Richard Conant
Richard Conant was the son of John Conant of East Budleigh, Devon, who had been a churchwarden of the parish in 1577. He was probably born about 1548. By 1588 he was paying the tax on his father's lands in East Budleigh, worth four pounds a year. Like his father, he served as a churchwarden of the parish church of All Saints, in 1606 with Henry Cowde and again in 1616. In 1630 his rate was the second highest in the parish, after a member of the Arscot family.
On 4 February 1578 he married Agnes Clarke at Colyton, eight miles to the east. The Colyton register reads: "Rychard Counnett, the sonne of John Counnett, of Easte Budleye, was wedded unto Agnes Clarke, the daughter of John Clarke, senior, of Collyton, the iiij. daye of ffebruary, 1578." Her father was the merchant who had led the townsmen's purchase of the manor of Colyton.
They had eight children, all baptized at East Budleigh between 1580 and 1592. One son, John, was educated at Oxford and became a clergyman. Christopher became a London grocer. The youngest, Roger, became a London salter and went to New England in the 1620s. A biography of their son John described Richard and Agnes as persons "esteemed for their exemplary piety."
Richard and Agnes were buried at East Budleigh on the same day, 22 September 1631. The Conant genealogy of 1887 printed the year as 1630, but his goods were valued on 30 September 1631. His will was proved on 13 October 1631 in the Archdeaconry Court of Exeter. It remembered a granddaughter Sarah, Roger's daughter, born in New England.
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Cite: Heirology, "Richard Conant (1548-1631)", https://heirology.com/ancestors/richard-conant-1548-1631-cef489.