Richard Olmsted

Richard Olmsted (February 20, 1612 – April 20, 1687) was a founding settler of both Hartford and Norwalk, Connecticut. He served in the General Court of the Connecticut Colony in the sessions of May 1653, October 1654, May 1658, October 1660, May 1662, May and October 1663, May and October 1664, October 1665, May and October 1666, May 1667, May and October 1668, May 1669, May 1671, and May 1679.

Early life Olmsted was born in Harwich, England in 1612. It has long been claimed that he came to Boston along with his uncle James Olmsted aboard the ship Lyon in 1632. He lived in Mount Wollaston, Massachusetts Bay Colony (now Quincy) originally. Richard Olmstead is in the passenger list of the Lyon which sailed from Thames, England, on June 22, 1632 and arrived at Boston, Massachusetts Bay Colony in America on September 16, 1632. He came with his Uncle James and his children Nicholas, Nehemiah, and Richard's siblings John and Rebecca.

Settlement of Hartford In 1636, he moved to Hartford, Connecticut with the congregation of Thomas Hooker, becoming one of its original settlers.

In 1637, he was a soldier in the Pequot War.

About 1646, he married Elisabeth Haugh(?). In about 1670, he married Magdelan (maiden name Crane?) Smith, widow of William Smith.

In 1646, he was a constable, and in 1649 he was a fence viewer.

On October 4, 1660, he was appointed Deputy to the General Court at Hartford.

From 1669 to 1675, he was a Selectman in Norwalk.

He was chosen Deputy of Norwalk to the General Court a dozen times between 1660 and 1679.

In 1675, at a meeting of the Council he was appointed to sign bills for the payment of soldiers in King Philip's War.

He was Commissioner for Norwalk, with magisterial powers, from 1668 to 1677.

He is listed on the Founders Stone bearing the names of the founders of Hartford in the Ancient Burying Ground in Hartford, and he is also listed on the Founders Stone bearing the names of the founders of Norwalk in the East Norwalk Historical Cemetery.