Richard Lambert of Salem, Massachusetts

Richard Lambert of Salem appears in the list of the land-holders in the town records in 1636:-" Ricd Lambert, Joyner, Receiued for an Inhabitant but to purchase his accomodcon Jan. 23, 1636." " Five acres granted him Derbys fort side, July 18, 1637."

" This day also was convented before this court for drunckness Richard Lambert & was fined tenne shillings & ordered to sitt in the stocks twoe publike dayes (ye times referred to Coln' Endicot to determin." Lambert was successfully sued for debt by " Willia Pester ", June 26, 1638; but won a suit brought by John Pickeringe of Salem, June 25, 1639. He was defendant in an action for debt by John Symonds, Aug. 31, 1647. On June 16, 1651, the selectmen of Salem granted Rich: Edwards 20 acres in consideration of his resigning 20 acres below " mackerill Cove towards the Creek that he bought of mr Thornedick wch was formerly granted to Richard Lambert." He had land near Beckett's Lane in 1655.

Richard Lambert's wife was named Sarah, and as will be seen she was destined to be a great burden to the town for many years. In the town records, May 1, 1647, is an entry which it seems possible may refer to Sarah Lambert, although Richard was still alive, since he was fined, in November, 1655, for "smoking tobacco openly in the street"; but he was spoken of as deceased in 1659:-,, Capt Hawthorne, mr Clarke, mr Corwin haue power giuen them to agree wt' mr Emry about curinge Goody Lambert & for dyett & what they shall doe the Towne pmiseth to repay them by the first of the 9th. month next."

The only clue as to the date of death of Richard Lambert is afforded by the earliest mention of the care of his family which would set it as before December, 1657; for " it is agreed with Henry Hereck that he is to keep Richard Lambert's Daughter from y'8 first of ye 10th mo 1657 to the first of the 2d mo 1658 and he is to haue allowed him in Clothes & other waies the Just Sume of flue pownd A year: pd him 5li 16s 3d: rest to him this 4th 2mo. 1659 175 ld accounted with Hen Herik for keepinge of Lamberts daughter pd him the foil. p Roger Haskel 2 li 3s 1d & reamyner p Ed Batter the whole is: 2li 105."

" There being an agreent with Ralf Elinwood in the 11th m° 1659 to keepe Sara Lambert two years " &c. (land was. granted to him).

Under date of Jan. 20, 1661, " Sarah Lambert is Com-itted to Jerimyah Butman for a yeare begin[n]g 20 Day of Nouber past vntill the twentyth Day of the moneth Nouember next 1662 & the towne men bane pmifed to pay him fixe pounds." Again, Apr. 26, 1662, "Its agreed and couenanted with the wife of William Lord Junio that f he is to keepe and mainetaine Sarah Lambert seauen yeares if fhe foe longe liue ", &c. Apparently this agreement did not last long, for, Dec. 17, 1562, it is " Agreed 7 with goodwife Cantleburie in the behalf of her hufband,. that he is to keepe and maintaine Sarah Lambert one yeare ", &c.

She continued to be passed around as the following entries show:-" Jeremie Butman for Sarah Lambert 5:10: 6," 1662. " Jeremie Boutman to be alowed for Sarah Lambert," 1663; and again in 1664, " To mr Will Browne for Lamberts dafter and for his expences at gerall Court to the 11th of 10th 66: tenn pounds I say 10:00:00." On Feb. 22, 1688, " Sarah Lambert to be difpoffed of by the Difereacon of the felectmen for fome Convenient tyme to thofe they see meet for at the eafe of Towne Chardge. Jan. 16, 1670, "It. for keeping Sarah Lambert & Child 1667, 11:00:00." Jan. 16, 1671, " To JnO Clifford: for Keeping Sarah Lambert 07:00:00." Mar. 1, 1671/2,

" discourfe wth John Clifford to See whether he would Abate anything of the Seauen pounds p. year he Anfwered that he would not Abate anything and that for the time to come he would haue more of the towne or elce he would not keep her any longer. Agreed wth ffrancis Skery to keep her for one yere for flue pownds." Evidently the charge of Sarah was no sinecure.

On Apr. 30, 1672, Its ordrd by ye Selectmen that forty Shillings be disburfed on the Townes accont for the Cloathing of Sarah Lambert and Mr Batter is def irad to doe it." " To ffrancis Skerey for Keeping Sarah Lamberts Child to haue flue pounds also the same for Sarah Lambert ", 1673. " Tho: greenslits wife to keep Sarah Lambert ", 1673. "Nich maning for keeping Sarah Lamberts child," 1673. "Thomas Greenslut to keep Sarah Lamberts Child till it be 18 years old " (this last makes it evident that the child was less than six years old when Sarah was first provided for in 1661).

At last the town officers seem to have become desperate over the case, for, Sept. 22, 1674, " Capt Corwine & Mr Bartholomer are def iced to Inqr wt veffels are bound for Ver Genia & to Agree with any mafter for ye Carring .away of Sarah Lambert for we' they have whole power." Feb. 27, 1674/5, 111/2 Acre of land laid out to John ,Corwin pr ye Selectmen at ye Northeast end of ye now fence of ye land Sold pr Ricl and Hollingworth to philip -Cromwel for ye use of ye sd Corwin wch land is Sold him pr the Towne Consideration Twelve pounds pr him pd to the Widow Greenslat allowed her for keeping Sarah Lamberts child." Evidently the plan to transport Sarah was not a success, as her keeping still figures on the records in 1675 and until 1679. The name of the daughter does not appear.

In Conant's list of marsh and meadow land-holders is found ,(*4*) 3 Rich: Lambt (*3*) 2", i.e. 3 in family, 2 -acres in a later hand; the starred figures probably are corrections. His land is mentioned in 1655 and he had Daniel Webb's house. Savage says the daughter, Hester, married, Oct. 8, 1659, Jeremiah Bootman, and they had Mary, born July 4, 1660; Jeremy, born Nov. 4, 1662; Mathew, born Sept. 11, 1665. " Oct. 26, 1679, Samuell ye son of Jeremiah Bootman (by his wife Hester Lambert) Baptized as his wife was a member of the Salem church." Beverly First Church Records.

Savage also suggests that Richard Lambert, killed by the Indians, Sept. 18, 1675, at Bloody Brook, was a son of the first Richard.