The third Richard Savage was born into comfortable circumstances, the son of Mary Baldry and Richard Savage II. Both of his parents’ families owned property as recorded in the Norfolk poll books.
He was the eldest child in the family which would mean he had both privileges and responsibilities, especially after the death of his mother when he was eight years old. Mary Ann, Robert and Margaret, his younger siblings, would no doubt look to him as well as their father for emotional and practical support.
Margaret died two years later at the age of three and their father re-married a year after that when young Richard was eleven. His new wife Elisabeth had at least two children.
Richard was married at the age of nineteen and his son Richard, our ancestor, was born two years later. He then moved his family to Kirby Cane, a village not far away. He and his wife had three more children as far as I can discover.
Richard’s wife Mary (or Minta, or Meditation, as you prefer) died in 1823. I have found no trace of any further marriage so it would seem Richard had a twenty-year widowhood.
As an old man at the time of the 1841 census, Richard was back in Ellingham living with his daughter Mary Ann and her husband Thomas Hall. Richard had “independent means” and Thomas was a farmer and butcher.
Sometimes in doing this research you get a feeling that can’t be explained – I have this feeling about Richard. I don’t think his life was as easy and happy as his financial circumstances would suggest.
Father of Richard Savage IV, son of Mary Baldry and Richard Savage II
Baptised Richard Savage on 25 June 1766 in Denton, Norfolk
Married Aminta Licence on 8 November 1785
Buried 20 March 1842