Richard  BORDEN, SR.

Richard BORDEN, the first of our BORDEN line to come to America, was born in Headcorn, County Kent, England, about 40 miles southeast of London and about 20 miles southwest of Canterbury. The fourth of 10 children, he was christened on 22 February 1595/ 6. (Great Britain was using the Julian calendar until 1752 while the rest of the world had been using the presently accepted Gregorian calendar since 1582. By our calendar Richard was christened on 4 March 1596.) At Headcorn he married Joane FOWLE on 28 September 1625. The old stone church where they were married is still standing. (Click here for more about the church.) Joane was born 15 Feb 1604 at Headcorn in County Kent, England, the second of four children. Richard inherited land in Headcorn from his father, but he and Joane moved in 1628 to Cranbrook in County Kent where she had relatives. His youngest brother, John BORDEN, emigrated to New England on the Elizabeth & Ann in May 1635. In the mid-1630's Richard and Joane sailed to