Richard Olmsted
Deputy of the
General Court
of the
Colony of Connecticut
from Norwalk[1]
In office
May 1653 – October 1653
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byNorwalk not represented in October 1653 session
In office
October 1654 – May 1655
Preceded byMatthew Canfield,
Matthew Marvin Sr.
Succeeded byMatthew Canfield
In office
May 1658 – October 1658
Serving with Matthew Canfield
Preceded bySamuel Hales,
Isaac Moore
Succeeded byNathaniel Richards,
Walter Hoyt
In office
October 1660 – May 1661
Serving with Samuel Hales
Preceded byMatthew Canfield,
Samuel Hales
Succeeded byMatthew Canfield,
Walter Hoyt
In office
May 1662 – October 1662
Serving with Matthew Canfield
Preceded byWalter Hoyt
Succeeded byMatthew Canfield,
John Gregory
In office
May 1663 – May 1665
Preceded byMatthew Canfield,
John Gregory
Succeeded byJohn Gregory
In office
October 1665 – October 1667
Serving with Matthew Canfield
Preceded byMatthew Canfield,
John Gregory
Succeeded byJohn Gregory,
Walter Hoyt
In office
May 1668 – October 1669
Preceded byJohn Gregory,
Walter Hoyt
Succeeded byJohn Gregory, John Douglas
In office
May 1671 – October 1671
Serving with Walter Hoyt
Preceded byDaniel Kellogg,
John Gregory
Succeeded byJohn Gregory,
John Bowton
In office
May 1679 – October 1679
Serving with John Gregory
Preceded byMark Sension,
John Platt
Succeeded byDaniel Kellogg,
John Bowton
Personal details
Born(1612-02-20)February 20, 1612
Harwich, England
DiedApril 20, 1687(1687-04-20) (aged 75)
Norwalk, Connecticut Colony
Resting placeEast Norwalk Historical Cemetery, Norwalk, Connecticut
Spouse(s)Frances Haugh, Magdelen Hill Smith (m. before 1670, widow of William Smith)
ChildrenJohn Olmstead, Richard Olmstead, Rebecca Olmstead, James Olmsted
Military service
RankCaptain
Battles/warsKing Philip's War, Pequot War

Richard Olmsted (February 20, 1612 – April 20, 1687) was a founding settler of both Hartford and Norwalk, Connecticut. He served in the General Court of the Connecticut Colony in the sessions of May 1653, October 1654, May 1658, October 1660, May 1662, May and October 1663, May and October 1664, October 1665, May and October 1666, May 1667, May and October 1668, May 1669, May 1671, and May 1679.

Early life

Olmsted was born in Harwich, England in 1612. It has long been claimed that he came to Boston along with his uncle James Olmsted aboard the ship Lyon in 1632, but there is no evidence to support this and he probably came somewhat later.[2] He lived in Mount Wollaston, Massachusetts Bay Colony (now Quincy) originally. Richard Olmstead is in the passenger list of the Lyon which sailed from Thames, England, on June 22, 1632 and arrived at Boston, Massachusetts Bay Colony in America on September 16, 1632. He came with his Uncle James and his wife Joyce Cornish Olmstead, their children Nicholas, Nehemiah, and Richard's siblings John and Rebecca.

Settlement of Hartford

In 1636, he moved to Hartford, Connecticut with the congregation of Thomas Hooker, becoming one of its original settlers.

In 1637, he was a soldier in the Pequot War.[3]

About 1647, he married but the name of his first wife is unknown. In about 1670, he married (2) Magdelan (maiden name unknown) Smith, widow of William Smith.

In 1646, he was a constable, and in 1649 he was a fence viewer.[3]

Settlement of Norwalk

Roger Ludlow purchased the land that would become Norwalk in 1640. Ludlow contracted with fourteen men for the original planting of Norwalk. In 1649, Olmsted, along with Nathaniel Ely became the first two settlers.[3]

In 1653, he was Deputy of Norwalk to the General Court at Hartford.

In 1656, appointed by the General Court, Leather seller, for Norwalk.

In 1657, he was chosen Townsman in Norwalk.

On May 19, 1659, he was appointed with three others to settle a land dispute between the towns of Stratford and Fairfield, with the Indians. On May 17, 1660, he was appointed Grand Juror for Norwalk.

In 1661, he along with John Banks and Joseph Judson were appointed by the General Court to survey the town boundary between Fairfield and Stratford.

From 1676 to 1676, he served in King Philip's War, achieving the rank of Captain.[4]

On October 4, 1660, he was appointed Deputy to the General Court at Hartford.

From 1669 to 1675, he was a Selectman in Norwalk.

He was chosen Deputy of Norwalk to the General Court a dozen times between 1660 and 1679.

In 1675, at a meeting of the Council he was appointed to sign bills for the payment of soldiers in King Philip's War.

He was Commissioner for Norwalk, with magisterial powers, from 1668 to 1677.

He is listed on the Founders Stone bearing the names of the founders of Hartford in the Ancient Burying Ground in Hartford, and he is also listed on the Founders Stone bearing the names of the founders of Norwalk in the East Norwalk Historical Cemetery.

References

  1. ^ An Historical Discourse in Commemoration of the Two-hundredth Anniversary of Norwalk
  2. ^ Great Migration Begins--1620-1633, p. 1359
  3. ^ a b c History and Genealogy
  4. ^ Genealogy of the Olmsted Family in America: Embracing the Descendants of James and Richard Olmsted and Covering a Period of Nearly Three Centuries, 1632-1912. A.T. De La Mare Print. and Publishing Company. 1912.
Preceded byOffice established Deputy of the General Court of the Connecticut Colony from Norwalk May 1653 Succeeded byNorwalk not represented in October 1653 session Preceded byMatthew CanfieldMatthew Marvin Sr. Deputy of the General Court of the Connecticut Colony from Norwalk October 1654 Succeeded byMatthew Canfield Preceded bySamuel HalesIsaac Moore Deputy of the General Court of the Connecticut Colony from Norwalk May 1658 With: Matthew Canfield Succeeded byNathaniel RichardsWalter Hoyt Preceded byMatthew CanfieldSamuel Hales Deputy of the General Court of the Connecticut Colony from Norwalk October 1660 With: Samuel Hales Succeeded byMatthew CanfieldWalter Hoyt Preceded byWalter Hoyt Deputy of the General Court of the Connecticut Colony from Norwalk May 1662 With: Matthew Canfield Succeeded byMatthew CanfieldJohn Gregory Preceded byMatthew CanfieldJohn Gregory Deputy of the General Assembly of the Connecticut Colony from Norwalk May 1663, October 1663, May 1664, October 1664 With: John Gregory,Matthew Canfield Succeeded byJohn Gregory Preceded byJohn GregoryMatthew Canfield Deputy of the General Assembly of the Connecticut Colony from Norwalk October 1665, May 1666, October 1666, May 1667 With: Matthew Canfield Succeeded byWalter HoytJohn Gregory Preceded byWalter HoytJohn Gregory Deputy of the General Assembly of the Connecticut Colony from Norwalk May 1668, October 1668, May 1669 With: John Gregory,Walter Hoyt Succeeded byJohn GregoryJohn Douglas Preceded byDaniel KelloggJohn Gregory Deputy of the General Assembly of the Connecticut Colony from Norwalk May 1671 With: Walter Hoyt Succeeded byJohn GregoryJohn Bowton Preceded byMark SensionJohn Platt Deputy of the General Assembly of the Connecticut Colony from Norwalk May 1679 With: John Gregory Succeeded byDaniel KelloggJohn Bowton
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