John Richards (died April 2, 1694) was a

colonial Colonial or The Colonial may refer to: * Colonial, of, relating to, or characteristic of a colony or colony (biology) Architecture * American colonial architecture * French Colonial * Spanish Colonial architecture Automobiles * Colonial (1920 au ...

military officer, businessman, politician, and magistrate, best known for his participation in the

Salem witch trials The Salem witch trials were a series of hearings and prosecutions of people accused of witchcraft in colonial Massachusetts between February 1692 and May 1693. More than 200 people were accused. Thirty people were found guilty, 19 of whom w ...

in 1692.

Life

John Richards was born in

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

, and traveled with his parents in 1630 to North America as part of the first major wave of migration to the Massachusetts Bay Colony. In 1644 Ricards was enrolled in the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company, which he would remain involved with for the rest of his life. A resident of Dorchester for most of his life, he operated a mill, and frequently served as on the colony's general court (as its assembly was known). The colony did not have a residency requirement, and he usually represented communities (such as Hadley that were distant from

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

, where the assembly met. In 1679 and 1680, however, he was chosen to represent Boston, and was elected speaker in 1680. From 1680-84 he served as one of the colony's assistants, whose council served as the upper body of the assembly and as the colony's highest court. In 1681 Richards was appointed along with

Joseph Dudley Joseph Dudley (September 23, 1647 – April 2, 1720) was a colonial administrator, a native of Roxbury in Massachusetts Bay Colony, and the son of one of its founders. He had a leading role in the administration of the Dominion of New England ...

to represent the colony in

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

in an attempt to address royal concerns over the colony's administration. King Charles II had, upon his restoration, insisted that the colony exhibit more religious tolerance and adhere more closely to the

Navigation Acts The Navigation Acts, or more broadly the Acts of Trade and Navigation, were a long series of English laws that developed, promoted, and regulated English ships, shipping, trade, and commerce between other countries and with its own colonies. The ...

, both of which the colony's hardline administration had resisted doing. Richards and Dudley were unsuccessful in their negotiations with the Lords of Trade, because the colonial government had specifically denied them authority to agree to changes in the colonial charter. Richards was of the opinion that the colonial government should acquiesce to the crown demands, and was consequently voted from office in 1684. That year, the colonial charter was revoked. In 1686 the

Dominion of New England The Dominion of New England in America (1686–1689) was an administrative union of English colonies covering New England and the Mid-Atlantic Colonies (except for Delaware Colony and the Province of Pennsylvania). Its political structure rep ...

was established, with Joseph Dudley as its first governor, and Sir

Edmund Andros Sir Edmund Andros (6 December 1637 – 24 February 1714) was an English colonial administrator in British America. He was the governor of the Dominion of New England during most of its three-year existence. At other times, Andros served ...

as its second. He served as a judge under Dudley's brief administration, but was apparently opposed to Andros' unpopular rule, in which he played no part. The dominion was overturned in 1689 when Andros and Dudley were arrested in the wake of the Glorious Revolution. The old colonial administration was restored, and Richards was once again made an assistant.

Witch trials

In 1692 Sir

William Phips Sir William Phips (or Phipps; February 2, 1651 – February 18, 1695) was born in Maine in the Massachusetts Bay Colony and was of humble origin, uneducated, and fatherless from a young age but rapidly advanced from shepherd boy, to shipwright, s ...

arrived in the colony bearing the new charter for the

Province of Massachusetts Bay The Province of Massachusetts Bay was a colony in British America which became one of the thirteen original states of the United States. It was chartered on October 7, 1691, by William III and Mary II, the joint monarchs of the kingdoms of ...

, and a commission as governor. Phips' arrival occurred during the height of a

witchcraft Witchcraft traditionally means the use of magic or supernatural powers to harm others. A practitioner is a witch. In medieval and early modern Europe, where the term originated, accused witches were usually women who were believed to have ...

scare in the Salem area of Essex County. Phips created a Special Court of Oyer and Terminer, to which Richards was appointed. This court oversaw the conviction and execution of nineteen individuals in the infamous

. When the

Superior Court of Judicature The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) is the court of last resort, highest court in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Although the claim is disputed by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, the SJC claims the di ...

was formed as the province's high court, Richards was also appointed to it.Records of the Massachusetts Supreme Court of Judicature, 1692/3, Page 1. Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, Judicial Archives This court disposed of a great many more witchcraft cases, acquitting many; its witchcraft-related convictions in 1693 were vacated by Governor Phips.

Death

He died, reportedly from a fit of

apoplexy Apoplexy () is rupture of an internal organ and the accompanying symptoms. The term formerly referred to what is now called a stroke. Nowadays, health care professionals do not use the term, but instead specify the anatomic location of the bleedi ...

, in Boston on April 2, 1694. He had married Ann Winthrop, the widowed daughter-in-law of founder

John Winthrop John Winthrop (January 12, 1587/88 – March 26, 1649) was an English Puritan lawyer and one of the leading figures in founding the Massachusetts Bay Colony, the second major settlement in New England following Plymouth Colony. Winthrop led t ...

; they had no children.

References

Sources

*Roberts, Oliver
''History of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company'', Volume 1
*Washburn, Emory
''Sketches of Massachusetts Judicial History''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Richards, John Year of birth unknown 1694 deaths People of the Salem witch trials Justices of the Massachusetts Superior Court of Judicature Kingdom of England emigrants to Massachusetts Bay Colony