Richard Betts (abt. 1613 - abt. 1713)

Born about 11 Apr 1613 in England

Husband of Joanna (Chamberlain) Betts — married before 27 Jan 1650 in Ipswich, Massachusetts [uncertain]

Descendants

Died about 18 Nov 1713 at about age 100 in Newtown, Queens, Long Island, New York [uncertain]

Problems/Questions Profile managers: T Stanton [send private message], New Netherland Settlers WikiTree [send private message], Kevin Gerald Ryan [send private message], and Karen Munro [send private message]

Richard Betts was a New Netherland settler. Join: New Netherland Settlers Project Discuss: new_netherland

Biography

This profile is part of the Betts Name Study.

Most authoritative authors state that Richard Betts came from Hemel-Hempstead "or it's vicinity", Hertfordshire, England^[1] but none offer any primary source evidence for this assertion (see Research Notes) and they give the impression of having simply been repeated after a first appearance. It may be read that he was descended from the Betts family of Withenden, Suffolk, England but, again, these statements are without documentation and as such Richard Betts and Alice Lord have been detached as parents. They should not be reintroduced unless primary source documentation is found.

He was in Ipswich, Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1648^[2] and 14 Sep 1652, he and his wife sold their home on High Street, Ipswich and presumably moved to Newtown, or English Kills, Long Island, though his name appears as a witness in Essex Co., Mass., as late as Sept. 1653.

The original Betts house is well described in a newspaper article by the town clerk . . . "The broad window-sill on which so many important documents, involving the fate of Newtown, have been written, still presents the best place to write of the house which contains twelve rooms, each one with its family history here the centenarian died on November 15th 1713.

He was said to have dug his own grave in the 100th year of his life within sight of the home] these broad flooring boards, 14 inches in width, received the multitude come to hear the funeral service read. . . . The absence of a headstone over the man so worthy of one, may be accounted from the fact that his sons had become Quakers and consequently had abjured tomb-stones.

The main Betts property, on which this house stood until it was taken down in 1899, is included in Mt. Zion Cemetery. The house was described by Armbruster as a one-story-and-attic Dutch house on the northeast corner of Betts Avenue and Old Newtown Road )otherwise Borden Ave.). The burial plot, in which Richard was laid to rest 20 November 1713, was used as a family cemetery as long as the family owned the property --., to 1852.

Although Richard Betts was called Captain because he was captain of the Queens County troops from 1663, he always signed documents with an R. As Riker puts it, "he proved himself a person of intelligence, participating largely in public affairs, and acquired great influence." The statement that "his public services appear for sixty years on every page of Newtown's history" is only a slight exaggeration.

His name is the first patentee's on the Nicolls patent of the town. He was on most of the committees appointed by the citizens of the town, especially those having to do with other towns or with the Dutch and English governors.^[3]

"For a long series of years, he performed the duties of a magistrate, during which he was more than once a member of the High Court of Assize, the Supreme Power in the Province." From 1678 to 1681 he served as High Sheriff of Yorkshire on the Long Island. The Register Book for the Parish of Jamaica July 22, 1710 to December 2, 1731, kept by the Rev Thomas Poyer includes under "Persons Buried": "Richd Betts aged 113 years Novber 20, 1713 at the Kills."^[3] His actual age at death is unknown but most accounts place him nearing or at a century of life.

His will, made 16 Mch 1711, proved 26 Nov 1713, described him as a yeoman, in good health, left all homestead and buildings to his wife Johanah, "also all my movable estate and liberty to get what hay she may have occasion for during her life." And his seven children, four of whom he outlived.^[3]

1882 Biographical Sketch

An extended biographical sketch on Captain Betts as well as numerous entries regarding various civil matters may be found in History of Queens County, New York of 1882.^[4]

Will

RICHARD BETTS. In the name of God, Amen. I, Richard Betts, of Newtown, in Queens County, on Nassau Island, yeoman, being in good health. I leave to my wife Johanah, all my homestead and buildings and lot of land belonging to the same, lying between the lands of John Scudder and Richard Betts, son of Thomas Betts, deceased; Also my tract of land between the way that leads to the narrow passage and the land of Samuel Albertus, and the meadow adjoining to the same; Also all my movable estate, and liberty to get what hay she may have occasion for during her life.

After the decease of my wife I leave to my son, Richard Betts, my Camlet cloak, for his birthright, and all my right and interest in lands in Plunder neck; Also my house and home lot and buildings; Also 1/2 of the lands and meadows that lyeth below the road, that leads from the English Kill to the Dutch Kills, bounded by Samuel Albertus and John Allen, with all the appurtenances; Also 1/2 the meadow land above the homestead, situate between the lands of John Scudder and Richard Betts, sons of Thomas Betts, deceased.

I leave to my grand son, Richard Betts, son of Thomas Betts, my tract of land lying between the way that leads to the narrow passage and the land of Samuel Albertus, up to Newtown spring; Also 1/2 the meadow and upland, that lyeth between the road that leads from the English Kills to the Dutch Kills, bounded by Samuel Albertus and John Allen.

All movable estate after my wife's death to my daughters, Johanah Sander, Mary Swazy, and Martha Ketcham, and the children of my daughter, Elizabeth Sackett, deceased, and the children of my daughter, Sarah Hunt, deceased. I appoint my sons in law, Joseph Sackett and Phillip Ketcham, executors.

Witnesses, John Donan, Hannah Field, John Gould. Proved, November 26, 1713.^[5]

Research Notes

Concerning origins:

*Farmer makes no comment (linked from Sources)

*Savage (linked from sources) is not using a primary source

*Annals of Newtown simply states "...believed to have come from Hemel-Hempstead in Hertfordshire, or its vicinity." (p 373, linked from Sources)

*Mather states b Hertfordshire 1613 giving no source (linked in Sources)

*Weygant states b Hertfordshire 1613 giving no source (linked in Sources) and curiously states settled in Newtown, Mass in 1636. NEHGS Great Migration Study Project does not appear to contain a Betts with the given name Richard.

Sources

1. ↑ New England Dictionary of New England Settlers - Savage, p 173
2. ↑ FARMER, JOHN. A Genealogical Register of the First Settlers of New-England, p 33
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} Riker, James, Jr., The Annals of Newtown, in Queens County, New York (D. Fanshaw, New-York, 1852) Page 373-4
4. ↑ History of Queens County, New York 1683-1882, W W Munsell, New York, 1882, pp 240-43
5. ↑ New York Wills Pp 113-4 Page 242.--

• Doherty, Frank J. The Settlers of the Beekman Patent (1990) Vols. 1-7

• Passenger Lists Name: Richard Betts Arrival Year: 1648 Arrival Place: Ipswich, Massachusetts Source Publication Code: 1936 Primary Immigrant: Betts, Richard Annotation: Excellent directory of the first settlers of New England. Drake's additions and corrections (no. 1666) are found in the G.P.C. reprint and in no. 9151, Tepper, Passengers to America, pp. 468-470. Source Bibliography: FARMER, JOHN. A Genealogical Register of the First Settlers of New-England; Containing an Alphabetical List of the Governours, Deputy-Governours, Assistants or Counsellors, and Ministers of the Gospel... Place: Ipswich, Massachusetts; Year: 1648; Page Number: 33 U.S. and Canada, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s

• Marriage Record Name: Richard Betts Gender: Male Birth Year: 1613 Marriage Date: 1652 Death Year: 1713 Marriage Place: New England, United States Spouse's Name: Joanna Chamberlyne Original data: Torry, Clarence A. New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2004.

• The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record (quarterly-1933) Name: Capt. Richard Betts Residence Date: 1677 Residence Place: Newtown, Long Island, Queens, New York, United States Source Citation The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record (quarterly-1933) - Extracts; Publication Place: New York; Publisher: New York Genealogical and Biographical Society; Page Number: 33

• Find A Grave: Memorial #13209923

• "The Scudder Family of Trenton," Moses Bigelow, Compiler, Somerset Press, 1948, Page 16

• Mather, Frederic Gregory. The Refugees of 1776 from Long Island to Connecticut (J.B. Lyon Co., Albany, NY, 1913)

• Page 269: "The Ancestor on L.I. was Capt. Richard1, b. in Hertfordshire, Eng., in 1613; settled at Newtown, Mass., in 1636; went thence to Ipswich, in 1642; and removed, finally, to Newtown, L.I. in 1654. He was Magistrate and Sheriff. He d. Nov. 18, 1713."

• Weygant, Charles. The Sacketts of America, Their Ancestors and Descendants, 1630-1907 (Journal Print, Newburgh, NY, 1907) Page 20-1.

• Cook, Lewis, D., Corrected Genealogy of Ralph Hunt of Newtown, L.I., New York, The American Genealogist (1950) Vol. 26, Page 5.