I recently purchased a 2 volume set of a publication called:" Library of Cape Cod History & Genealogy" Founder's Day Edition August 26, 1916 of the early settlers of Eastham, Mass. written by Josiah Paine of Harwich. (#32 & 33) Included is the excerpt about Richard Rich. Take it for what it is worth...I have copied it verbatim! Due to the length of this and to keep your interest up I will be sending this in two installments. Hope you enjoy it! Richard Rich, the ancestor of the Rich family of the Cape, came to Eastham from Dover, New Hampshire. He was a mariner, say the records, and admitted a townsman August 23, 1681, it being the first notice of him upon the record of Eastham. He appears to have been a man of standing, and entitled to the prefix of "Mister". The particular spot he selected for his house lot, the writer is not informed. He evidently was married before his settlement here. His wife was Sarah Roberts, it is said by his descendants. But very little is said of him in the records. He had the description of his cattle marks entered in the records April 12, 1686. He is mentioned as buying rights to undivided land known as "Smith's Purchase". The right of William Mayo he purchased June 3, 1686, and the right of Stephen Atwood he purchased June 29 of the same year. The tract known as "Smith's Purchase" and sometimes called the "Ten Pound Purchase", estimated to contain 1,000 acres, was bought of John Sipson, an Indian of Potonumecot, by Samuel Smith in behalf of the town proprietors in 1684. It extended northerly nearly across the present town of Orleans, from an east and west line between Kescayogansett and Potonumecot Rivers. Mr. Rich died early in the autumn of 1692, evidently not a very aged man. An inventory of his effects was taken by John Doane, Isaac Pepper and Richard Rich on October 5, 1692. Letters to administer upon his estate were granted to Isaac Pepper and Richard Rich, his eldest son, October 19 of the same year. A settlement was effected April 8, 1697. The children mentioned in the settlement as surviving are Richard, the eldest son, John, Sarah, Thomas, Samuel and Lydia. At this date, none of the daughters had been married. Richard Rich, the son, born in 1674, went to Truro and settled. He died May 3, 1743 in the 69th year of his age. His wife Anna died May 11, 1754, aged 74. They had nine children. THE LAST INSTALLMENT OF THIS DOCUMENT WILL BE TOMORROW!!!