01. Thomas Richards ^[1] "was born in 1600 in England. He was about 35 when he arrived in Hartford about 1637. He died by 1639. He was a member of the First Church of Hartford which was organized in 1636 with the arrival of Reverend Hooker and party from Newtown. Thomas, father of Obediah was early in Hartford, in 1639, he had the privilege of getting wood and keeping cows on the common. He died early and his lands went into the possession of his widow who brought up the children. His widow was named as the administratrix of his estate. He left land plus a brass kettle and several pots, furniture and bedding, his clothes, land and acreage and some books. This means that he was most likely literate. There is some suggestion that he was the nephew of Thomas Richards Senior and cousin to Nathaniel of Hartford, William and John of Plymouth and Edward of Dedham." Source  

Thomas married Pricilla Wakeman, daughter of Frances Wakeman and Anne Goode on Jan 23, 1630 in Hartford.

The children of Thomas and Pricilla are:

02. John Richards ^[1] son of Thomas was born in 1631. He was a tax collector.  John Richards married Lydia Stocking, daughter of George Stocking and Anna in 1662.  She covenanted Feb. 28, 1695-6, and was living July 12, 1712. What relation he sustained to the church in Hartford cannot be ascertained, owing to the loss of records of previous date. He seems to have settled on the homestead in Hartford, where be served as collector of a tax of 10 pounds, "appointed" by the town, 1655, for Mr. [Rev.] Davis; March 12, 1695-6, he gave his sons Thomas and Samuel 1.5 acres each, whereon their houses then stood, on the west side of the road to Farmington. In 1705 he gave them 30 acres in common, bounded west by Farmington line; and in 1712 he gave Samuel a lot adjoining this, on the West; and Thomas a lot bounded west by Rocky Hill, and north by Thomas's own land; reserving, during his life and that of their mother, the improvement of these lots. He mentions no other child in the settlement of his estate; his other son having, probably, been adopted by his brother, Deacon Thomas, of Newark, and in no want of a patrimony in Hartford.

The children of John and Lydia are:

03. Deacon Thomas Richards, ^[1] son of John was born aft. April 10, 1666 in Hartford, CT.  On October, 1691 he married Mary Parsons , daughter of Benjamin Parsons and Sarah Vore.  Thomas was a deacon and also a lister, ratemaker and chimney viewer.  He died on April 9, 1749 and was buried in the Olde Cemetery in downtown Harford, CT. 

Inscription on tombstone: "Here lies Interr'd ye Body of Deac. Thomas Richards who departed this Life April the 9th 1759 in the 83rd Year of his Age"

The children of Thomas and Mary are:

1	Thomas Richards (Apr 3, 1694 in New Haven, CT - 1750 in Hartford, CT)         Married Abigail Turner on Jun 1, 1717 in Hartford, CT         1. Samuel Richards (Oct 22, 1726 in Hartford, CT                                         - Oct 10, 1793 in Plainsville, CT) - A doctor.             Married Lydia Buck in 1755 in Hartford, CT
2	Sarah Richards (Jun, 1696 - )
3	Ebenezer Richards (May 4, 1698 in Hartford, CT - 1775 in Hartford ,CT)
4	Jedediah Richards (Jul 8, 1700 in Hartford, CT - Oct 1, 1784 in Norfolk, CT)         Married Amy Thrall on Aug 20, 1725 in Hartford, CT         1. Amey Richards (Jun 22, 1725 in Hartford, CT - Mar 29, 1759 in Hartford, CT)             Married Thomas Hopkins in 1748 in Hartford, CT         1. Sarah Richards (Jul 7, 1726 in Hartford, CT - )             Married William Fellows on Feb 25, 1746 in Lichfield, CT         3. Jedediah Richards (Jan 8, 1727 in Hartford, CT                                            - Jan 14, 1812 in Lichfield, CT)             Married Demaris Mills on Mar 12, 1756 in Hartford, CT         4. Jerusha Richards (May 30, 1731 in Tolland, CT - Apr 24, 1778)             Married (1) Gideon Lawrence on Oct 12, 1749 in Lichfield, CT             Married (2) Canaan         5. Mary Richards (Jan 25, 1733 in Hartford, CT - )             Married (1) Jonathan Fellows on Sep 13, 1752 in Lichfield, CT             Married (2) Elisha Merrill on Apr 17, 1760         6. Elisha Richards (Jul 18, 1735 Hartford, CT - Jul 3, 1778)             Married Sarah Cornwall on Nov 10, 1757 in Middlesex, CT         7. Thankful Richards (May 18, 1738 in Tolland, CT - Nov 17, 1754)         8. Anna Richards (Feb 19, 1740 in Hartford, CT - in Alexander, Genesee, NY)             Married Ebenezer Pardee         9. Ruth Richards (Mar 9, 1743 in Hartford, CT - Aug 24, 1777)             Married Thomas Hopkins abt 1764 in Hartford, CT       10. Martha Richards (Mar 21, 1748 in Norfolk, CT - Aug 27, 1762 in Norfolk, CT)
5	Abigail Richards (See Below)
6	Mary Richards (Jun 25, 1705 in Hartford, CT - )
7	Benjamin Richards (Nov 22, 1707 in Hartford, CT - Dec 15, 1754 in Newington, CT)      Married Abigail Andrus on Dec 7, 1729      Source: "Families of Early Hartford Connecticut", p. 479         1. Abigail Richards (Bapt. Feb 23, 1734/5 - )         2. Jonathan Richards (Aug 8, 1736 - died young)         3. Jemima Richards (Oct 22, 1738 - ) Married Joseph Collyer of Lichfield, CT.         4. Benjamin Richards (Bapt. Mar 23, 1739/40 - )         5. Jonathan Richards (Bapt. Jun 3, 1742 - )
8	Joseph Richards (Apr 21, 1710 in Hartford, CT - Apr 1771, Newington, CT)        Married Lydia Griswold