Harford County MD Archives Biographies.....Caswell, Sr , Richard 1685 - April 24, 1755 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/md/mdfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: clair hadley donandclair@verizon.net July 15, 2007, 8:19 am Author: charles holloman;clair hadley RICHARD CASWELL Sr, b 1685 in England, came to America when his uncle, William Smith (sister of his mother, name unknown) and his wife assumed the responsibility of raising him when his parents died. William and his wife had no children of their own. They trained young Richard in the mercantile business and engaged in overseas trade with the Colonies. In 1711, Richard's Aunt passed away and a few months later, William Smith and Richard Caswell came to the America's. They came to Joppa, Maryland of Baltimore County. At this time Richard was about 27 years old. They settled on a 230 acre plantation called "Sterlings Purchase" near Joppa. They arrived on 02 FEB 1712 according to the family Bible. Richard Dallam and his wife, Elizabeth Martin, were neighbors. The Dallams had two children, William and Christian who was only 8. Richard and his Uncle became close friends of the Dallam family. Richard Dallam passed away and after a few months, William married the widow Dallam (Elizabeth). They had children, Winstone Smith, William Smith, Jr., and Elizabeth Smith (who married John Paca and became the parents of William Paca who became an early Governor of Maryland, he was one of the signers of the Declaration and his signature is below John Hancocks) *Note on Elizabeth Martin Elizabeth Martin's parents owned large tracts of land in Maryland. She first married Richard Dallam. There are many descendants in Harford County MD. from this marriage. Her second husband was William Smith, whose step-father was the brother of the Duke of Marlborough and who took his step-son under his special care and sent him to America in company with Elizabeth and Richard Dallam. The parents of Bettie Martin made their new home in Harford County. Richard Dallam owned "The Cranberry" and William Smith "Blenheim", two of the handsomest estates in the country. The above well known couplet is said to have originated with a disappointed suitor. Bette lived to the advanced age of 110 years; was able to walk about the room the day before her death; to the last remaining her brilliancy of eye and freshness of complexion. Five generations sat at a table with her the last week of her life and the very day upon which she breathed her last, a grandson of the sixth generation was born-William Middlemore Dallam, MD. Two distinguished grandsons were Governor Paca, signer of the Declaration of Independence and Governor of Maryland, and Governor Caswell of North Carolina. She died at "Cranberry"in 1778. Her great granddaughter Hannah Smith married Archer Hays ( father of Thomas A. Hays I ). They were the parents of Stevenson Archer's wife, nee Pamelia Barney Hays. SOURCE: Excerpt from the Hays-Archer Tree. When Richard Caswell, sr. was approximately. 38 years old, he married Christian Dallam who was now 18. They were married on 12 JAN 1723. They had Elizabeth (b. 27 OCT 1724, d.25 NOV 1725), Willaim (b. 1726 d. 10 AUG 1755), Richard Caswell Jr. (b. 03 AUG 1729 d. 10 NOV 1789), Mary Caswell (b. 01 MAY 1731 no other info available), Martin Caswell (b. 15 FEB 1733 d. June 1789), Infant Caswell (b/d 03 MAY 1736), Twins,; Christian and Benjamin b. 20 APR 1737 (Christian died 01 AUG 1758 and Ben died 1791), Joseph Winstone Caswell (b. 01 DEC 1742 >d. 1785) and Twins; Samuel and Ann Caswell b. 28 MAY 1742, (Sam died 05 JAN 1785 and Ann died 11 JAN 1784) They were all born in Maryland. They attended St. Johns Anglican Church of Joppa, Maryland. The elder Caswell was a vestryman and served as Justice of the Baltimore County Court and was a Captain of the Militia. Over time, the growth and importance of the Baltimore harbor caused business in the Joppa harbor to decline drastically. Thus, Richard Caswell, Sr. sent his two oldest sons to North Carolina in 1745, there to seek a new life. Within a few years the rest of the family joined William and Richard; by 1750 they lived at “The Hill” in what is now Lenoir Co., NC, where his parents remained until their deaths. Note from Russell King Richard Caswell related to Jos. Dallam and Mrs. Dallam of Maryland - his grandmother Gale SOURCE: Charles HollomanS notes Richard had relatives already in the colonies when he set off for America with his uncle in 1712. Note: If this early genealogy is correct, one of Richard's oldest brothers, Thomas, died in Taunton, Mass in 1697. As there were 11 children, perhaps there were other siblings already in America by 1712. Additional Comments: The Dallam, Martin, and Smith families of Harford Co. are touched on in this biography This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/mdfiles/ File size: 5.1 Kb