in the census in 1880 in Chester Township, Dodge County, WI.¹⁷ She died on 15 December 1884 at the age of 89 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.^13,27,28 Rachel was buried in 1884 in Irasville, Waitsfield Township, Washington County, VT.²⁷ in the Irasville Cemetery. Gravestone Inscription: "Rachel Durkee His Wife 1795-1884" She has Ancestral File Number 113B-TT8.¹⁹

Rachel Spaulding DURKEE (*) (~) and Captain Ira Judge RICHARDSON Sr. (*) (~) were married on 15 February 1815 in Waitsfield Township, Washington County, VT.^{13,16,19,28,29} Captain Ira Judge RICHARDSON Sr. (*) (~), son of Lemuel RICHARDSON and Rachel LATHROP, was born on 23 January 1788 in Tolland Township, Tolland County, CT.^13,19,29,30 (Connecticut became the 5th State of the Union on January 9, 1788, so it was no longer a British Colony when he was born.)

"HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF TOLLAND. Tolland was originally purchased of the native Indians by a number of gentlemen in Windsor. In 1715 it was incorporated by the Assembly, and the settlement of the town was commenced by two families. The progress of the settlement was slow; the number of families in 1720 was but twenty-eight. About one half of the township, comprising the south part, was claimed by a number of persons who were legatees of Joshua Uncas, sachem of the Mohegans. This proved a source of considerable difficulty, as the legatees commenced suits at law against the settlers. The proprietors holding under the Windsor claimants were obliged, at a dear rate, to purchase quit claims of the legatees of Joshua.

The Rev. Stephen Steel was the first minister of this town. He commenced his labors in 1720, and continued his ministry for about thirty-seven years, greatly beloved and revered by his people. Mr. Steel was from Hadley, Mass.

The first settlers were of the names of Chapman, Stearns, Grant, West, Carpenter, Aborns, Abbot, Lathrop, Nye and Dimock. The Chapmans were from Windsor; they located themselves about 2-1/2 miles westerly from the court house, near the Hartford road, in the vicinity of Snipsic pond or lake. John Stearns settled about 2 miles eastward of the court house; Zebulon West about 3 miles south; the Grovers, Carpenters and Samuel Aborns, located about 2-1/2 miles north. Ebenezer Grant, from East Windsor, settled on Grant's hill, about 2-1/2 miles south from the court house; Nye and Dimock settled near Willimantic river, about 4 miles east.

Tolland is bounded N. by a narrow section of land in Ellington, extending eastward, called "the Equivalent," W. by Vernon and Ellington, E. by the Willimantic river, dividing it from Willington, and S. by Coventry. It is upwards of six miles in length from north to south, and five and a half in breadth. The township is rough and uneven, being mountainous and stony, but some of the valleys and borders of streams consist of loam, which is warm and fertile. On the western boundary of the town is a large body of water, called Snipsic pond, being two miles in length and 100 rods in width. Some of the most valuable land in the township is in the vicinity of this pond. There is also a pond called Skungamug, in the central part of the town, upon which beavers were formerly taken by the Indians. Great quantities of cranberries are now gathered upon its borders.

The village in the central part of this town consists of about forty well appearing houses, pleasantly situated on an elevated plain of about half a mile in extent from north to south, narrow, but of sufficient width for a wide street. This place is 18 miles east from Hartford, and 52 from New Haven. A range of mountains rises immediately to the west of the village, dividing this part of the state from the great valley of the Connecticut."

"Ira Richardson, the third son of Lemuel and Rachel (Lothrop) Richardson, of Coventry, Ct.; born at Tolland, Ct., Jan. 23, 1788; moved to Waitsfield, Vt., and married Rachel Durkee. He removed to Fayston, Vt.,; was a volunteer in the War of 1812; held responsible town offices, and was twice elected representative to the Legislature from that town. He died in Fayston, Dec. 15, 1844, aged 56 yrs. She is now, 1876, living in Wisconsin." He appeared in the census in August 1790 in Tolland Township, Tolland County, CT.³¹ He served in the military between 1812 and 1815.^28,29 He was a Volunteer in the War of 1812 and served as a Sergeant in the Vermont Militia. Afterward, he became a Captain of the Militia in Vermont. Ira appeared in the census in August 1820 in Waitsfield Township, Washington County, VT.²¹ His household consisted of 2 males, under 10 years old (Ira, Jr., 3, and Eli, 2); 1 male, 16-26 (unknown); 1 male, 26-45 (Ira, Sr., 32); 1 female, 10-16 (unknown); 2 females, 16-26 (Rachel, 25 and unknown); and 1 female, 26-45 (unknown). He appeared in the census in June 1830 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.²² His household consisted of two males, age under 5 (sons Dewitt and Duane); two males, age 10-15 (sons Eli and Ira, Jr.); one male, age 40-50 (himself); one female, age under five (daughter Lovila); two females, age 5-10 (daughters Lucinda and Rachel); one female, age 20-30 (unknown); and one female, age 30-40 (his wife Rachel). He appeared in the census in June 1840 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.²³ He was living eight households from John C. Griggs, a brother of the husband of his daughter Rachel Cordelia. Ira's household consisted of two males, age 12-15 (Dewitt and Duane, 12); one male, age 50-60 (Ira, age 52); 1 female, age 10-15 (Lovila, age 14); 2 females, age 15-20 (Lucinda, 16, and Rachel, 20); and 1 female, age 40-50 (Rachel, age 45). Ira died on 15 December 1844 at the age of 56 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.^13,19,29 He has reference number 113B-TS2.¹⁹ He was buried in Irasville, Waitsfield Township, Washington County, VT.²⁷ in the Irasville Cemetery.

He is buried at the same large gravestone as his son, Ira, Jr. and other members of his son's family. Inscriptions for Ira, Sr. and his wife are on one side of the gravestone, while the opposite side contains inscriptions for his son Ira, Jr. and his wife, Harriet. The two other sides contain inscriptions for Harriet E. Richardson, the daughter of Ira, Jr., and for Lovila W. Richardson, a daughter of Ira, Sr.

Surrounding the main gravestone are small stones: "IR, Sr" for Ira, Sr.; "LWR" for Ira, Sr's daughter, Lovila W. Richardson; "IR" for Ira, Jr.; "HFC" for Ira, Jr's wife, Harriet F. Chapman; and "Little Hattie" for Ira, Jr.'s daughter.

Gravestone Inscription: "Ira Richardson, Sr. 1788-1844"
Ira has Ancestral File Number LWY2-8QK.³²

Rachel Spaulding DURKEE (*) (~) and Captain Ira Judge RICHARDSON Sr. (*) (~) had the following children:

+65	i.	Ira Judge RICHARDSON Jr..
+66	ii.	Eli Baker RICHARDSON.
67	iii.	(Unknown Son) RICHARDSON1,2,33 was born in 1819 in Waitsfield Township, Washington County, VT.19 (This is a picture of the covered bridge at the east entrance to Waitsfield Township.) He died in 1819 at the age of 0 in Waitsfield Township, Washington County, VT.19 He has Ancestral File Number 18WN-DWR.19
+68	iv.	Rachel "Cordelia" RICHARDSON (*) (~).
+69	v.	Lucinda C. RICHARDSON.
70	vi.	Lovila W. RICHARDSON1,2 was born on 17 May 1826 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.16,18,19,27 (Her birth place may have been Fayston Township.) She appeared in the census in 1830 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.22 She appeared in the census in 1840 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.23 Lovila died on 22 February 1847 at the age of 20 in Vermont.19,27 She was buried in 1847 in Irasville, Waitsfield Township, Washington County, VT.27 in the Irasville Cemetery. She has Ancestral File Number 18WN-F0C.19
+71	vii.	Dewitt Clinton RICHARDSON.
+72	viii.	Dewain Milton RICHARDSON.