From: Ron & Susan Hoffman <shoffman@monumental.com >Richard Caswell Jr is a descendant of Richard Slaney Caswell of >Staffordshire, England. There was another branch of the family who came to >America to Virginia in 1650 and migrated to North Carolina abt 1710-1712. > >Richard Caswell 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 1701, >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 Dallam's >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. 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) > >When Richard was app. 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. 05 JAN 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.