Richard Shatswell was born in about 1697 to Richard and Eleanor Shatswell, in Newbury, Massachusetts. He worked as a yeoman. Richard married Mary Treadwell in 1722. He died 1772.

Richard Shatswell Jr. was born 1728, in Ipswich, Massachusetts, to Richard (circa 1697-1772) and Mary (Treadwell) Shatswell. Richard worked with his father as a yeoman. He married Hannah Bradstreet on March 30, 1751. Richard died on December 28, 1804.

Nathaniel Shatswell was born in 1764 to Richard (1728-1804) and Hannah Shatswell. He worked as a yeoman. Nathaniel married Mary Lord in 1783. He married his second wife, Elizabeth Todd, in 1790. Nathaniel died in 1824.

The Shatwells owned Green Point's Boat Landing, in Ipswich, Massachusetts, and a wharf there where the schooner, Hannah, discharged cargo. The family was also engaged in fishing and coastwise trading; the selling of timber and firewood; ploughing and trucking for hire; leasing their horses and gundalows (flat bottom barges); and received charges for thatch and salt marsh hay that landed on their wharf or dried on their land.