♂Richard Langer

Richard Langer (died before 18 February 1660/1) was a settler of Hingham, in the Massachusetts Bay Colony^W, who bought two home lots from his son-in-law, Thomas Lincoln, and left all his land in Hingham to his daughter Margaret’s eldest son, Joshua. He was the tenth great-grandfather of Nancy Jane Blanchard (1929–2006) by two separate lines of descent, both through his daughter Margaret Langer (died 1694).

Will and death

Richard is said to have been at Hingham by 1636. He had three daughters, Margaret, Dinah and Elizabeth; Margaret married Thomas Lincoln of Hingham.

Very aged by his own account, but “of perfect memory”, Richard made his will on 20 February 1659 and signed it with his mark. He had bought two home lots from his son-in-law, Thomas Lincoln, and he left his land in Hingham to Margaret’s eldest son, Joshua, whom he named his executor. To Margaret he left his green rug, on condition that she gave her two sisters, Dinah and Elizabeth, four shillings each as a gift from him.

He died at Hingham before 18 February 1660/1, when his goods were inventoried at £21 2s. On 2 May 1661 Nicholas Baker, the witness to the will, made his sworn statement to it, and the will was proved.

Lines of descent

Both lines run through his daughter Margaret. They meet again in Wesley Blanchard (1844–1908), whose parents, Joseph Knapp Blanchard (1820–1885) and Elizabeth Trueworthy Blanchard (1825–1884), were both descended from Richard Langer. From Wesley the descent to Nancy Jane Blanchard runs as one.

Notes

Sources

The will is known from a printed abstract of early Suffolk County wills in the New England Historical and Genealogical Register (1856), which quotes him as “being of perfect memory yet very Aged” and gives the bequests “To my dau. Margarets Eldest sonne, Joshua Lincon, all my land in Hinghame”, the “two home lotts that I Bought of my sonne in law, Thomas Lincon”, and “my Greene Rugg to my dau. Margaret, shee giueing as a gift from mee [to] my other two daus. Dinah, and Elizabeth, 4s. each”. The abstract gives the signature as “Richard X Langer”, the witness as “Nico Baker”, who deposed on 2 May 1661, and the inventory of 18 February 1660 as “Amt. 21.02s.”

Savage’s Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England places him at Hingham in 1636, the only source for that year, and notes the bequests to Dinah and Elizabeth. Savage and the genealogical volume of the History of the Town of Hingham, Massachusetts (1893) both name Margaret, wife of Thomas Lincoln, as his daughter. His wife’s name is not known, and the married names of Dinah and Elizabeth are not known.

Dates that differ

The printed abstract gives the will’s date as 20 February 1659; Savage’s dictionary gives 20 February 1660, with the same probate date of 2 May 1661. The abstract’s date is followed here. The year was then reckoned from 25 March, so a February date written 1659 falls in what is now counted as 1660, which may account for the difference.