Richard's date, place of birth, and parentage are not known. In Richard's 1771 will he was described as a weaver, of Temple, Sibson, Leicestershire, England. Richard may have been the son of John Choyce, of Wellesborough, Sibson. John Choyce lived at Temple Hall and Temple Mill in the early 1700s, where Richard is known to have lived. Temple is a hamlet of Wellesborough.

I refer to Richard as being "of Sibson" because all of the vital statistics for Wellesborough were recorded at Sibson. A later chapter in this book refers to WILLIAM CHOYCE, FARMER, OF SIBSON. William was Richard's brother, but the chapters were too lengthy to combine. We know from various probate records that Richard and William had at least two other brothers, Samuel and James, and possibly sisters as well, but I have no details concerning them, nor do I know the rank of any of the brothers. I have resorted to alphabetical order to place Richard first.

Richard Choyce is my fourth great-grandfather.
A parchment copy of his 1771 will has been in my family since it was written. It was this document, along with my father's urging, which planted the first seed of genealogical interest in my cranium, and which, over the years, has bloomed into this completed (but incomplete) work.