Jean Richard & Alida Connor

Children of Jean Richard and Alida Connor

Marriage notes for Jean Richard & Alida Connor.

Jean Richard

Richard's son, Jean-Baptiste, an interpreter, married Marie-Anne, the
daughter of Pierre You de La Decouverte - an associate of La Salle in his
discoveries on the Mississippi River - and of Elisabeth, a Miami squaw.
Jean-Baptiste's daughter, Suzanne, became the wife of Gilbert Parant,
merchant and interpreter at Detroit. Jean-Baptiste's son, Jean (b. 1721),
according to tradition, was wounded and captured by western Indians, from
whom he escaped three years later, finally reaching civilization on the
lower reaches of the Mohawk River. He, in turn, served as interpreter in
the Loyalist forces during the Revolutionary War and after peace was
established he settled on the Bay of Quinte, where he died in 1807. By:
H.C. Burleigh
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-------------------------------------------
From "The Tale of a Grandfather": [incorrectly describes John as coming
from France]
"At this time the French were at war with the Indians in this Country. As
fast as their soldiers were killed or died the ranks were filled with men
from home. What was called conscripts or draftees were brought over as
soldiers. My grandfather, John Richards, was one of the number called to
leave Country, Family, and Friends to serve as a soldier. Being over
eighteen years of age and a likely active young man, the Commanding
Officer promoted him to a Lieutenancy in the army. The Sioux Indians were
a very warlike race and gave them no end of trouble, and the country
being all a wilderness gave the Indians much advantage, but the French by
perseverance established themselves from the mouth of the St. Lawrence to
the mouth of the Mississippi River. In an engagement my grandfather was
wounded by a bullet in his thigh, was taken prisoner by the Indians. He
was placed with their other prisoners and when they halted, the Chief
came to see them. He was accompanied by his daughter. The Chief had lost
a son that day in the battle. A council was held to determine how to
dispose of the prisoners and the young chieftainesse begged for
Grandfather's life. The old Chief said it would only cause trouble, but
the daughter pleaded for his life, saying she would cure him and adopt
him in her dead brother's place, and her father consented. They extracted
the shot but the ball he carried to his grave. For three years and over
he was kept their prisoner. He lived as they lived, learned three
different Indian languages. During this time they had wandered far west,
and at the end of three years began to talk of war. The head Chief called
a Council of different tribes to consult on what was best to do. As the
tribes came from different parts it was needful that a feast be made. So
in order to do so they killed most of their dogs and for three days and
nights held their feast before the Council was held. This feast was
called a potlatch. For three days and nights they danced, sang, and ate.
Of course after a time they became weary and one by one drunk and weary
they lay down to sleep--all but one young squaw left to watch. They were
all soon sound asleep and snoring away. My grandfather snored too but
with one eye open. After a little, the squaw began to nod, till at last
overcome by sleep she fell asleep."89 [Another version is that a pretty
young Indian girl helped him steal a canoe, which he used to eventually
get to Schoharie NY.94]
"My grandfather said, 'Now or Never,' and very cautiously crawled out and
fled. It was full moon in the month of June. He expected that the dogs
they had left alive would give an alarm, but like their masters they were
asleep. He ran as fast as he could but in a little while he heard the
report of a gun. As soon as it came dawn he crawled into a hollow log.
Expecting they would pursue him he lay there all day. At night he
ventured out again. Weak and weary he still kept travelling on and on,
living on green leaves, roots and such like. He had no guide but the sun,
moon and starts [sic]. He knew that white people lived to the east so
thither he bent his steps, not knowing how far it was but he kept on
fording rivers and climbing over hills and mountains till at last he
reached the settlement of Dutch people at Schoharie, N.Y. Then another
difficulty presented itself. They spoke Dutch, and between French, Dutch
and English he could not speak any correctly. He made himself partly
understood. He found the people kind and sympathetic. He made his home
among the British Colony. Among them he became acquainted with a widow
named Wemp. She became his wife and in process of time they had a family
of five children, three sons and two daughters--Owen R., the eldest, John
R, Daniel R. The daughters, Jemima, the oldest, Margaret, the youngest.
All lived to have families of their own... ."89

John was a Loyalist.12 He is described in "Old United Empire Loyalist
List, Appendix B" as "of Marys & Sophiaburg", S.G. Lieutenant, Indian
Department, Interpreter.80 He joined Butler's Rangers in July 1777, was
present at the battle of Oriskany, and was a member of the company of his
regiment which accompanied Major Ross on his raid down the Mohawk River
in October 1781. He was with Captain Walter Butler when Butler was killed
in October 1781 at the crossing on West Canada Creek. He transferred to
the Indian Department as an interpreter shortly thereafter, and was made
a Lieutenant and stationed at Fort Oswego, where he was placed in charge
of Indian Supply Store. He remained there when the battalion left in
August 1783 to re-establish Fort Frontenac to house the influx of
Loyalists. In 1786, Fort Oswego was handed over to the Americans, and
John and his family left to settle along the Bay of Quinte, on the Front
of Fredericksburgh. He drew 1500 acres of land, mostly in Prince Edward
County. He mainly lived in Third Township, with periods of residence with
his son John on Amherst Island, where he died and was buried.89

John's Claim for Losses as a Loyalist indicates that he was living in
Fort Hunter near Schenectady, on a farm with good buildings and a good
stock of farm animals. He and his wife had three sons and two daughters.
When the Revolution began, his wife and two small children fled, covering
700 miles on foot.89
Research Notes
BIRTH: John's birthdate is confirmed with no place given.94 His year of
birth is confirmed.89

DEATH: His year of death is confirmed.12 89

BURIAL: One source gives date and place,89 the other gives place and
minister presiding.94


Richard's son, Jean-Baptiste, an interpreter, married Marie-Anne, the
daughter of Pierre You de La Decouverte - an associate of La Salle in his
discoveries on the Mississippi River - and of Elisabeth, a Miami squaw.
Jean-Baptiste's daughter, Suzanne, became the wife of Gilbert Parant,
merchant and interpreter at Detroit. Jean-Baptiste's son, Jean (b. 1721),
according to tradition, was wounded and captured by western Indians, from
whom he escaped three years later, finally reaching civilization on the
lower reaches of the Mohawk River. He, in turn, served as interpreter in
the Loyalist forces during the Revolutionary War and after peace was
established he settled on the Bay of Quinte, where he died in 1807. By:
H.C. Burleigh
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------
From "The Tale of a Grandfather": [incorrectly describes John as coming
from France]
"At this time the French were at war with the Indians in this Country. As
fast as their soldiers were killed or died the ranks were filled with men
from home. What was called conscripts or draftees were brought over as
soldiers. My grandfather, John Richards, was one of the number called to
leave Country, Family, and Friends to serve as a soldier. Being over
eighteen years of age and a likely active young man, the Commanding
Officer promoted him to a Lieutenancy in the army. The Sioux Indians were
a very warlike race and gave them no end of trouble, and the country
being all a wilderness gave the Indians much advantage, but the French by
perseverance established themselves from the mouth of the St. Lawrence to
the mouth of the Mississippi River. In an engagement my grandfather was
wounded by a bullet in his thigh, was taken prisoner by the Indians. He
was placed with their other prisoners and when they halted, the Chief
came to see them. He was accompanied by his daughter. The Chief had lost
a son that day in the battle. A council was held to determine how to
dispose of the prisoners and the young chieftainesse begged for
Grandfather's life. The old Chief said it would only cause trouble, but
the daughter pleaded for his life, saying she would cure him and adopt
him in her dead brother's place, and her father consented. They extracted
the shot but the ball he carried to his grave. For three years and over
he was kept their prisoner. He lived as they lived, learned three
different Indian languages. During this time they had wandered far west,
and at the end of three years began to talk of war. The head Chief called
a Council of different tribes to consult on what was best to do. As the
tribes came from different parts it was needful that a feast be made. So
in order to do so they killed most of their dogs and for three days and
nights held their feast before the Council was held. This feast was
called a potlatch. For three days and nights they danced, sang, and ate.
Of course after a time they became weary and one by one drunk and weary
they lay down to sleep--all but one young squaw left to watch. They were
all soon sound asleep and snoring away. My grandfather snored too but
with one eye open. After a little, the squaw began to nod, till at last
overcome by sleep she fell asleep."89 [Another version is that a pretty
young Indian girl helped him steal a canoe, which he used to eventually
get to Schoharie NY.94]
"My grandfather said, 'Now or Never,' and very cautiously crawled out and
fled. It was full moon in the month of June. He expected that the dogs
they had left alive would give an alarm, but like their masters they were
asleep. He ran as fast as he could but in a little while he heard the
report of a gun. As soon as it came dawn he crawled into a hollow log.
Expecting they would pursue him he lay there all day. At night he
ventured out again. Weak and weary he still kept travelling on and on,
living on green leaves, roots and such like. He had no guide but the sun,
moon and starts [sic]. He knew that white people lived to the east so
thither he bent his steps, not knowing how far it was but he kept on
fording rivers and climbing over hills and mountains till at last he
reached the settlement of Dutch people at Schoharie, N.Y. Then another
difficulty presented itself. They spoke Dutch, and between French, Dutch
and English he could not speak any correctly. He made himself partly
understood. He found the people kind and sympathetic. He made his home
among the British Colony. Among them he became acquainted with a widow
named Wemp. She became his wife and in process of time they had a family
of five children, three sons and two daughters--Owen R., the eldest, John
R, Daniel R. The daughters, Jemima, the oldest, Margaret, the youngest.
All lived to have families of their own... ."89

John was a Loyalist.12 He is described in "Old United Empire Loyalist
List, Appendix B" as "of Marys & Sophiaburg", S.G. Lieutenant, Indian
Department, Interpreter.80 He joined Butler's Rangers in July 1777, was
present at the battle of Oriskany, and was a member of the company of his
regiment which accompanied Major Ross on his raid down the Mohawk River
in October 1781. He was with Captain Walter Butler when Butler was killed
in October 1781 at the crossing on West Canada Creek. He transferred to
the Indian Department as an interpreter shortly thereafter, and was made
a Lieutenant and stationed at Fort Oswego, where he was placed in charge
of Indian Supply Store. He remained there when the battalion left in
August 1783 to re-establish Fort Frontenac to house the influx of
Loyalists. In 1786, Fort Oswego was handed over to the Americans, and
John and his family left to settle along the Bay of Quinte, on the Front
of Fredericksburgh. He drew 1500 acres of land, mostly in Prince Edward
County. He mainly lived in Third Township, with periods of residence with
his son John on Amherst Island, where he died and was buried.89

John's Claim for Losses as a Loyalist indicates that he was living in
Fort Hunter near Schenectady, on a farm with good buildings and a good
stock of farm animals. He and his wife had three sons and two daughters.
When the Revolution began, his wife and two small children fled, covering
700 miles on foot.89
Research Notes
BIRTH: John's birthdate is confirmed with no place given.94 His year of
birth is confirmed.89

DEATH: His year of death is confirmed.12 89

BURIAL: One source gives date and place,89 the other gives place and
minister presiding.94



--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------
Centennial Committee, The Old United Empire Loyalists List , Toronto,
Canada: Rose Publishing Co. 1885.

Richards, John do. do. Surveyor General, Lieutenant Indian
Department. Interpreter L.B.M. 1791. 2000. Stamped Book. P.L. 1786
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Butler's Rangers
This unit pretty much defined partisan or irregular warfare on the
frontier. Had Colonel John Butler opted to side with the rebels, his name
might show up in the same sentence with 'Swamp Fox" Francis Marion.
Butler and his son Walter kept the New York/Pennsylvania border dwellers
living in fear from 1777
(when the corps was raised after the success of Oriskany) to war's end.
Whether second hand accounts are accurate or not, both Butlers have black
marks attached to their names: John, for the "Wyoming Valley Massacre";
and Walter, for his part in the "Cherry Valley Massacre". Their hit and
run style of warfare drew off Continental troops and supplies that were
desperately needed elsewhere. The Sullivan/Clinton Expedition of 1779 was
really an effort to put an end to the activities of the Butlers, Johnson,
and Brant and his Iroquois warriors. The unit operated until 1784; many
members settled on the Niagara frontier and founded towns like St.
Catharines, Ontario.

For an accurate and complete account of the history of Butler's Rangers,
see Major Alan Woolley's page

The King's Royal Regiment of New York
Also known as Johnson's Greens(amongst other names), this regiment was
raised by Sir John Johnson in June of 1776 after his flight from the
Mohawk Valley. The rank and file were also refugees from the Mohawk and
Schoharie valleys. The Greens eventually formed two battalions, and were
instrumental in building posts at Carleton (Buck) Island and Oswego.
Johnson, like the Butlers, understood the value of psychological warfare,
and raided his former homeland throughout the war. The Royal Yorkers had
their baptism under fire at Oriskany. They, like Butler's Rangers, gained
a reputation for savagery; a reputation that was promoted by their
enemies-their former neighbors. Besides participating in numerous raids,
elements of the two battalions were instrumental in building posts at
Carleton (Buck) Island and Oswego.

The King's Royal Yorker Page for an excellent regimental history.

Alida Connor