Richard Ingersoll (sometimes written Ingerson or Inkersall) and his wife, Ann, (recorded as "Anne" on the ship's passenger list) came from Sandy, Bedfordshire, England, to America with their four children, George, Joanna, John, Sarah, and with the daughter of his first marriage, Alice. They sailed on the ship Mayflower, William Pierce, Master, with 35 passengers mostly from Leyden, Holland, leaving Gravesend, England, in March 1629 and arriving in Plymouth, MA, on 15 May 1629. Richard came to the Colonies well recommended having been sent there, with his family, under contract with the Massachusetts Bay Co. to take his place in the group of planters (a term used to designate founders of the colonies).

It is not known when Richard arrived in Salem, MA. In 1636, he was granted 80 acres of farm land and the Town meeting of 25 December 1637 granted him a two acre house lot for his family of nine persons. In 1637, he maintained a ferry over the North River where later it was agreed upon that he should have a penny for each person ferried. In his will, Richard left his underage son, Nathaniel, "a parcell of ground with a little frame thereupon, which I bought of John Pease ..." This land was located in what is now known as Old Salem Village. At a later date, the Meeting House of the Village and a tavern belonging to his son, Nathaniel, were built on this property.

When Richard died in 1644, his widow and their two youngest children, Bathsua (also spelled Bathsheba in the records), about 15, and Nathaniel, about 12, must have had a hard life as their home was in wilderness country, dangerous with wild animals and with hostile Indians. About 1647, Ann and her daughter, Bathsua, married to a father and son, respectively, whom they had met in Newbury, MA, while visiting relatives. When they moved to Newbury, MA, Nathaniel remained in Salem under the guardianship of Mr. John Endicott.

Richard and his first wife Agnes (Langley) Ingersoll had one child:

• Alice, bpt. at St. Swithins Churh in Sandy, Bedfordshire, England, 21 Dec. 1612; m. Josiah Walcott.

Richard and his second wife Ann Ingersoll had six children:

• George, b. in England in 1618; died in Salem, MA, in 1694. He was a selectman in Gloucester, MA, then moved to Falmouth, ME, as early as 1658, where he was a representative from that town and commander of their military company before moving to Salem, MA, where he died. He left four sons and two daughters.
• Joanna, b. in England; m. Richard Pettengill.
• John, b. in England ca. 1625; d. in Salem, MA, in 1716; m. Judith Felton. He was a mariner and was made a "freeman" at Salem, MA, 29 April 1668.
• Sarah, b. in England; m. (1) in 1644, William Haines of Salem, MA; m. (2) Joseph Houlton of Danvers, MA.
• Bathsua (Bathsheba), b. in America, ca. 1629/30; m. in 1647 John Knight, Jr. of Newbury, MA.
• Nathaniel, b. in Salem, MA, ca. 1632/3; died without living issue in Salem in 1719; m. Hannah Collins. Nathaniel was made a "freeman" at Salem, MA, 22 March 1689. He lived in Old Salem Village (now Danvers Highlands) on land his father willed to him. Descriptions of him indicate that he was industrious and thrifty, and that he accumulated a considerable estate. He was a deacon in the church and active in civic affairs, especially in planning protectoin against Indian attacks. He was not mentioned in any of the witch trials.