Notes:
In June 1639 he resided in Guilford, New Haven Co., CT for on that date he was the twelfth signer of the Guilford Plantation Covenant. He was still residing in Guilford on 30 December 1647/48 for he is recorded there as a voter concerning the division of the Plantation's cattle herd. In 1649/50 he was referenced in the proceedings of Plantation church meeting concerning support of the ministers. He is reported as residing 1654 in Branford, New Haven Co., CT, a settlement about six miles West of Guilford. Richard's birth date is widely quoted as 1 August 1639 which date appears to have originated from an LDS Church record. The date has to be in error for it is not compatible with the dates given in all the other records of him and his childen.
Richard's ancestry comes only from LDS Ancestral Files for which substantiating sources are not revealed thus his ancestry through Richard Goodricke as show here is highly speculative at best.
Notes:
Daniel Evarts, compiler/researcher of "Bent Links - A Chain of Evarts & Related Surnames", is arguable the most diligent researcher of the Evarts Family to be found these days. Nevertheless, primary evidence for the maiden name of Elizabeth, wife of John Evarts, has eluded him. He has, however, found credible historical references and circumstantial evidence supporting the contentions that she was baptised 15 August 1604, was the widow of one John Parmelee, was the daughter of Robert Heydon, and married second to John Evarts on 8 May 1626. More than likely we shall never have the hard evidence which Daniel seeks and will have to be satisfied with something less.
In addition to just the dull statistics, Daniel has found the following historical references which add a little color to our John Evarts; he appears to have been a man who had his troubles with hogs, and he didn't much care for the municipal authority of the Church:
John was sued twice by Thomas French in Guilford, New Haven Co.,CT on May 3, 1655, over some hogs. This would appear to be Thomas French (1610-1699), father of his daughter-in-law Mary French, wife of John Evarts, Jr. The basis of the suits tell us something about what was considered important in the mid-1600's.
Two cases with the same parties, French vs. Evarts, were heard on May 3, 1655. The first was brought by Thomas French against John Evarts, on the ground that his sow, on a Sunday, early in April, was drowned in Evarts's uncovered well, the gate of the yard being open; wherefore he sued Evarts for four pounds damages. Evarts claimed that at night he shut and fastened his gate and in the morning found a pale [fence] broken down, 'in a place yt was usually left firm before.' French said that the same morning he passed by and saw no pale down and that his hogs were not in the habit of going into Evarts's grounds. William Seward, as a witness, said that French's 'hoggs are apt to leap & to break fences; but he remembers not, yt. ye Sow was such a harmful hogg.' The court, seemingly, decided for the plaintiff, adjudging that the defendant should pay costs; but, as the sow was not yoked, her loss is to be divided equally between the two parties.
In the Second Suit, French complained of 'Damages, which he had sustained in parsnips, Cabbages, & Pease, by the hoggs of John Evarts Senr. for severall years,' which damage he put at twenty shillings. Evarts plead that his hogs got into French's land on account of defects in the plaintiff's fence and that, though it was not his fault, 'he had tendered satisfaction in Cabbages' & French had stopped a pound of flax due him. Further, Evarts brought witnesses to prove that Goodwife French had said Samuel Blachley's sow had eaten their parsnips. The Court decided in the defendant's favor and sentenced French to pay costs and ten shillings 'for his trouble & molestation.'
These events were also mentioned in French's article on Thomas French of Guilford.
References were found by Daniel Evarts that John Evarts was one of the fifteen men from Concord, Mass. who moved, along with Concord co-founder John Jones and his family, in the summer of 1644 to found Fairfield, Conn., "on Long Island Sound". This move was caused by disagreements with the Concord Government, which was ruled by the Boston Church.
Notes:
From "History of the Adams & Evarts Families" by J.M. Adams (1894): William Evarts was born at Tortworth, Gloucester, England, 1569-70; married Sarah Everhard, 1593, who inherited an interest in the Everhard estate of Hertfordshire. The Everhards were closely connected by marriage with the famous Hicks family who bore coats of arms and descended from Sir Ellis Hicks who was Knighted by Edward the Black Prince at the Battle of Poictiers, Sept. 19, 1356. (See Foster's edition of the Baronetage, page 311, 1881.) It is also recorded that Sarah and William everts died at an advanced age in Hertfordshire.
Notes:
Henry spelled his name "Guttricke" all his life but this is just one of several early spelling variations of the present day "Goodrich". Nevertheless it introduces a confusion which can result in error. Since no record has been found which positively tells us that Henry's children changed the spelling of their name, this assignment of Henry as the father of Richard must be considered speculative.
Wilford Stanton ("Stan") Miller Jr.
Notes:
Stan Miller's father was a psychologist of some note at the University of Minnesota. He developed the widely used personality profiling test named The Miller Analogies Test. At one time the test was required to be administered to doctorial candidates in psychology. For most of his life Stan Miller operated a successful photographic business and portrate studio in Rapid City, SD.
Notes:
"Aunt Lois" never used her given first name. While her daughter, Gretchen, recalls that her given name was spelled with a "u", Lois' obituary notice from the Rapid City Journal spelled it with an "e". According to Gretchen, Lois so thoroughly hated her given name that she had her name legally changed to "W. Lois Miller".